OK, let鈥檚 get back to it 鈥 the countdown of the 10 most valuable 蜜柚直播 Wildcats of 2018 besides the incredibly obvious No. 1 choice.
You won鈥檛 find junior quarterback Khalil Tate on this list, because, well, who else possibly could rank atop it?
Before we resume the countdown, two quick reminders:
- 鈥淢ost valuable鈥 does not necessarily mean 鈥渂est.鈥 Rather, we鈥檙e defining it as the contributions and traits that most influence winning football. They include talent, leadership and projected role and production.
- Newcomers were not eligible. Even though freshmen played a huge role on last year鈥檚 team, it鈥檚 just too hard to predict who will have an immediate impact before training camp gets underway.
NO. 6: C NATHAN ELDRIDGE
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Ht/Wt/Yr: 6-3, 297, redshirt junior
Comment: Eldridge has started every game the past two seasons 鈥 25 straight 鈥 since being thrust into the lineup in August 2016 under tragic circumstances.
He faced a steep learning curve in 鈥16. He improved in 鈥17. He enters 鈥18 as one of 蜜柚直播鈥檚 most reliable returning veterans.
Yet there鈥檚 also an air of uncertainty surrounding Eldridge.
The Wildcats held two open scrimmages during spring practice. Eldridge did not participate in either of them.
The reason given for Eldridge鈥檚 absence, per a team source, basically amounted to veteran maintenance. Eldridge just so happens to have one of those bodies that requires extra management to ensure he鈥檚 ready for the rigors of a long, physically taxing season.
Eldridge was spotted exiting the practice field and/or locker room a handful of times. Invariably, he had ice packs on his knees. That isn鈥檛 unusual.
Is Eldridge鈥檚 health a genuine cause for concern? Probably not. Is it at least a little bit worrisome? Maybe.
With their offensive line already in a state of flux, not having Eldridge for any period of time is the last thing the Wildcats need. He is one of only two returning full-time starters up front, and the other one, left tackle Layth Friekh, must sit out the first two games because of an NCAA ruling.
Although he had a full season of starts on his r茅sum茅, Eldridge was hardly 蜜柚直播鈥檚 most seasoned lineman last year. He had two experienced, intelligent upperclassmen flanking him at all times: Jacob Alsadek to his right and Christian Boettcher to his left.
Now Eldridge is the one who has to play that leadership role. The first-team guards in the open practices were Michael Eletise and Bryson Cain. Both will be redshirt sophomores this season. Neither has started a college game.
The primary fill-in for Eldridge in those scrimmages was redshirt junior Alex Kosinski 鈥 who also doesn鈥檛 have any career starts. See where we鈥檙e (possibly) going here?
The Friekh situation will make putting together a 鈥渂est five鈥 that much more challenging. It becomes slightly easier if Eldridge is healthy and available.
Other interior alternatives include Josh McCauley and Jon Jacobs, a couple of walk-ons who鈥檝e earned praise from the previous coaching staff and this one; JC transfer Steven Bailey; and Texas A&M transfer Robert Congel, if he鈥檚 deemed eligible for this season.
None of those options is as appealing, or reassuring, as a healthy Eldridge, who made huge strides with the mental part of his game last year. Eldridge鈥檚 acumen will be especially important this year with a new offensive system in place. Everyone will be learning on the fly.
For the Wildcats to be all they can be 鈥 and for Tate to be all he can be 鈥 the offensive line must come together. And it must come together quickly. As we all know, Houston 鈥 featuring supreme interior disruptor Ed Oliver 鈥 is looming in Week 2.
No position plays a bigger role in that gelling process than center. As such, no player matters more than Eldridge.
10 MOST VALUABLE CATS (BESIDES KHALIL TATE)
