2020 JUCO 3 Star GA OLB Marvin Dallas Is 16th Commitment For The Cards

Louisville Football dipped into the JUCO ranks for it’s latest commit. 2020 3 Star GA OLB Marvin Dallas committed to the Cards on Sunday.

Thanks @Coach_Dennison @Coach_Hicks51 @DaleJones54 for giving me this opportunity 🤟🏾🔴⚪️@rmchester00 @GMCCoachBert #Cardsup🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/rQK4W8wueE

— Marvin dallas (@Marvodallas7) June 16, 2019

Dallas is 6’1 180 lbs and had offers from Central Michigan and South Florida in addition to the one from UofL. Co-DC and OLB Coach Cort Dennison and ILB Coach Dale Jones were Dallas’ recruiters for UofL. Dallas is ranked the number 1 JUCO OLB per 247sports.

Originally, Dallas was a CB at Georgia Military College, but he has been moved to a hybrid OLB/S role. This will be the role he is asked to play at UofL when he arrives here.

What Marvin brings to UofL is a fast OLB/S that can tackle, likes to lay big hits, can be effective as a rusher off the edge, and truly shines in coverage; both man press and zone.

So, let’s delve a little more in depth into what his highlights revealed.

Speed

One of the immediately noticeable things Dallas brings to UofL is speed. He’s very fast and that might explain why he started out as a corner.

One highlight that illustrates this is the very last where he has no angle on a WR, but keeps running and catches up to him.

It also shows in his closing speed. He’s very fast at closing in on a ball carrier or WR when he sees that they have the ball or are about to catch it.

There is also one highlight of Dallas rushing the passer from the edge. It’s a practice so he can’t hit the QB. However, he shows good acceleration off the snap and is immediately in the QB’s before two-hand touching him.

His speed allows him to stay step for step with WRs in coverage.  I imagine UofL will leave him on the field even in nickel packages just because he has very good coverage skills.

Tackling/Hitting

Dallas is a good tackler. He will get his guy down to the ground. He’s a very good hitter, a hard hitter. He likes to lower the boom when he can. From what I can tell, he’s very strategic with the big hits. He doesn’t try to land them all the time.

Numerous highlights he gets low and in good position to wrap up the ball carrier and bring them down. One of his best hits is when he’s playing S. A ball is thrown deep down the sideline. He comes over and blasts the poor WR.

Throughout this recruiting cycle, we’ve seen UofL values physical tacklers and hitters. Dallas fits this mold.

Coverage Skills

Dallas excels in coverage. Whether in zone and reading the QB or in man press, he makes an impact on the opposing team’s passing game.

When in zone, he’s good at reading the QB and knocking passes down, intercepting them, or making a tackle before the WR can do anything. I especially like him, however, in man press.

There are quite a few man press drills in Dallas’ highlights and he is very physical right at the line, making it hard for WRs to gain separation. He sticks step for step with them and he has very good ball skills; knocking numerous passes away and making a couple of interceptions. When scrimmaging,  nothing much changes. He basically carries what he does in the one one drills into the full scrimmage.

His coverage skills as a LB/S are what make Marvin Dallas a truly intriguing prospect.

Dallas is a player that gives UofL some versatility in that he plays that hybrid OLB/S. His coverage skills allow him the chance to be an every down player. I love that he seems to really enjoy hitting hard. He should be able to come in and compete for playing time quickly.

Scott Satterfield keeps the recruiting momentum going and now has the 21st ranked class after the commitment of Dallas Sunday and JUCO WR Braden Smith today. The class now stands at 17 commits.