Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
ASU football fans should be excited about the prospect of seeing Connor Humphreys in a Sun Devil uniform. The Portland, Oregon native is apparently very committed to playing in Tempe.
Humphreys’ measurables are pretty impressive. He stands 6’4 and weighs 265 pounds. But more importantly, he’s got great skill as an edge rusher. Several college scouts and coaches have been seen drooling over his ability to get off blocks and attack the quarterback. More than one coach has been heard saying that as a senior in high school, Humphreys is ready to play college ball right now.
Some long-time ASU fans have been comparing him to Sun Devil alum, Kyle Caldwell. If you remember, Caldwell was well known for his “motor”; his in-fatigueable, never-ending pursuit to put quarterbacks on their back.
Experts are raving about the intangibles that make him comparable to Caldwell. Specifically, Humphreys has great “get off” from the line of scrimmage. Next, he has great handwork to keep offensive linemen from getting their hands on him. Those talents coupled with Humphrey’s overall size and strength make him a potential nightmare to match up with.
Now, in coachspeak, Humphreys is a prototypical “rush end” in a 4-3 scheme. It will be interesting to see how coach Todd Graham will integrate Humphreys into the rotation. Coach Graham doesn’t usually sit in a simple 4-3 defense for the entire game. However, with Humphrey’s athleticism and size, it’s most certainly a given that the coaching staff will put him in the right place to wreak havoc in the backfield.
Finally, the book on Humphreys off the field appears to be tremendous. By all accounts, he’s a good student, a very coach-able player and a decent young man.
ASU fans (along with the coaches) will be delighted when his letter of intent is faxed in on February 5th.