Key Players for 2012: Dominic Appiah

This is a series on the key players for the 2012 season. Big things are expected for some, while others will need to improve over their previous performances. If 2012 is a good year, it will be in part due to the key players overachieving. 

 Sophomore Defensive Tackle, Dominic Appiah

What he's been: Appiah surprised many last year. Playing for the first time after redshirting his freshman year, Appiah ended up starting most of the games. He made his presence known quickly with the ability to get an inside push and make plays in the backfield. Appiah was new to the inside but he showed natural ability and moved very well considering he played nearly 30 pounds lighter in high school.

What he needs to be: We need Appiah to be like B.J. Raji or Ron Brace. We don't have as many difference makers in other areas of the defense. If Appiah and Ramsey partner to become a dominant force -- like Brace and Raji -- it will create all sorts of opportunities for the rest of the defense. If the two of them can control the line of scrimmage we can become one of the elite DLines in the ACC.

Why I like his chances to shine: It feels like I am head of the Appiah fan club. Spaz doesn't even have him at the top of the preseason depth chart. Of all the guys I have profiled, he would probably be viewed as the least likely to make an impact. He's still young. He's still learning the position and he's still getting used to moving with his added bulk. But I saw enough moments that I believe Appiah can be a great DT. He has the push, the leverage and surprising speed for big guy. Other teams had trouble handling him last year. If Appiah remains focused and works hard, he is going to dominate every interior lineman in the conference. And if Ramsey and Appiah both play well, BC will be a bowl team again.

Who are the future 1st rounder's currently on the BC roster?

19 BC football players have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. We all hope Luke Kuechly becomes the 20th tonight. I think most BC fans realized Kuechly would be a high pick during his amazing sophomore season. I don't think many feel as strongly about our current roster. There are no obvious first-round picks, but I do think a few players have the chance. Let's look at the guys who can still play their way into the first round.

Kevin Pierre-Louis KPL played at an all conference level before injuries slowed him down in the middle of the season. Like Kuechly, he's very instintive, very productive and covers a ton of space. He's got good speed. The biggest question is size. KPL will need to add a little more bulk to his frame like Kuechly did. If he has stays healthy and productive over the next two seasons, I think he could be a first-round pick in 2014.

Kaleb Ramsey Kaleb Ramsey has one season to take his game to the next level. He's got the build and has shown flashes of potential, but NFL scouts are likely to questions his heart and desire. He needs to have a big year, stay healthy and prove to teams that he wants to play football.

Dominic Appiah At times it might seem like I am President of the Dominic Appiah fanclub, but I do think he has great game-changing potential. Plus BC has a history of producing solid NFL DTs. Because he's got so much playing time head of him, Appiah has the most upside. We know he is in the right system to display his talents. Now let's hope he develops and gets better every year.

Chase Rettig This might seem like the ultimate BC fan post considering he has a completion percentage in the low 50s, but Rettig has a few things going for him. NFL teams will like his size and arm strength. They will appreciate that he took a beating and kept playing. They will like that he's had to learn new systems and adapt to different coordinators. But if Chase wants to be the next Matt Ryan or even a guy considered for a late first-round pick, he is going to have to have an outstanding final two seasons. It will take a huge jump in productivity (which I will address in an upcoming post) but there is still the possibility that it can happen.

There are a few other players that may develop into something more, but for now this group stands our best chance. Let me know if you think I missed anyone else.

Rudolph's suspension leaves bigger hole at DT

BC suspended Jaryd Rudolph indefinitely after he was charged with illegally audio taping his teammate's sexual encounter with a female student in their suite. He's still a BC student but I don't think Spaz can count on him returning for the rest of Spring practice. As long as he remains a student and fights the charges, there is hope he can return to football, but given BC and BC football's track record with players and anything related to sex and illegal activities (I don't know if this is considered a sexual assault), the odds of Rudolph's return are long. Rudolph wasn't a star, but he provided depth at a position where BC is now alarmingly thin. Connor O'Neal is gone. Kaleb Ramsey is still recovering from injury. None of the incoming recruits is slotted to be a defensive tackle.

I think Appiah is going to be a star. Ricci showed potential. Quinn is serviceable. Bryan Murray is okay. But that is it. We desperately need Ramsey to comeback at 100% and we better hope the rest of the guys stay healthy. I know players can be moved over and we can use more 3-4 and 3-3 formations, but this is not the best way to manage your roster.

Year in Review: Biggest Surprises

Although it felt like a series of low points, there were plenty of pleasant surprises on this BC football team. As part of the Year in Review, I looked back on three guys who exceeded expectations.

1. Ryan Quigley. Quigley has been a solid punter from Day 1, so it may be hard to call him a surprise, but this year he took it to a new level. He was fourth in the nation in punts inside the 20...many of which were pinned inside the 10. Quigley was consistent and also did very nice job with our kickoffs. There were many times that I felt Spaz went too conservative and was too quick to punt, but Quigley always bailed him out. Many things went wrong this year, but anything related to Quigley did not. I wish he didn't punt so often, but it was a pleasure watching his work.

2. Dominic Appiah. When Spaz's defenses are at their best, it usually starts upfront. For the past three seasons we haven't really had a game changer up there. We expected guys like O'Neal or Quinn to step up or maybe get some big contributions from Ricci, but Appiah was the one who really progressed as the season wore on. As a DT, his job is to push the line and clog the middle. One of the reasons our defense got better towards the end of the season was because Appiah finally gave us a difference maker at DT. As we used more three-man fronts, Appiah was often the lone DT out there and played well. Plus I like his hustle. The defensive line has been an issue for a few years, but I think next year it will be a strength.

3. Manny Asprilla. Asprilla's rise was very similar to Appiah's. Other young DBs were supposed to make an impact this year. Not much was expected of Asprilla. Yet as the season wore on, he was getting more and more snaps. He was the one making tackles. Our corners are expected to cover and make plenty of tackles. Asprilla showed a toughness and instinct that should serve him well going forward. I also liked his quickness on corner blitzes. If his freshman year was any indication, Asprilla has a chance to be special.