Canes have 'four-year starter' in All-American linebacker Raphael Kirby, coach says

When it comes to producing quality talent at linebacker, few have as good a track record lately as Corey Johnson, the linebackers and special teams coach over at Stephenson High in Stone Mountain Ga.

The 40-year old assistant has sent 19 of his linebackers to Division I schools over the past nine years including three who are currently in the NFL. They are: the Bills' Kelvin Sheppard (played at LSU, third round in 2011), the Redskins' Perry Riley (played at LSU, fourth round pick in 2010), and the Patriots' Jermaine Cunningham (played at Florida, second round pick in 2010). Johnson said he's confident he'll have another one headed to the NFL soon -- Hurricanes early enrollee Raphael Kirby.

Kirby, a U.S. Army All-American and one of seven players to sign with UM and begin taking classes last week, has all the tools according to Johnson to play right away and make an immediate impact.

"I think he's going to walk in and start right away. He's a four-year starter in my book," Johnson said of Kirby, who had 122 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 26 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and fumble recoveries and an interception return for a touchdown for 9-2 team that was upset in the first round of Georgia's state high school playoffs.

"A lot of times you get guys who kind of get stuck because of the changes to the formation or scheme. He's well versed on football, an extremely good athlete, very bright kid, quick learner. All of those things make him an asset to Miami.

"We ran both the 3-4 and 4-3 at times. We've got coaches who have played in college, a few had pro experience. We do a good job preparing the kids on what to expect at the next level. The system we run is pretty comparable to a lot of schools because we run college type defenses. That's why a lot of scouts spend time at our school. They know our kids are ready. The fact he's already down there, learning the system, he's going to learn what they do quickly. I can tell you this -- the last three years we've sent six kids to school early and all of them have played early."

Kirby, who played mostly middle linebacker and and at times weakside linebacker for Johnson, is listed at 6-foot, 208-pounds by Rivals.com and 6-1, 215 pounds by ESPN.com. So how big is he really?

"He's bigger than that," Johnson said. "He's more like 6-2, 220 pounds. He's got a nice frame too. As far as what he can work on, I'd say pass coverage, body control. But in terms of run play, strength and size, I think he has all that now. He's a guy that can run with running backs. He has all the tools. I think he's going to go into practice, learn the plays and get playing time as a freshman."

Johnson said Kirby, who was rated the fifth-best outside linebacker in the country by Rivals.com and 13th best by ESPN, had more than 30 scholarship offers by the time he began playing his senior season. Johnson said Kirby thought about straying from the Canes and going to the same school with his best friend and teammate Darreon Herring (a linebacker headed to Vanderbilt), but said Kirby opted to stick with UM and ultimately chose them over Vanderbilt, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina.

"He pretty much had the same opportunity to play right away at Vanderbilt and South Carolina, but he really liked UM and what Coach [Al] Golden was selling," Johnson said. "He's a unique kid. He's going to do well on special teams, be all over the place for them. Miami got a four-year starter."

The Hurricanes have plenty of youth and opportunity available at linebacker. Outside of the four returning veterans -- sophomore Denzel Perryman (second leading tackler, five starts), fifth-year senior Ramon Buchanan (14 career starts) and juniors Kelvin Cain (3 career starts) and Jimmy Gaines (8 starts, 58 tackles as sophomore), the other two returning scholarship linebackers -- sophomore Gionni Paul and redshirt freshman Eddie Johnson -- have only played on special teams if at all. 

> With a little more than a week left before National Signing Day (Wednesday, Feb. 1), UM has seven players already enrolled (their scholarships count backward, toward the 2011 class) and 24 other players committed to sign as part of their 2012 class.

 The other six besides Kirby already in are quarterbacks Preston Dewey (Austin, Tex.) and Gray Crow (Clearwater Countryside), offensive tackles Taylor Gadbois (East Paulding, Ga.) and Ereck Flowers (Miami Norland), defensive back Ladarius Gunter and linebacker Josh Witt (Weston Cypress Bay).

Of the 24 players committed to sign next Wednesday, two appear to be hedging -- Miramar receiver Malcolm Lewis, who will take a trip to UCLA this coming weekend according to his coach and Jacksonville First Coast linebacker Reggie Northrup, who took a trip to Florida State last week and will visit Ohio State this coming wekeend. Both are considered among UM's Top 10 overall recruits. 

> UM will get a visit from highly coveted All-American cornerback Tracy Howard of Miramar High this coming weekend. Odds are though Howard will opt for Florida or Florida State. He will announce his decision at 9 a.m. next Wednesday on ESPNU.

Comments

[CaneFan561]

Haha Someones a little mad, Im 19 but funny how your only comeback is making fun of my age. While your a 48 year old men who lives in a trailer,spends all day on a Miami Blog, Crying because Walmart ran out of Camouflage Tebow Jerseys.

[Soupthecon]

Urban Meyer

Posted by: ALL BUCKEYE | January 25, 2012 at 02:34 PM

This Gator fans just mad they couldnt pull Deon or Randy now Tracy is coming to UM. Stefon Diggs has good hands to go along with his 4.8 speed,and I played Vs Nelson his team is crap, gunna be a big bust.

lmao!!!!!!!!

Great comeback. Time to take out the gaytor trash!

[Sit...Laydown...Stay]

Posted by: Five Titles

get off the end of my string U YoYo...

[CANETILLIDIE....DH]

@ ****/***** Are Us ... Not U, U Silly Fool

I'm sorry I don't understand trailer trash. Forgive me I have all my teeth so when I try to speak like you it's impossible. Now stop F'ing your sister, and no it's not ok to do that.

GO CANES!!!!!

[5>3>2]

This just in:

Brantley- All wordl. gatordae player of the year If there was something like 8 stars he would have it. Same with Driskel, pathan, and blah blah blah.

Result: 6-6 regular season. Beat one team with a winning record- Oh, that was Furman.

Newsflash gator chumps- Stars will get you NADA

[HmstdCane]

Of all the yet to commit on ESPN's Top 150, how many do you think we'll land realistically.

trying to be serious here if anyone has info

[Why do you care about Miami?]

'Miami is for Morons'

[WOW!]

'Miami is for Morons'
Posted by: Why do you care about Miami? | January 25, 2012 at 03:39

5>3>2 that's why idiot!

[Why do you care about Miami?]

'WOW!'

[Mo ***** Money, Mo ***** Money,Mo ***** Money, Mo ***** Money,Mo ***** Money, Mo ***** MoneyMo ***** Money, Mo ***** Money, Mo ***** Money, Mo ***** Money,]

Posted by: Five Titles

What is it about the *UPDATED* Rivals page That U don't get U perpetually uninformed dUmbsh!t ?

Ur OUT and Momma likey Will ... ALL GATAH

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Josh-Harvey-Clemons-116333

that's 25 fresh new Baby Gator ***** STARS !!!

[Why do you care about Miami?]

'Mo ***** Money'

[***** Mo Stars]

Dante Fowler Jr. decommits from FSU ... now ...

ALL GATOR !!!

[hold on ... another 5 Star is switchn to being ALL GATOR ... brb]

Posted by: Why do you care about Miami?

love watchn Ur train wreck of a halfasse program and U dopes continUing to climb aboard year after pathetic year...

Posted by: HmstdCane

NOT A SINGLE ONE ... check Arky St., Western Michigan, Idaho St. and Buffalo's **/*** sorry soft commits that U might get during Ur signing day panic.

[Starry Starry Starry Starry Starry Night ...]

***** Star RB Kelvin Taylor commits for 2013 !!!

ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL GATOR

[Five Titles]

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/teamrank/2012/all/all

That is the updated list you are talking about.

25 five stars? Try TWO!

heck, you only have 20 people willing to give their name to the Gators at all, so why are you bragging about 25 five star p,layers?

Or are you talking about how many you have signed over the past decade? Talk about living in the past!

[Soupth]

Charlie Weis

[Soupth]

Charlie Weis

[Soupth]

Charlie Weis

[Soupth]

Charlie Weis

[All Jayhawk]

Charlie Weis

[Starry Starry Starry Starry Starry Starry Starry Night ...]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,,, dUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUhhhhhhhhh ...

i ... willllll ... sllloooowwww ... it dowwwwwwwwnnnnnn fo Caaaaaaaannnnnnnneeee clUck ...

5 Starrrrsss tiiiiiimmmmmmessss 5 players eeeeeqqqUUUallsss

25 ***** Stars

2 more ***** coming as well ... can U add 10 to the above total dUmmeAsse ?

[All 7-11 Trainee]

John Brantley

[UTrailer maggot]

I heard an 8 star committed to the Gatr Trash.

Just make it up. It doesn't matter. Everyone knows Gatr trash will be 6-6 under Muscrap next year.

[Why do you care about Miami?]

'***** Mo Stars'

[Why do you care about Miami?]

'Starry Starry Starry Starry Starry Night ...'

[Why do you care about Florida?]

'Five Titles'

[Why do you care about Florida?]

'Soupth'

[Why do you care about Florida?]

'All 7-11 Trainee'

[UTrailer maggot]

Keep it real slow, maggot. It doesn't matter. Your five-stars have given you 6-6 the last two years. Gtr trash mattered only because of Teblow and Urban.

Both are gone. Muscrap the janitor will be gone soon too. The long slow slide to mediocrity for the Gatr Trash keeps rolling.

[Why do you care about Florida?]

'UTrailer maggot'

[**/*** Star U]

No ***** Star Players equals ... NADA fo U.

[Why do you care about Miami?]

'**/*** Star U'

[Five Titles]

So now we get to count TOTAL stars to see whose class is better?

LOL, you lose again.

Your 20 players total
2 * 5 (thats Two, not Five, fool) +
11 * 4 +
6 * 3 =
72 total stars.

Our 31 players total
1 * 5 (thats Two, not Five, fool) +
9 * 4 +
21 * 3 =
104 total stars.

You are a starless loser, troll. you can keep trying to change the measure, but you still lose.

5 > 3
9 > 8
4 > 0
31 > 20
104 > 72

How sad for you, troll.

[Hurricane Stu]

Oh how much fun people have with the recruiting...but it is the lifeline of the future. I trust in Al....(but God is still first, Al is second). Too bad there wasn't a more harsh winter this year up north....Canes play in paradise with great weather, great beaches, and great gals, and of course, South Beach.