I picked LB Gary Guyton to have a breakout year just before the season started. Now he has no excuse.
Already pegged as a starter in his second year, now he’s the focal point of the defense with MLB Jerod Mayo out for six to eight weeks with a sprained MCL. Guyton slides over from outside linebacker to Mayo’s spot. Guyton must also shoulder the extra responsibility of delivering the defensive play calls in the huddle and making sure his teammates are in the right places before the snap.
Guyton knows the New York Jets and team after team will come after him over and over again, on the ground and through the air. Until he proves otherwise, Guyton is the weak link of the defense. He will have to step up in a major way. Does Gary Guton have what it takes?
To predict Guyton’s future, we might get hints his past. Last season he was Tedy Bruschi’s back-up and replaced Tedy on passing downs. Guyton finished with 34 tackles and three passes defensed.
Guyton was one of the fastest linebackers coming out of college in the 2008 NFL Draft, running the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds. He was athletic and versatile coming out of Georgia Tech, having played strong side and weak side LB for the Yellow Jackets.
He moved from strong side to weak side in his senior year and improved as a player. Guyton finished second on the team in tackles with 78 his senior year and was regarded as the defenses’ best player by season’s end. His play earned him all-conference honors in the very competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. He was a vocal team leader.
It won’t take long to see if Guyton steps up and helps keep the defense together. New England was interested in signing former Tampa Bay LB Derrick Brooks, and there has been no indication that Junior Seau got a call from head coach Bill Belichick. But you can be sure Belichick has those numbers on speed dial if he isn’t satisfied with Guyton’s play.
So what you gonna do, kid? The spotlight is on you, Gary. It’s time to shine. Don’t let me down.
Questions? Comments? Send to talktome@randolphc.com.
Keywords: Bill Belichick, Gary Guyton, Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots, New York Jets
