Mountainous JUCO OL Idarius Ray Commits To The Cincinnati Bearcats
By Chris Bains
The Cincinnati Bearcats added their second junior college offensive lineman in as many days in Idarius Ray from Los Angeles Valley CC. He is commitment #22 in UC’s 2015 recruiting class. Like DeLonte Murray, Ray plays a position in desperate need of depth and experience at Cincinnati. After this season the Bearcats will lose starting tackles Eric Lefeld and Cory Keebler. Justin Murray, who spelled Keebler this year after his injury, will be back but behind him is a laundry list of young and/or inexperienced players. Ray could step in and give the Bearcats immediate reps on either side of the offensive line.
OVERVIEW
- Position: Offensive Tackle
- Hometown: Van Nuys, California
- Junior College: Los Angeles Valley
- Height, Weight: 6’7″, 317 lbs
- Offers: –
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ANALYSIS
As logic dictates, Ray plays the left tackle position for LA Valley and moves pretty well for an offensive lineman who looks down on most mountain tops. He also has long arms which helps him control quicker defensive ends. Ray does need to ensure he pops out of his stance and slides faster when those edge rushers try crashing around the outside instead of the B gap. But that’s a limitation he can correct with time and proper coaching. On run plays Ray is a mauler, staying low and keeping his shoulder pads level to generate as much leverage on his blocking assignment as possible. This can be a challenge for linemen of his height but Ray seems to have this nuance down pat. Overall, this is a very talented future Bearcat.
OUTLOOK
Cincinnati loses quite a bit at the offensive tackle position in the upcoming offseason. Idarius Ray the size and experience, especially relative to what’s left on UC’s roster, to step in and play right away. I’d be curious where Darren Hiller plugs him in, at right or left tackle. Given Ray’s length, the latter could be in his future.