Now that we know the format of Saturday's spring game, it is going to be a chance for players to get full practice reps and get some work in live football action.Â
There are a lot of expectations for the Hurricanes this season, and it's a very deep roster on both sides of the ball. This means that some players will have to close the spring strong to show Mario Cristobal that they are ready to compete for larger roles in the fall.Â
Here are three players with the most to prove in this final showcase:
Jamal Meriweather, OL/OT
Meriweather was a high-upside transfer acquisition who had been riding the bench at Georgia for the past three seasons. He's got great size (6-foot-7, 310 pounds) that would allow him to play guard or tackle. During the spring, it seems like Meriweather has been doing more work at guard, and he could either secure one of the guard spots or become a sixth lineman with the ability to play several positions. Either way, a strong close will put Meriweather in position to play a lot of snaps this fall.
Kellen Wiley Jr., LB/EDGE
If there's a young player that could be in line for a breakout performance, it's Wiley. There is room for the redshirt freshman to emerge on the edge and become instrumental in the pass rush. Wiley looks like a million bucks off the hoof, and he's been a player that has been sneaky good this spring so far. Keep an eye on Wiley.Â
Xavier Lucas, CB
Lucas is a big breakout candidate this season that could elevate draft stock for the future. He was steady in 13 starts last season before getting hosed by a questionable targeting call in the playoffs. Now Lucas has a chance to be one of the leaders of the defense and elevate his game as a playmaker in the secondary. There's a lot of talent in the defensive backfield and while Lucas played a lot last season, he can't be content with all these young guys nipping at his heels.Â
Add us as a preferred source on Google