Bearcats Add JUCO DE/DT Elijah Shuler to the Class of 2012
By Chris Bains
| # | Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height | Weight | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Jeremiah Davis | G | Muncie, IN | Huntington Prep | 6'3" | 200 lbs | SO |
| 1 | Cashmere Wright | G | Savannah, GA | Urban Christian Academy | 6'0" | 175 lbs | RS-SR |
| 2 | Titus Rubles | F | Dallas, TX | Blinn College | 6'7" | 220 lbs | JUCO-JR |
| 3 | Shaquille Thomas | F | Paterson, NJ | RIA Prep | 6'7" | 180 lbs | RS-FR |
| 5 | Justin Jackson | F | Cocoa Beach, FL | Arlington Country Day | 6'8" | 215 lbs | JR |
| 10 | Alex Eppensteiner | G | Cincinnati, OH | Elder | 6'3" | 205 lbs | SR |
| 13 | Cheikh Mbodji | C | Dakar, Senegal | Grayson County CC | 6'10" | 245 lbs | JUCO-SR |
| 14 | GeLawn Guyn | G | Georgetown, KY | South Kent Prep | 6'1" | 175 lbs | SO |
| 15 | Jermaine Sanders | G | Far Rockaway, NY | Rice | 6'5" | 225 lbs | SO |
| 23 | Sean Kilpatrick | G | White Plains, NY | Notre Dame Prep | 6'4" | 215 lbs | RS-JR |
| 24 | Kelvin Gaines | C | Ocala, FL | Arlington Country Day | 6'10" | 235 lbs | RS-SO |
| 25 | Anthony McBride | G | Cincinnati, OH | Withrow | 6'2" | 180 lbs | SR |
| 44 | JaQuon Parker | G | Suffolk, VA | King's Fork | 6'3" | 200 lbs | SR |
The Cincinnati Bearcats have added a 31st and probably final member to the 2012 recruiting class in JUCO Elijah Shuler. Tip of the cap to
from
who, as usual, is on the forefront of UC recruiting and
two weeks ago. Shuler spent the last two seasons playing for the Pierce Community College Brahmas, the same JUCO where Butch Jones found Damon Julian and Isaiah Vaughn (no longer listed on the roster). Clearly Coach Jones has established a nice relationship with the Pierce C.C. football program. This commitment from Shuler seemed to come out of left field as his only other offer is from South Alabama and it’s a good two months after National Signing Day. But don’t let that fool you, he will be a welcomed addition to this football team.
Overview
Shuler is just a force off the snap. I love his quick burst and he clearly knows how to use leverage to bully offensive linemen once contact is made. He seems to be more adept at crashing the interior of the OL on slides or stunts than working on an offensive tackle on the outside. He will certainly have to improve upon this at the next level. Shuler lost about 20 lbs since signing with the Brahmas and that has really improved his ability to track down runningbacks and quarterbacks. While he might get beat when crashing on the outside he is quick to recover and get after the ball carrier. He seems to have really improved this aspect of his game in the offseason as showcased in the following bonus highlight. Whoever is blocking him seems none too pleased.
BONUS:Video of Elijah Shuler in 1-on-1 Drills
Outlook
Essentially the mindset of a defensive lineman is simple: See ball carrier, hit ball carrier. So, there should be very little adjustment from a mental standpoint to playing football against FBS opponents. Cincinnati is fairly young at defensive tackle and the depth behind Walter Stewart, Dan Giordano, and Brandon Mills at the defensive end position is very inexperienced. Shuler should help bridge the gap between the vets and young players in both units. I agree with Tim that Shuler will probably fit best as a defensive tackle in the 4-3 formation and an end in the 3-4 formation or in the “Joker Package” as Matt from DTD calls it. As of now I could definitely see Shuler becoming the next Monte Taylor who will check in during 3rd and long situations with his role expanding as he becomes more accustomed with the defense. Don’t be surprised if you see him taking snaps early next season.