Super Bowl Update

Time to now go through the defensive signees, from midyear to February. On all of the JUCO midyear signees, I'll probably put at least a 'decent' chance of playing, because even though there's a surplus of linebackers joining the team and returning, they didn't sign these guys to sit the bench.

The "chances of playing" relates to what I perceive their chances are to play in the 2012 season.

Bear in mind that some of the February signees won't qualify and some will grayshirt - I'm just not sure which ones yet.

DEFENSIVE END

Brandon Timmons (Midyear) - Timmons comes over from Northwest Mississippi, and he has a chance to make an impact right away. Chances of playing: Pretty good, and he could leave spring as the starter at one defensive end spot.

Braylon Williams (February) - Williams was signed from Kilgore JC in Texas. He's big, listed at 6-6 and 230 but defensive coordinator Jeremy Rowell described him as much bigger than that, closer to 270. Chances of playing: Good, as he's only got two years to play two, if I'm not mistaken, and he's even big enough to play inside.

Garrett Peek (February) - Peek moved from 8-man football as a quarterback and started his first year at Stanhope Elmore as a junior at linebacker, and played defensive end this year. Coaches at Troy love the guy and think he'll be a great addition. Chances of playing: Slim, as he may end up pretty good but he can use a year to get bigger and stronger. But he is at a good size (6-3, 230) and it's not like Troy has a bunch of proven commodities at defensive end.

Jamal Stadom (February) - The Melbourne, Fla., native had a good senior season but at 6-1, 224, needs to get a little bit bigger. Maybe he'll end up playing with his brother Marty Stadom, who is at Troy now and working to get eligible the fall and won't go through spring. Chances of playing: Slim, as he does need to get a little bit bigger.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Xavier Melton (February) - Melton started his career at Purdue and went to Butler County (Kan.) for a year. He's big, at about 6-4 and more than 300 pounds, can really clog the lane. Chances of playing: Pretty good, as Troy needs some big defensive tackles to clog up two blockers and/or push the centers back into the backfield.

Derrek Upshaw (February) - Upshaw started his career at MTSU and went to Jones County (Miss.) last year. He's not as big as Upshaw, but plenty big enough and bigger than what Troy has at the position. Chances of playing: Pretty good, see the prognosis for Melton.

Lonnie Gosha (Midyear) - He's a midyear transfer from Arkansas and will go through spring. Big kid who has a bright future. Chances of playing: None, unless Troy's able to get a transfer waiver for him citing a hardship.

LINEBACKER

Eli Canton (Midyear) - Canton comes from Northeast Miss., and he's a real big guy at 6-2, 240 who had a big freshman year at Northeast after a stellar high school career. Chances of playing: Pretty good, as he's the size Troy coaches want, and Blakeney mentioned him to me real early in our conversation about the midyear guys.

Wayland Coleman-Dancer (Midyear) - Coleman-Dancer comes from Mississippi Delta Community College. He's a decent size at 6-1, 220 and could also play nickel or safety. Chances of playing: At least decent, as he wasn't brought here to sit the bench.

Brandon Powe (Midyear) - Powe started side by side at Miss. Delta with Coleman-Dancer. He's bigger, at about 245 pounds. Chances of playing: Decent, as he fits the size of the personnel coaches want at linebacker.

Mark Wilson (Midyear) - Wilson was at Troy in 2010, got ineligible and went off to Fullerton, Calif., CC. Troy didn't have aspirations of bringing him back, but Wilson wanted to come back even as he blew up out there and got interest from bigger schools. Former Trojan LB Xavier Lamb stood up for Wilson as a character reference, and coaches thought the world of Lamb. Chances of playing: Good, as he's a big guy and has three years left to play three and is probably too talented to keep off the field.

Martrez Townes (Midyear) - Townes is an athletic athlete from Itawamba in Mississippi and played high school ball with Jeremy Spikner. Chances of playing: Good, as he'll play nickel and that's a position where the starter has battled injury problems his whole career.

Terris Lewis (February) - The former Linden star won the Class 1A Lineman of the Year. He did it all for Linden, but looks like he'll grow into a big, mean-looking linebacker. Chances of playing: Slim, as I think he'll grow into a good one but I'm not sure how he passes a bunch of older guys this soon.

Mitchell Roland (February) - DeMarcus and Osi came from Auburn High to Troy to NFL all-pros. Can Roland do the same? He's a bigger linebacker at 6-1, 230. Chances of playing: Slim, for most of the same reasons I think Lewis has a slim chance of playing.

DEFENSIVE BACK

Jeremy Spikner (Midyear) - Spikner is an athletic corner with good cover skills from Northeast Mississippi. Chances of playing: Pretty good, and he could end up as a starter coming out of spring.

Shaquille Beverly (midyear) - The 3-star recruit from Jacksonville graduated high school early after nearly leading his team (First Coast) to a state title. Beverly is a cornerback. Chances of playing: Good, not sure he'll start, but being here before the rest of the true freshmen gives him an advantage of slowly learning the system.

Chris Davis (Midyear) - Davis is a grayshirt from the 2011 class. He is from Thomasville, Ala. He is a cornerback. Chances of playing: Decent, as he still has a redshirt year but coaches need guys to step up at corner and they're high on Davis.

Zach Miller (February) - Miller was a JUCO All-American at Butler County (Kan.) and has some impressive credentials. Chances of playing: Pretty good, as he's got the talent, but will have to pick up the system in a short time.

Rishad Goode (February) - He's distant cousins to all the Goodes that played at Alabama, but Rishad made a name for himself in his own right at Class 6A Bob Jones. He's probably big enough to grow into a college safety. Chances of playing: Slim, as at the moment Troy seems at least 2 deep at the returning defensive back positions.

Montres Kitchens (February) - On the surface, the Waynesboro, Ga., athlete looks like a steal as Kitchens was his area's Player of the Year, starring at running back and safety. He'll be a safety at Troy. Chances of playing: Slim, see Goode's status.

John Knight (February) - The Thomasville athlete did it all, but will likely start out at safety. He could grow into a linebacker or stay at safety. Chances of playing: Slim, as he'll likely try to figure out what position he'll be playing early on.

JaQuadrian Lewis (February) - Lewis played at Fitzgerald, Ga., high school. I've seen him personally, and he looks like a cornerback so I suppose that's where he'll be. Chances of playing: Slim, see all of the other true freshman defensive backs coming in this fall.

Juan Neloms (February) - Neloms was originally committed to Illinois before they changed coaches and the Tallahassee native was a late commit. He's rated three stars and good size at 6-foot-1. Chances of playing: I'd say slim just because he's not coming until summer. But if you can cover people, you can cover.