Photo Courtesy of Robert Hicks’ Twitter Account (@1_JetSet)
Robert Hicks III is one of UofL’s highest rated recruits in this class. The LB from Miami powerhouse Central High School is 4 Star Under Armour All-American and is worthy of that ranking.
At 6’2 230 lbs, Hicks appears to be physically ready to step in and contribute. He’s an imposing looking figure on film. His speciality is as a run stopper and UofL can definitely use that with RBs like Cam Akers, AJ Dillon, and the others they’ll face in the ACC.
Hicks loves to shoot the gap and get tackles for loss. He’s great at it too because of his speed. (Stop me if you’ve read or heard that word in regards to this class) Hicks gets in the backfield quickly, often avoiding blocks simply because he’s a blur. It really helps him when he blitzes the QB too.
On film, his burst is so quick offensive linemen often don’t get a hand on him and the QB doesn’t get a chance to even begin to scan the field. Hicks is a high level player.
Photo Courtesy of Robert Hicks’ Twitter Account (@1_JetSet)
His strength is also noticeable. When Hicks is blocked, he can shed the block and make tackles on RBs. In one play, he bullied a big interior OL into the backfield to get a tackle for loss. It was interesting to see a LB do that.
His ferocity as a hitter is evident. Like a Christmas present, he wraps them up and delivers them to a punishing meeting with the ground. He’s a sound tackler and is very good at play recognition.
Hicks can also drop back in coverage. He appears to be used more in zone coverage than man. He’s capable and he can intercept a pass if a QB makes a mistake.
UofL landed what looks to be a star LB in the mold of Stacy Thomas or Keith Kelsey. However, I believe that the combination of strength and speed could make him better. That’s saying a lot because Thomas and Kelsey were really good. I look forward to seeing how he develops under Cort Dennison and Peter Sirmon.
See what you think of Robert Hicks III by checking out his Hudl highlights below.
http://www.hudl.com/video/3/5310981/5921eb1a02b12823e81e20e1
