Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 73 Days (Tyler Knight)

Written By Alex Compton (@Alexncompton)

#73

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kick-off has begun! There are now 73 days until the Indiana Hoosiers kick-off the 2017 season against the Ohio State Buckeyes. That seems like a long way away and I suppose it is, but this countdown will fly by and it will be football season before we know it! Today’s countdown takes a look at #73 Tyler Knight.

Tyler Knight (Freshman)

-Height: 6’4”
-Weight: 285 pounds
-Hometown: Clearwater, Florida
-Position: Offensive Tackle

Former Indiana offensive line coach Greg Frey loved going down into Florida for offensive line talent, and boy did he like what he saw in Tyler Knight. Knight was the first player to commit to IU in his recruiting class, and was committed for over a year. He never wavered for a second, and became as much of an IU fan as all of us during the time he had to wait to come to campus. Luckily for him he came to campus early, and had a slight head start on his IU career despite missing spring practice with an injury. Knight played all five line positions in high school (plus D-Line), and comes to Bloomington as a three-star tackle prospect.

Knight’s upside is centered on two things. First off, he is really athletic for a lineman. He can get up the field in the running game as well as anyone IU has on the roster right now, and that is something that really matters in a zone running scheme. Knight is also extremely versatile. A lot of that versatility comes from him being able to move so well, but you do have to have sound technique among other things to be able to play all five spots. If you go back and watch Knight’s tape again, you’ll see the nastiness that he plays with, and that is what gets me really fired up about him. While he was better than most of the guys running at him, he commonly stood in his stance and blew guys up with his hands.

We’ve talked about it before, but I think the tackle spots are locked up for next year. Coy Cronk returns as a true sophomore at left tackle, and Brandon Knight is back to full strength and should be the right tackle. If he moves inside which is a possibility, Delroy Baker would slot in as the starting right tackle instead. The Hoosiers should have solid depth up front this year at every position, but Knight’s ability to play all five spots could allow him to avoid a redshirt and play due to injury or just come in as a fresh body if he can be ready in time for fall camp. Regardless, Knight is the type of guy IU will be targeting in future classes, and will be a great addition to the team this coming season.

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