2013 In Depth: Defensive Tackles

As Memorial Day approaches, Duck Sports Authority continues looking towards the class of 2013. Recruiting season will get into full swing as Summer begins to fade into fall and now is the time to continue looking deep into the heart of Duck recruiting.

We have brought you nearly every position on the team. With just a few more positions to look at we return again to defense. Today we will look at the defensive tackle position and Oregon's recruiting needs. If you recall, when we discussed the defensive tackle position in our initial first look at the 2013 recruiting class, the projection had a wide range. Part of the reason for such a range is the versatility of the current crop of defensive linemen. There are some young guys who might stay at a strong side defensive end position or move inside. Nonetheless, after 2012 the Ducks lose Isaac Remington. After 2013, however, the Ducks will lose Ricky Heimuli, Wade Kelikiipi, Taylor Hart and Jared Ebert. Duck coaches will likely be looking to add at least two more defensive tackle types in 2013 if not more.

With that in mind, let's look at who the Ducks have offered and what the chances are of those young men choosing to play for the University of Oregon. At the moment there are just two players listed at defensive tackle with offers. We will look at those two players first and then we will introduce a couple of players without an offer that might have an interest in the Ducks.

Jaynard Bostwick

Status: Offered, Medium Interest

Overview: Defensive tackles that can dominate at the college level are a hot commodity. As with all hot commodities, though, they are difficult to find. Bostwick is the kind of defensive tackle Duck fans have dreamed of since the days of Haloti Ngata. Physically imposing at 6-4, 291 pounds, Bostwick has all the tools to be a great defensive tackle where ever he chooses. Bostwick is ranked as the 8th best defensive tackle and 85th best overall player in the nation by Rivals.

Strengths: Bostwick absolutely devours ball carriers. Unlike many big men who knock a player down and watch, Bostwick smothers the ball carrier. He is very good off the line exploding from his stance through linemen. He has good hands and knows how to read blocks. He understands his assignments and is relentless in his pursuit of the ball carrier. He has exceptional hips and thick thighs that make him a very good prospect to play a nose tackle position in Oregon's hybrid 3-4 defense.

Weaknesses: Though Bostwick has good hips for the position, due to his ability to dominate players at the high school level, he tends to lose pad level too frequently. He doesn't need it at high school, but he will need to improve that at the collegiate level. He will need to work some on hand techniques as this is something else he has not had to use much in high school. His quickness keeps him from needing to engage blockers; he won't get away with that at the next level.

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