Dakota Royer

Dakota Royer, one of the best in-state products we signed in this past year's class is the third of seven early enrollees that we are talking about. Royer is just a naturally gifted athlete that will add to the legacy of "Linebacker U" in the coming years.

Dakota Royer is listed at 6'3" and 210 pounds. He possesses great strength and speed for his size with a 4.6 speed in the forty. Dakota is what you would call a freak of an athlete for someone with his frame. He has the ability to put on another 30-50 pounds on that frame of his without losing his speed and flexibility. This is why Royer is a bit of a puzzle piece as to where he is going to play in college.

Royer possesses great hand technique and burst off the line. With added muscle and strength Royer could become a force off the edge for years to come. He is very aggressive, great at getting off of blocks, and has a relentless pursuit of the ball carrier, as was on display during the Under Armour all star game. You see that he possesses these skills and wonder why its so difficult to make a decision as to where he plays, well there's a kicker.

These are not all of Royer's intangibles, as Royer is a very intelligent player. He is very sound in his fundamentals and makes one great decision after another everytime he is on the field. He also possesses great lateral movement and is a great tackler in the open field. His hips are very fluid, as he can change his direction with ease and excels in pass coverage.

Out of all the players that we have coming in from the class of 2010, Dakota Royer has the most upside and potential. As long as he continues to grow into his frame and develop at the rate his developing, I would not be suprised to see him on field for special teams and working his way into the rotation as the year progresses. My guess would be that Royer ends up at the linebacker position, but I wouldn't expect to see much of #32 this weekend at the Blue and White game as he is nursing an injured hip.

Up Next: Evan Hailes

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