Tearing Right Through
Tearing. To pull or rip (something) apart or to pieces with force. Even though that is not the correct pronunciation of Taron Vincent’s name (TA-RON), it should be up for discussion for how fiercely the 6’2, 299 lb. defensive tackle plays his game, tearing and ripping through opponents like his life depended on it. Our next recruit on the list, who is regarded as the 19th overall player in the country and #1 overall defensive tackle, according to ESPN, is where we will explore next.
Out of Baltimore, Maryland, who then moved to Bradenton, Florida to play at IMG Academy, Taron Vincent has every reason to be the highly touted prospect that he is. Coming from one of the hot bed recruiting areas that Ohio State has had success with, Vincent originally played for Gilman High School in Baltimore. With other players such as Keandre Jones (Good Counsel), Dwayne Haskins (The Bullis School), and Chase Young (DeMatha Catholic) all coming from that area, the coaching staff seemed relatively comfortable going into territory where schools like Maryland haven’t had all that much success with. Vincent then moved down to IMG Academy to play for a perennial powerhouse where he would face competition unlike any other. As a premier player with an excellent first step and burst of speed off the ball, Vincent is able to wreak havoc in the backfield quicker than most high school players I’ve seen. His vision and reaction time as soon as the ball is snapped is unbelievable. From that point on, it doesn’t get any easier for the offensive lineman, or linemen depending on if he’s getting double-teamed. The work Vincent does with his hands is special. His block shedding was incredible and he rarely has any issues blowing by his opponent. For a guy that supposedly weighs 299 lbs., he moves more like a defensive end. There were times were he was lined up on the outside during the season. Regardless of where he was on the defensive line, Vincent was eating any type of play up whether it is a run or a pass. I was overly impressed with him stopping the run, since so many of the plays ended with a negative gain on the play. The thing about his speed, which makes him so hard to guard, was when an offensive lineman gets a bad start, or just not as quick of a start off the ball as him, they are forced to backtrack too quickly in order to get a hand on him. By that time, all it takes for Vincent is a power move to force his opponent backwards and more often than not on the ground. When you are driving your opponent back into the quarterback, pretty sure that you are going to get the sack (see Joey Bosa vs. Penn St in 2014). He has every tool needed to have an all-American type of career for the buckeyes. Vincent isn’t what I would call a nose guard plug and clog the middle type of guy. He is going to sniff out the play every time and make a play on the ball. With his speed, strength, and use of moves, the coaching staff should be able to use his versatility to their advantage. I don’t see him playing on the edge given his height, but he isn’t a one-dimensional type of defensive tackle and could be used in different schemes throughout the defense.
With all the right tools, Vincent also comes from a history of football, as his dad Troy Vincent played cornerback in the NFL for 14 years, being a 5 time pro-bowler, and 3 time All-Pro. Having the stability and support from his family and the coaching staff, Taron Vincent has the ability to have a promising career for Ohio State. Not every top tier talent in the recruiting ranks turns out to be a future all-American and/or NFL first rounder, but the way Taron tears through the line, he may be destined to be that force whether he knows it or not.
Stay humble. Keep grinding