Last night I did a TV bit for 11Alive in which I discussed three "sleepers" or players that have really helped themselves this spring that the average fan may not know about. Let me say for the record you folks are not average fans so please don't laugh at my choices.
I chose Jake Ganus, A.J. Turman and Chris Mayes. Mainly because those guys were either new to practice or in Mayes' case, a starter who disappeared last year after an injury but who will be an integral part of the defense.
Now I find out I missed a guy.
Reggie Wilkerson has gone from running with the 3's and is now with the 1st string. My source tells me he is slated to start the spring game at Star.
Granted there is a lot of time between now and G-Day and all positions are up for grabs, but if G-Day was tomorrow, Wilkerson would be the starter I am told.
What a turnaround for Wilkerson. If you remember when he first arrived as an early enrollee, he made a start in the G-Day game just months after arriving on campus. He was the talk of the secondary, like Dominick Sanders was last year. Then he tore his ACL that summer.
Wilkerson told me last season that he felt the coaches never really gave him a shot once he was hurt or again after he returned to being healthy. He was frustrated and I know he had plans to transfer. Apparently he decided to stick it out after the coaches said they would give him a shot this spring. A clean slate if you will. (or at least that is the scuttlebutt). Now he is with the 1's.
I chose Jake Ganus, A.J. Turman and Chris Mayes. Mainly because those guys were either new to practice or in Mayes' case, a starter who disappeared last year after an injury but who will be an integral part of the defense.
Now I find out I missed a guy.
Reggie Wilkerson has gone from running with the 3's and is now with the 1st string. My source tells me he is slated to start the spring game at Star.
Granted there is a lot of time between now and G-Day and all positions are up for grabs, but if G-Day was tomorrow, Wilkerson would be the starter I am told.
What a turnaround for Wilkerson. If you remember when he first arrived as an early enrollee, he made a start in the G-Day game just months after arriving on campus. He was the talk of the secondary, like Dominick Sanders was last year. Then he tore his ACL that summer.
Wilkerson told me last season that he felt the coaches never really gave him a shot once he was hurt or again after he returned to being healthy. He was frustrated and I know he had plans to transfer. Apparently he decided to stick it out after the coaches said they would give him a shot this spring. A clean slate if you will. (or at least that is the scuttlebutt). Now he is with the 1's.
