2009 Recruiting Class Individual Profiles - Offensive Line

Thought I forgot about this series, didn't ya? Well, I did. Kinda.

But the point is, I'm back. This time, we'll look at Cal's great offensive line class, one of Tedford's best in fact. The addition of Hasiak would have made it of the best in the nation, but it's a still a pretty enviable class in terms of talent. Let's take a look.

Charles Ragland – Offensive Tackle (Denver, CO)
Ratings: 2 stars (Rivals.com) 3 Stars (Scout.com), 77 (ESPN)
Position Ranking: NA (Rivals.com) #65 (Scout.com) #33 (ESPN)

Holy Crap, Ragland is one big dude. And by big I mean 6’8, 285 pound big. For reference, Ragland would be the tallest O-Lineman by an inch (over Mike Tepper and Mitchell Schwartz). Keep in mind that Ragland needs to grow into his body a bit more though, needing to put on about 20 pounds or so to play the tackle position at the collegiate level.

With that said, Ragland has got potential running out of his ears. He’s very athletic for his size and has the chance to be a star for the Bears in future years. Ragland has flown under the radar a bit, having only played football for two years, and tackle for one. He’s stated that he only really played football after constant prodding for his peers, and to honor his father, a former football player. Can you imagine him playing any other sport? Basketball would probably the only other possibility. He and Glen “Big Baby” Davis could become best buds.

Things to Be Excited About
Again, Ragland’s size does jump out at you. Add on his athleticism and his strength, and it’s hard not to see why the Bears were excited about Ragland. Despite his inexperience, Ragland shows good footwork while zone blocking, and also has strong technique in blocking upfield. Ragland also has a huge wing span and quick feet to become really effective in pass protection in the future.

Areas of Concern
Ragland is going to be a work in progress. A bit thin for the line, Ragland will need to undergo a year or two of weight and strength training before he’s ready to compete for a starting spot. Also, given his inexperience playing the tackle position, there are a number of skills and techniques he’ll need to improve. He’ll need to effectively play a bit lower while maintaining leverage, while also being careful not jump early before kicking back off the line.

Outlook
Given Cal’s depth at the offensive tackle position (Mitchell Schwartz being only a sophomore, Mike Tepper granted a 6th year, and Chet Teofilo, Donovan Edwards available as backups), and Ragland needing a bit more time in Cal’s training regimen, I would expect Ragland to be on the scout team for the 2009 season. While it may take some time, Ragland has the size and all of the physical tools to eventually become a dominant tackle, most likely manning the right side of the line.


Charles Siddoway – Offensive Tackle (Eugene, OR)
Ratings: 3 stars (Rivals.com and Scout.com), 76 (ESPN)
Position Ranking: #43 (Rivals.com) #30 (Scout.com) #59 (ESPN)


The “other Charles” tackle commitment was actually much more highly regarded before scouting media cooled on him a bit in recent months. Siddoway, a former 4 star prospect, was once considered the 18th best tackle prospect in the nation. Don’t really know why that has leveled off, but it goes to show how fickle all these rating systems can be.

As one of the top prospects out of Oregon, Siddoway spurned offers from Oregon and Alabama to come to Cal. He’s got the size at 6’6, 300 lbs to really excel at the offensive tackle position. His trademark appears to be an aggressive and overpowering type of play that has helped dominate at the high school level.

Things to Be Excited About
He displays a lot of strength, particularly in his upper body. The guy could probably 1000 hand bitch smack E. Honda. He shows a good wingspan and particularly plays well on outside rushers in pass protection. In the run game, he shows great strength once he gets a hold of a tackler either runs ‘em over and carries them along for a few yards before dropping them.

Areas of Concern
Like Ragland, Siddoway needs to work on playing at a lower level and creating a wider base at the point of contact in pass protection. He reportedly has struggled a bit in letting rushers up on inside slants. He’ll also need to refine his footwork a bit to stay control of his blocking assignments as he turns upfield, especially in Cal’s zone blocking scheme, as he currently lumber a little bit or will lose balance.

Outlook
Again, I’d be very surprised if Siddoway were to play right away. There’s too much depth at tackle and Siddoway has a bit of refining to do in his technique, particularly his footwork, before he’s ready to play. Then again, if Cal were to go through another rash of injuries similar to last year (I hope not), he’s someone I think has the physical tools to provide some depth sooner than later.


Brian Schwenke – Offensive Guard (Oceanside, CA)
Ratings: 3 stars (Rivals.com and Scout.com), 80 (ESPN)
Position Ranking: #32 (Rivals.com) #44 (Scout.com) #9 (ESPN)

The Bears are pretty high on Brian Schwenke. The guard from Oceanside committed pretty early on last summer after developing a strong relationship with Coach Thompson and Michalczik. I had some concerns that Schwenke might reconsider his commitment after Coach M’s departure, but I’m really glad the kid is sticking around. ESPN has him ranked as one of the top offensive guards in the nation.

“Scrappy” and “getting the job done” is a word I’ve seen tossed around a number of times in describing Schwenke’s play at the OG position. A bit undersized at the guard position at 6’3 and 255 pounds, Schwenke plays a lot bigger than he really is, getting low in his stance and showing good drive in his legs. A model student with a near 4.0 GPA, Schwenke chose Cal over Stanford among others, with academics being a key factor in his decision.

Things to Be Excited About
This is one athletic guard. He reportedly runs a sub 5.0 forty, which is pretty impressive offensive for an o-line man. He’s got the mobility to maintain his blocks down the field, and overall, is really solid in both his pass protection and run blocking game. He can shuffle his feet pretty quickly and is quick to control his space and meet defenders on.

Areas of Concern
Schwenke’s size at the guard position does raise a few eyebrows, when the average guard usually tops out around 300 pounds. While he does have good leg control, can still improve his stance a little bit after initial contact. His overagressiveness also makes him a bit prone to biting on double moves by pass rushers, so he’ll have to learn to hone in his scrappiness to a good patient balance.

Outlook
Again, you just don’t see too many 255 pound guards. Then again, I realize the kid is fresh out of high school. He’s going to need to put on a substantial amount of bulk without sacrificing his athleticism. But I love the mentality, athleticism, and intelligence that he brings to the game. Coach M had an eye for o-linemen, and I have no doubt that Schwenke can become a playmaker. It just may take a lot of hard work and time.


Mark Brazinski – Center (Somerville, NJ)
Ratings: 4 stars (Rivals.com and Scout.com), 80 (ESPN)
Position Ranking: #6 (Rivals.com) #2 (Scout.com) #3 (ESPN)


Anyone who has followed the blog for the past few months, knows I’m very high on Mark Brazinski. In fact, I think it’s fair to say I’ve establish a bit of a man crush on the kid. And I’m very well aware that statements like that just might get me arrested.

Maybe it’s the fact that the kid has a sense of humor. Or that he can do the worm. Or that kid is one of the highest touted center recruits of Jeff Tedford era. But I’m excited about what the New Jersey native is going to bring to the table for Bears.

Brazinski is an All-American recruit, and is widely regarded as one of the top high school centers in the nation. The kid has got the intelligence, size, and athleticism to be the rock of the offensive line in future years.

Things to be excited about
Brazinski reminds me a bit of Alex Mack in his ability to get a good pad level, and maintain his blocks without giving in or giving up all the way downfield. He shows good body control and positioning, and can often be seen springing blocks downfield. He shows a great first punch, and shows good hands in pass protection, and rarely appears to shuffle his feet or get tangled up there. Shows an ideal build and athleticism to play center.

Areas of Concern
The one knock on Brazinski appears to be that he sometimes stands a bit to upright, straightening his legs a bit in the process which results in him overextending himself, leaving himself susceptible to being powered over. He also may need to add a bit more bulk to maintain the power necessary to play center at the collegiate level.

Outlook
While Brazinski has the tools to play right away, I doubt that will be the case. The vacant center position left by Alex Mack will most likely be filled by Chris Guarnero, who made the switch last year to guard. Guarnero is the leading candidate to assume centering duties, with Dominic Galas pegged in as a backup. Given injuries to the line, it’s possible Brazinski may be forced into early action, but a redshirt to begin the season seems more likely, before Brazinski becomes Cal’s mainstay at the center position starting from the 2011 season.