In what once looked like a position group devoid of talent and options on the recruiting trail, the Longhorns filled a huge need by adding their second defensive end in two weeks. Flower Mound (TX) Marcus end Andrew Fitzgerald announced his commitment to Texas today on his twitter account. He joins Malcolm Roach who committed last week as options for a defensive line that needed talented depth. Fitzgerald is seen as a rising prospect in his senior year with offers from UCLA, Oregon, Kansas State, Baylor, California, and North Carolina.
Texas, under Charlie Strong have been a much more methodical group in recruiting who choose to take their time with film evaluations and players entering their senior season. Fitzgerald is a perfect example of that wait and see mentality that is counter to what most schools are doing on the recruiting trail. Aside from the offers listed, Fitzgerald also shows offers from Virginia, Vanderbilt, Navy, Army, and Air Force which indicate intelligence and leadership qualities. As Texas fans are learning, this is the time when recruiting really starts to heat up for Charlie Strong.
Film Analysis:
Fitzgerald is a big kid at 6’5 245 lbs., with room to pack on more. His frame suggests versatility including the possibility to play the three technique in an even front or the 5 technique in an odd front. He plays with a good low base that keeps him anchored against the run where he is strong setting the edge at the point of attack. He has a good motor and pursues plays down the line with the ability to turn and run after plays that get downfield. Fitzgerald’s agility and lateral quickness are apparent right away as he stays square to the line while controlling zone blocks to hold his gap. He plays with great discipline and rarely gets caught out of position. Against the pass he lacks that quick first step people look for, but he can be a threat from the strong side with power, quickness, and a crafty set of pass rushing moves. Fitzgerald uses his hands really well to keep linemen off balance and dictate the matchup. He does play a little high at times and will need to work at playing with leverage consistently but those are coachable things.
Final Verdict:
Charlie Strong seemingly recruits two types of players. One type are the high ceiling athletes while the other are solid athletes who are very smart. The two traits aren’t mutually exclusive and Fitzgerald shows us that. His body development will really tell the story here, but he has the ability to be a multi-year all conference player with an NFL future. It’s a great pickup even if the strong end position isn’t as sexy as some fans would like.
