FanShot

Video: JUCO DT Gilbert Pena

182

FSU has offered JUCO DT Gilbert Pena out of NY and he is looking at them along with UNC and Ole Miss in the South. 6-3/315. Next year at the defensive tackle position, FSU returns: Anthony McCloud Jr* 6-2/310 Everett Dawkins Jr* 6-2/290 Jacobbi McDaniel Jr. 6-0/300 Demonte McAllister So. 6-2/290 Darius Cummings So. 6-3/300 Cameron Erving Fr* 6-5/300 (projected weights). The 'Noles may also get back Moses McCray (Jr*, 6-2 315) from a knee injury, but that's far from certain. The 'Noles are bringing in two of the top 20 defensive tackle prospects in the country in Nile Lawrence-Stample (6'0" 300) and Derrick Mitchell (6'5" 290). But ideally, those two will red-shirt while learning the position and adding strength. The lifting regimin for red-shirting players is different, as they do not have to worry about being physically sore for gameday. What does offering Pena mean? Is he simply too good to pass up? Is FSU worried about its defensive tackle situation? Or is it just smart roster management by the staff, finally causing FSU to stack itself with more big bodies and fewer skill guys, as big bodies have contact on every play and are thus more likely to be injured? My take is that like a baseball team knows it must fill about 1450 innings in a season, a football team must fill roughly 1800 defensive tackle snaps in a year. No reason why Pena couldn't fill 3-400 of those, while keeping fresh legs on everyone else.