Coach's Analysis

Robb Smith gives player-by-player breakdown of Razorbacks defense

Arkansas defensive coordinator Robb Smith instructs his players Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015, during practice at the university practice field in Fayetteville.

Editor's Note: The following comments are from Arkansas defensive coordinator Robb Smith about players who went through spring practice. This was originally published in the 2016 Hawgs Illustrated Football Preview.

DEFENSIVE LINE

48 Deatrich Wise (6-5, 280, Sr.)

One of his big strengths is the way he controls people with his hands. That helps him in both his pass rush and against the run. He has a knack for rushing the passer. Our job is to get him in the right match-ups. He’s always had the ability, but, knock on wood, he’s finally stayed healthy. He was healthy down the stretch last year and stayed healthy in the spring. That’s been the real positive with him. You knew he had that kind of ability.

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6 JaMichael Winston (6-4, 262, Sr.)

He’s played a lot of good football for us the last couple of seasons. You need depth and he will play. That gives us the ability to rest guys like Deatrich. He’s someone we can get in some match-ups that help our defense. He played very well at times. One of the big plays he made was to start the third overtime against Auburn. He’s another guy who is very good with his hands and that’s so important in the defensive line.

99 Brandon Lewis (6-4, 278, Sr.)

It’s encouraging to see him be able to stay out there in the spring (after battling back from knee surgery). It’s the healthiest he’s been. He’s a hard worker. He doesn’t say much, but he can give us quality repetitions at end, plus move inside at tackle and give us depth there, too. We are counting on him for help this season.

94 Taiwan Johnson (6-2, 287, Sr.)

It’s really exciting to have him back at nose tackle. He did some really good things there two years ago. He’s a natural there. He will be one of our top players. He’s got the ability to shoot his hand in short space and the way we like to play this position in a tilt is something that fits for him. He’s the best guy we have at that.

78 Bijhon Jackson (6-2, 332, Jr.)

The sky is the limit. He performed well in the spring. The biggest thing, we need consistency. But he’s exciting because of his explosive ability. I think he’s going to surprise people this fall.

86 Armon Watts (6-5, 296, Soph.)

He’s very valuable to our defense at nose or the three technique (tackle) spot. I describe him as slippery. He’s tough to block. He gives us versatility. He showed his ability in the Alabama game, hitting the quarterback on the play that resulted in Josh Liddell’s interception.

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Arkansas defensive lineman Jeremiah Ledbetter pressures Texas A&M quarterback Kyle Allen during a game Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

55 Jeremiah Ledbetter (6-3, 276, Sr.)

He’s got that short area burst that makes him perfect for what we do with the three technique. He really embraced that move inside. As crazy as it sounds, that’s where we started him off when he got here and he showed natural ability there. We just moved him outside to try to generate some pass rush. But he gives us inside the things that Darius Philon provided two years ago. We will move him around on third downs for match-ups.

52 T. J. Smith (6-3, 284, Fr.)

He had a really, really good spring. He’s extremely smart. He uses his hands and really got better as he learned. I think trained behavior started to become instinct in the spring. I’m really high on T.J. Smith.

98 Daytrieon Dean (6-3, 251, Fr.)

We saw a first glimpse of him in the spring because he was finally healthy. I’m excited with the direction he’s taken and he’s going to fill a need for us inside.

97 Tevin Beanum (6-4, 270, Jr.)

He’s played a lot of good football for us. We expect him to play even better. It will be important for him to have a good summer and I think he’ll do that.

96 Karl Roesler (6-1, 252, Jr.)

We call him our jack of all trades because he can play both sides and he’s played some linebacker in packages. He got a lot of reps with our ones in the spring. He has a good knack for the pass rush. He has quickness and is good with his hands.

3 McTelvin “Sosa” Agim (6-3, 282, Fr.)

Very impressive this spring. He’s a starter in some of our packages. He can play inside and outside. He’s just a special player and I think he’ll do a great job this season.

18 Derrick Graham (6-4, 230, Fr.)

He came on as a pass rusher in the spring and has a role in our sub packages. He can set the edge and create a pass rush. He’s played on his feet in the past (at linebacker), but we saw that he can play at end.

LINEBACKERS

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Arkansas linebacker Brooks Ellis awaits a snap during a game against Tennessee on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.

51 Brooks Ellis (6-2, 248, Sr.)

It all starts with Brooks at mike. He had another good spring. He’s our leader and is a great example for our defense. He’s become more vocal. He’s a great barometer for our defense. He always knows where to go and has just become more natural. He’s just a tremendous football player. Brooks and Dre Greenlaw have come together and play to each others strengths.

44 Kendrick Jackson (6-1, 250, Soph.)

He made a lot of strides in the spring. It’s exciting to add him to the competition and see him grow as a linebacker. We had him for a bit in the fall with our linebackers and we are happy to get him back. He was going to be able to help us at linebacker, but our team needed him more at fullback. We need to keep him at mike linebacker.

45 Josh Harris (5-10, 224, Soph.)

I just call Josh a football player. I say that paying him a great compliment. He knows our defense. He’s tough and physical. I know he’ll have a role in special teams.

23 Dre Greenlaw (6-0, 231, Soph.)

He was one of our most improved players in the spring. It was very encouraging. The will linebacker spot in our defense has been very productive. No doubt, he was able to read his keys and play well in the spring. He looks like a different player now. You go back to last year, he looked like what he was, a first-year linebacker. Vernon Hargreaves did a great job and Dre embraced the position.

35 Dwayne Eugene (6-1, 234, Jr.)

He can play Will, the mike and the Sam. He’ll also be a very good special teams player. He can push Dre at the will. He’s a student of the game. We feel much better about our linebackers with Dwayne.

27 Khalia Hackett (6-2, 215, Jr.)

For 15 practices in the spring, he played the best football since he’s been here. There had always been flashes and positives, but he was consistent in the spring. He gives us confidence that we can play three linebackers in our packages.

10 Randy Ramsey (6-4, 230, Soph.)

There is a niche for Randy in our packages. We are really happy for him. He’s embraced the Arkansas way. He’s done it on and off the field.

21 Josh Williams (6-1, 230, Sr.)

He’s a veteran presence with our linebackers, a great leader. He’s improving in his recovery from the leg surgery. You just love Josh Williams, a great person and very smart.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

9 Santos Ramirez (6-2, 201, Soph.)

He came out of the spring as a much improved player. Coach (Paul) Rhoads did a great job of training his eyes. He is improved as far as being a student of the game.

20 De’Andre Coley (6-1, 209, Jr.)

He came on and played his best football since he’s been here. He took to what Coach Rhoads was coaching. He’s going to help us and he’ll be a good player in the kicking game again.

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Arkansas defensive back Josh Liddell (28) celebrates with defensive back Santos Ramirez (9) after Liddell intercepts the ball intended for Alabama tight end O.J. Howard (88) in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

28 Josh Liddell (6-1, 210, Jr.)

It was a big spring for Josh. He’s definitely a better player. We feel much better about our safety play after the spring. He’s better as far as his vision and the angle of his break. He’s so much improved.

38 Reid Miller (5-9, 194, Soph.)

He’s a tough, physical player and is smart. He had his eyes in the right place and played well in the spring.

8 Nate Dalton (6-3, 204, Fr.)

He made positive strides in the spring after moving from corner. He’s a big, tall, strong player.

29 Jared Collins (5-11, 172, Sr.)

He got better every day. We feel good. He’s healthy and playing well. All of our corners got better this spring. We feel good with Jared to the field side.

5 Henre Toliver (6-1, 181, Jr.)

He’s playing the boundary corner and also as the slot cover man on third downs. He took big steps in the spring. He has a lot of natural ability.

30 Kevin Richardson (6-0, 170, Jr.)

He can play corner on the boundary, or as the slot man. He also can play safety. If you think back on the LSU game, he’s a guy who was running past others to make tackles. He got better last year after we began to use him in some packages. He won’t back down and he’s a smart player.

1 Ryan Pulley (5-11, 194, Soph.)

He emerged late in the year and he has a role. He was one of our best press coverage guys. If you will remember, he was playing press at the end of the Liberty Bowl game and made the interception. He gained confidence in the spring. We are going to be in games where we play six DBs and four corners. He can be in that group.

2 D. J. Dean (5-11, 195, Sr.)

He was really good down the stretch last year and was out there with a foot injury. He had surgery and got that fixed. I thought he gutted it out last year. He’s going to be in that group of corners that we play. Consistency is his deal.

15 Willie Sykes (6-0, 185, Soph.)

The move from safety to corner was very positive. He’s got a burst in a short area and good top end speed. He’s got the makings of being a good corner.

39 Byron Keaton (5-10, 180, Fr.)

I wouldn’t be surprised to see him really help in special teams. He had knee surgery in the fall, but we liked what we saw.