Stock up players in camp

DMoney

Aug 13, 2024 3 min read

With two weeks of practices and as scrimmage in the books, I wanted to identify some names that are rising based on numerous conversations with sources. These guys are performing in camp with consistency:

CB Romanas "OJ" Frederique, Jr.- The 6'0, 180-pounder from St. Thomas Aquinas has long arms, 4.4 speed and textbook movement skills for the position. While he played in all phases last year - a rarity at that program - he also went through a learning curve at corner. He gave up a long touchdown in the opener against St. John Bosco and maintained a three-star rating on all the recruiting services. But Miami trusted its in-person camp evaluation, and they were rewarded with a player that has vastly outperformed his ranking on Greentree.

Frederique displays outstanding patience at the position, while still retaining the playmaking skills from his wide receiver days. The Canes have been searching for an impact corner in recruiting, and Frederique may provide an unexpected boost at that position before the bumper crop of 2025. I wouldn't be surprised if he played big snaps this year.

WR RayRay Joseph- Nobody has ever doubted Joseph's ability with the ball in his hands. The 5'10, 185-pounder was a running back in youth football and possesses outstanding quickness, balance and burst. But he's been working tirelessly to improve as a receiver, and the results are starting to show. He's having an excellent camp at slot receiver, and his tackle-breaking ability plays up whenever Miami goes full-contact. He's also going to play a major role in the return game.

QB Emory Williams- I believed Reese Poffenbarger's athleticism gave him an edge for the QB2 job coming out of camp. One factor I may have underestimated was Emory Williams's arm injury, which he suffered in the FSU game. While he played in spring, he didn't look fully healthy and in shape. In August, he looks stronger, sharper and better in all facets and is providing a steady, "do no harm" option as backup QB.

RB Ajay Allen- This is another guy who is finally healthy. Allen was solid last year (361 yards, 5.2 ypc, 5 TDs) despite playing through a shoulder injury. However, Allen - like the rest of Miami's RBs - lacked explosive runs. He looks stronger and more decisive in camp and should play significant snaps in a loaded room.

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Comments (80)

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grover

Aug 13, 2024

kccanefan said:
I haven't been all that impressed with Moten. If he doesn't take a step forward this year I think he could be heading somewhere else. Horton has been plagued with injuries. Stafford is a redshirt freshman, but was more of an athlete coming out of high school. So I don't think it's fair to label him a JAG necessarily just yet with him being raw. Richard played last year and has been mentioned at the other corner opposite Porter. Markeith supposedly playing well also. I wouldn't necessarily look at some of the young guys flashy as a negative, but possible we might have finally hit on some guys early.

Young guys flashing is always welcome news. It's just when it's accompanied with no mention of upperclassmen also balling that I grow skeptical. Good = Jojo and Lyle getting high praise even as the top guys ball
Concern = Scott getting high praise when there's mostly silence on Moten and Horton

I'm also super skeptical about Campbell. Let's face it, a guy who can't see the field before Gore and Lichtenstein would have to take a massive leap forward to be even serviceable.

Just feels to me that DT and DB are still our biggest areas of weakness and we may be painting lipstick on a pig. Hope I'm wrong obviously. Because the rest of the team looks playoff ready.

Y
YankeesCane

Aug 13, 2024

Ray Ray will be another Jonathan Harris, Trent Green, Travis Benjamin

Shooter McGavin

Aug 13, 2024

YankeesCane said:
Ray Ray will be another Jonathan Harris, Trent Green, Travis Benjamin

Benjamin was one of the fastest players Miami has had in the last 15 years. Joseph should not be in the same conversation as TB3.

SFbayCane

Aug 13, 2024

Empirical Cane said:
View attachment 297737

Steve Walsh

Ken Dorsey

Emory Williams

JHallCanes

Aug 13, 2024

Shooter McGavin said:
Benjamin was one of the fastest players Miami has had in the last 15 years. Joseph should not be in the same conversation as TB3.

I’ll wait until someone dusts FSUs secondary in a big game before I put them on Benjamins level

Shooter McGavin

Aug 13, 2024

JHallCanes said:
I’ll wait until someone dusts FSUs secondary in a big game before I put them on Benjamins level

Or makes a mockery of a team like Osu’s special teams like Lamar Miller and Benjamin did in 2010.

Empirical Cane

Aug 13, 2024

SFbayCane said:
Steve Walsh

Ken Dorsey

Emory Williams

Perfect ascending order list.

L A M P

Aug 13, 2024

OrangeBowlMagic said:
Demps was outside the Top 250 overall when he was recruited, was 5'8 and 160 pounds, and came in as a true freshman to a team that had won a national championship 2 years prior, was about to win one his freshman year, and went 12-0 in the regular season his sophomore year. So, not devoid of talent.

He had over 700 yards and scored 8 TDs as a true freshman on a team with Chris Rainey and Percy Harvin. Had almost 800 yards and another 7 TDs on a loaded gator team in 2009. Averaged over 7.5 yards a carry both years. But Johnson is an RB4 here? Again, not all players are created equal. Just because you're fast doesn't mean you're great. But this kid is the state champion in multiple track events. There is ZERO reason to say he's incapable of making plays. You have to find ways to get speed like that the football, period, end of story. That's a nuclear weapon sitting on the floor of your hangar that you can't use simply because you can't figure out a way to deploy it. Bull****. I'm not saying give him 10 touches against the gators. But in some of these ACC games, they need to find a way to get him the ball in space, full stop. It's him vs one defender, fastest man wins. I'll take my chances.

Demps was a **** of a football player. Great balance. Good vision. Sneaky physical. World class speed. He was just that good.

If CJ is good enough, he'll play.

D_G87

Aug 13, 2024

YankeesCane said:
Ray Ray will be another Jonathan Harris, Trent Green, Travis Benjamin

lol don’t disrespect TBenj like that man. At least at this stage in RayRay’s career

JHallCanes

Aug 13, 2024

L A M P said:
Demps was a **** of a football player. Great balance. Good vision. Sneaky physical. World class speed. He was just that good.

If CJ is good enough, he'll play.

We got a couple more days of giving any Gators any love

Time to tighten up

OrangeBowlMagic

Aug 13, 2024

L A M P said:
Demps was a **** of a football player. Great balance. Good vision. Sneaky physical. World class speed. He was just that good.

If CJ is good enough, he'll play.

He definitely was, I was just pointing out the very similar profile.

Similar size, world-class speed, same recruiting profile.

I'm not saying he can or will be as good as Demps, I'm just saying the gators figured out a way to get a REALLY fast kid the ball in a place to make plays, and they were a literal national championship team the year he got there. Let's do the same for our fastest kid on the team (conference?).

JHallCanes

Aug 13, 2024

SFbayCane said:
Steve Walsh

Ken Dorsey

Emory Williams

Please dont

Last thing we need is you ruining another quarterback

L A M P

Aug 13, 2024

OrangeBowlMagic said:
He definitely was, I was just pointing out the very similar profile.

Similar size, world-class speed, same recruiting profile.

I'm not saying he can or will be as good as Demps, I'm just saying the gators figured out a way to get a REALLY fast kid the ball in a place to make plays, and they were a literal national championship team the year he got there. Let's do the same for our fastest kid on the team (conference?).

Demps was 5'7 190.. Very compact. Johnson is 6'0 a lean 180. Both fast but different frames. I get the profile & your point of needing game breaking speed. Just saying Demps played bc he was good. If Johnson is as well, he'll get plenty of touches.

L A M P

Aug 13, 2024

JHallCanes said:
We got a couple more days of giving any Gators any love

Time to tighten up

On Aug 31st, I'll be the most annoying Cane fan in The Swamp. Until then, I'm just a realist mane. Boy was good.

Aug 13, 2024

grover said:
@DMoney are you sure you're not just rationalizing the lack of depth we have at DT when talking up Scott, CB when talking up OJ and S when talking up Quan? I'm not saying they're not good. I just find it discomforting when I concurrently don't hear great things being said about Moten/Horton, Stafford/Richard, or Markeith/Taylor.

I didn’t wanna mope this thread out because i do believe those guys can be playing well too but it does always seem like certain positions get talked up thru media when we either miss on a recruit/transfer or there is concerns around groups

S
SouthsideAtl

Aug 13, 2024

Any word on Chase Smith I think he can make a difference if he’s healthy

Aug 13, 2024

@IndayArtHauz will you have your equally awaited Stock Down thread published this afternoon?

Empirical Cane

Aug 13, 2024

JHallCanes said:
We got a couple more days of giving any Gators any love

Time to tighten up

We'll need that inspiration from the bench press.

IndayArtHauz

Aug 13, 2024

ben said:
@IndayArtHauz will you have your equally awaited Stock Down thread published this afternoon?

It will be coming soon, once the blood has dried.

BeastMode

Aug 13, 2024

grover said:
Young guys flashing is always welcome news. It's just when it's accompanied with no mention of upperclassmen also balling that I grow skeptical. Good = Jojo and Lyle getting high praise even as the top guys ball
Concern = Scott getting high praise when there's mostly silence on Moten and Horton

I'm also super skeptical about Campbell. Let's face it, a guy who can't see the field before Gore and Lichtenstein would have to take a massive leap forward to be even serviceable.

Just feels to me that DT and DB are still our biggest areas of weakness and we may be painting lipstick on a pig. Hope I'm wrong obviously. Because the rest of the team looks playoff ready.

Need to create negative plays on 1st down so our DE can do what they do best and rush the passer.

DT and Cb are weak. safety is a question mark.

Offense needs to score 30pts a game and they should most games.