We are back to Florida commits and back to the offensive side of the ball.
Name: Jessamen Dunker
Position: Offensive Line (Players are known to shift around the offensive line, but Dunker is currently considered a prospect at tackle.)
Height: 6’6"
Weight: 315
High School: Boynton Beach (Boynton Beach, FL)
Status: Verbally committed to Florida
Other Schools in Play: May take additional visits over the summer, but has not mentioned where.
Video: Click here for highlights.
Oh glorious big man. As I said earlier, you want offensive linemen. Every year. It does not matter if the roster is loaded with talent across the line. Depth is always important and almost always an issue. For every offensive lineman that lives up to his potential, another does not. For every lineman that remains healthy throughout his college career, another does not. You should take as many as you can get. And when they are 6’6", 315 pounds heading into their senior year of high school, it is hard to turn them down.
Dunker’s size is evident throughout clips of him playing. He is the biggest player on the field and it is clear how he uses that to his advantage. If he is not pancaking his assignment, he is driving him 10-15 yards down the field. When he pulls, he is like a freight train coming through the backfield toward would be tacklers. Seeing Dunker bare down on you is not something you want. Once you get someone of his size started, stopping him becomes a serious problem.
And that brings us right to his next and perhaps biggest strength. Dunker has outstanding footwork and speed for someone he age and size. He positions himself correctly on every play in order to make the first move toward the defender instead of always reacting to it. Dunker is able to drive toward his opponent or get a step ahead when he is pulling across the line because he knows how to position himself to do so. This is another one of those "you do not typically see that from high school players" items. They may line up correctly, but many react much slower than Dunker does or step off the wrong foot toward the player they are attempting to block. Dunker is a step ahead in that respect and should be able to contribute depth to Florida’s offensive line immediately because of it.
One of Dunker’s other strengths also creates a weakness in an odd way. He is extremely focused and by observing him for just a moments, you can tell he is committed to his assignment and finishing it through until the whistle blows. However, he also appears lost at times when the defender he is supposed to block does not rush toward him. There are occasions where Dunker is left standing while the play unfolds because he has no one in front of him to block. He can improve by watching tape and preparing for the unexpected. On some of the plays where he was left standing, there was another defender coming past him, but Dunker lets them go by. This is something that will take some education, but it is far from something that he cannot be taught. He just needs to realize what his second option is.
At the moment, Dunker is all Florida. He was extremely excited when he announced his commitment and appears to be solid, except for one common occurrence among recruits – Dunker has mentioned taking other visits over the summer. While he remains committed and confident he made the right decision, he will look around and other schools will definitely not stop calling..