A defensive tackle converted to offensive guard. A 7th round pick out of NC State. (Yes. Russell Wilson's NC State.) Typically this kind of player is a project. A practice squad guy. Jameson Konz II. Yet, he's been our starting right guard.
A starter? That's not how the script is written! Yet, here he is.
I see why Cable likes him. He gets really, really low in his stance, he's quick off the snap, and he can be very powerful. On his first two running plays in preseason Week 3, he marched one defender across the field, and then powered forward for Robinson's first down.
His next three plays weren't so good, getting bounced off a block on one, shrugged off in the 2nd level on the next, and pulling only to be stopped dead at the line on the last.
His next four plays were nice: 1) he had a great combo block with Unger and was held so he couldn't get to the 2nd level, 2) he went zone left but there was an unblocked LB to his right. Sweezy came back to get a hand on the LB for a micro delay that helped Turbin, 3) he got to the 2nd level to destroy a LB, and 4) he turned and dominated a DL - though Turbin didn't read that wide open hole.
The next two plays were poor. 1) He pulled too tight behind the center, which could risk injury on the line, and 2) he got shrugged and Leon hit an anvil.
After that, Sweezy showed straight ahead power and graded the road. Next, he was shrugged by the NT but came back to get a hand on him for another micro delay. Gotta be quick to do that.
In two of his last three plays, he tried cut blocks on engaged men, which would be called as penalties by experienced refs. But on one of the three plays, Sweezy got to the 2nd level and stayed engaged. That's a pro skill!
Overall, it was a mix of natural talent, strength, and quickness with some raw rookie mistakes. If it were my call, Moffitt keeps his starting role (once the elbow is healthy) as JR continues to learn the position. As I recall, Moffitt makes fewer mistakes, though I don't know that he has as much natural talent as Sweezy.
The real fallout is that we have a talented young guy (Sweezy) who can do the zone thing and provide depth, rather than a w-i-d-e, older player (Lutui) who wasn't as well suited to the zone blocking scheme but who would have done well in pass protection. As usual on a Carroll team, the young guy wins.
BTW, take a look at Sweezy's elbows. They're huge. When you see joints this big, you know that he can pack on more muscle over time. It's also an indication that he's durable. When you seen him between Giacomini and Unger, Sweezy wins the big elbow competition.
With Scruggs on the DL and Sweezy on the OL, this year's 7th round picks are rockin' it!
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