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LMU93
They need a six-man DL rotation and I think Fox should be the 5th guy (after Donald, Brockers, Gaines, and Franklin-Myers). 6th is probably TBD between Joseph-Day, Smart and other possible NT types.
I actually think, from what's being put out there from guys watching practices, that Joseph-Day and Gaines are competing and could end up 1a and 1b to start at NT. Actually at this point J-D is ahead of Gaines. J-D like Kiser is a kind of overlooked 2018 redshirt, but they had good buzz on him going back to last season. It could be that J-D and Gaines end up basically both starting in rotation (and given the nature of the NT position, that would be a really good thing.) But as of right now J-D is ahead.
In terms of Fox, I think we're saying the same thing. I don't see him as part of the regular base 3/4 rotation. That would (as of today) probably be Donald, J-D, Brockers, Gaines, and F-M. According to Farr from watching practices, Fox lines up as a pass-rushing DE in pass-rush packages. That kind of makes him a separate animal from the 5 base 3/4 rotation guys. In terms of his physical parameters and skill set, Fox is basically a 4/3 DE (as we all know 4/3 DEs often don't translate to 3/4 DE, they don't have the physical bulk and skill set you need).
Given all that, based of course just on early reports, Fox would come in as a 4/3 pass rushing DE in specific pass rushing sub-packages.
(Assuming he makes the team.)
To complicate this a bit, although he would play essentially the role of a pass rushing 4/3 DE in those sets, those sets don't HAVE TO BE 4/3 sets. They can (in pass rushing situations) be 3-2 or 3-3 sets with nickel or dime packages. But the effect would be the same in terms of how Fox would line up and play. He would line up outside the OT's shoulder, put his hand in the dirt, and rush the passer.
He would NOT line up with the base 3/4 at end and try to do Brockers job. (I also doubt he would replace Donald in base 3/4 sets either. Odds are that would be F-M.)
That's what I have been getting out of the info that's been put out there.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2019 06:28AM by zn.
