2010 Linebackers
Key Departures: Sean Lee, likely Navarro Bowman, Josh Hull
Projected Starters: OLB Bani Gbadyu (Sr)/Gerald Hodges (So), MLB Mike Mauti (So), OLB Nathan Stupar (Jr)
Depth: Chris Colasanti (Sr), Mike Yancich (So), Mike Zordich (So), James Van Fleet (So - I kid you not, he's played special teams this year. Could be Hullesque.)
Incoming Commits: Khairi Fortt (#2 ILB), Mike Hull (#17 ILB) (position rankings from Scouts.com)
While there is excitement surrounding Hodges and Mauti, and there is certainly talent aplenty, much of the linebacking corps will be inexperienced next year if Bowman leaves (with the exception of Gbadyu, and even he hasn't started much). Stupar has logged plenty of snaps this year with the injuries to Bowman and Lee, however. Mauti could be a question mark coming off of knee surgery. Zordich needs to overcome the DUI issue, but he and Yanchich came in with Mauti to form one hell of an incoming class a couple of years ago. We'll see if that class helps push this unit forward in 2010. Fortt and Hull will be enrolling early, and Fortt could see early time like Hodges did this year. He's a very good pickup. However, the D-Line will have to keep blockers off this young group while they mature into the next great linebacking corp, likely taking shape in late 2010 and into 2011.