Hard to believe, but we are officially under 100 days until the Broncos storm the Capital to take on the Hokies. As you may remember, last summer we embarked on the Herculean task of counting down a different roster spot for each remaining day until kickoff. Well, I burned out after about 30 days and the countdown was spotty at best until the Ducks rolled into town. I've recommitted myself this offseason however, and I'm shooting for 100 percent this time around.
We've got 96 days until kickoff...so today we'll be taking a look at number 96 on the Bronco roster—Jarrell Root
#96, Jarrell Root, Junior, DE
Stats
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 259 lbs.
High School: Capital High School, Boise, ID
How'd he get to The Blue™?
He walked. With Capital High being the hot new local recruiting grounds (Kyle Efaw, Kyle Sosnowski, Geraldo Hiwat) and just a stone's throw from Bronco Stadium—the star of the hardwood and the gridiron seemed a natural fit for the Broncos. The talented but rail-thin Root attracted little attention outside the Gem State...which is exactly how the Broncos like it.
Nickname
The Root of All Evil [root uhv awl ee-vuhl]
What is the root of all evil? Money, right? Jarrell is so money he doesn't even know it.
Look-alike
Nat X
Career Highlights
2007 Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year. Three starts in '09
Career Lowlight
Suffering a broken leg against Utah State in 2008.
2010 Prospectus
Jarrell Root is a vocal leader on the team and a high-energy presence on the sideline. Thus far, however, Root's big personality has yet to translate to big numbers on the field. After a stellar redshirt year that saw him garner Scout Team POTY honors, Root made his presence known through 9 games in 2008 before suffering a broken leg that ended his season early. Root used his forced layoff to shed some extra lbs. and looked poised to have a breakout year in 2009. It was the other local DE product, Shea McClellin, however, that took hold of the reins and Root's big year turned into an 11 tackle disappearing act. Frankly, I was shocked to learn that Root's Boise State career has been marked by only 20 tackles and 2.5 sacks with both sacks coming in 2008. I fully expect those numbers to improve, but Root will have to translate some of his sideline energy into locking down a spot in the second DE rotation because there is some big talent coming down the pike that will be hard to keep off the field. I think Root's leaner frame and knowledge of the schemes will help him to find his place among the top 4 in 2010 and I expect that Kwiatkowski is salivating at the prospect of a Marshall/Root speed rush. Root should get in the neighborhood of 20-25 tackles this year if all goes well, and should be turned loose on hapless QBs whenever the opportunity presents itself. Plus, the 'fro is still intact, so the team may be riding his frizzy good luck charm all the way to Glendale.
Completely made up fact
Root's famous 'fro is made of equal parts Brillo and cotton candy.