Name: Jared Ebert
Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa
Position: Defensive tackle
Height: 6-5
Weight: 285
High School: Iowa City High/Iowa Western Community College
2010 statistics: 41 total tackles (19 solo) with 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks
photo at left: Jared Ebert (rivals.com photo)
With the LSU opener 79 days away, Oregon just lost one of the best college football players in the country, and every other player on the roster will have to play better to make up for it.
One of the best ways to make a young cornerback look better is to put a fierce pass rush in front of him. The Ducks’ defensive line rotation just got that much more important.
Jared Ebert has the potential to contribute from game one in an Oregon uniform. In March he told the Duck Stops here, “I try to play as fast as I can, be a playmaker. I’m always there to make a play. A lot of guys who play on the interior line tend to just soak up blocks but I want to make a play whenever I can.”
Ebert has serious ability. He was rated the number two jc defensive tackle by JC Gridwire magazine, a second team Juco All-American, 4-stars by rivals.com and 247 sports., with offers from TCU, West Virginia, Missouri, Iowa State, Kansas, Washington State and several others. He’s has excellent speed and agility for a player his size; the services list him at a 4.8 40. He finished up his community college work in time to enroll early and participate in spring drills, getting acclimated, showing effort and hustle, and recording four tackles in the Spring Game.
Jerry Azzinaro likes to play a deep rotation on the defensive line, urging his players to put out maximum effort on every play they’re in the lineup, knowing they’ll get spelled when they’re out of gas. Ebert’s play in spring has him solidly in the rotation with Ricky Heimuli, Wade Keliikipi, and Taylor Hart.
In his highlight video, two things that stand out are his pursuit and tackling ability. His style is similar to Zac Clark, but Ebert is bigger, quicker and more talented. Azzinaro likes tall defensive linemen, and at 6-5, Ebert fits that bill as well, joining Heimuli at 6-4, Hart 6-6, DE Dion Jordan 6-7, and Isaac Remington also 6-6. Expect another season of batted and tipped passes, another thing that makes cornerbacks look good and creates extra opportunities for turnovers.
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