4 down, 95 to go.
As the countdown continues today, we'll remain on the Bronco D-line, arguably the best and deepest unit on the team. What am I doing? Well, I'm counting down the remaining days until the September 3rd opener against Georgia by highlighting the player with that corresponding jersey number. Don't worry, I'm not even starting to sweat yet.
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, Senior, DE
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 268 lbs.
High School: Capital High School, Boise, ID
How'd he get to The Blue™?
He walked. Boise's Capital High is the hot new local recruiting ground (Kyle Efaw, Kyle Sosnowski, Geraldo Hiwat, Corey Bell) and it's just a stone's throw from Bronco Stadium. Root was a star on the hardwood and the gridiron for the Eagles, but his rail-thin physique 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-vuh
l]
Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but I'm sticking with it.
Look-alike
Nat X
note: Jarrell has since shorn his beautiful 'fro, but until Broncosports changes his bio pic...I'm staying with what works
Career Highlights
2007 Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year. Five career sacks.
Career Lowlight
Suffering a broken leg against Utah State in 2008.
2011 Prospectus
Root has to be frustrated with how his Bronco career has gone. He was the defensive scout team player of the year as a redshirt in '07 and had 9 tackles and 2 sacks in only 6 games of his freshman year before a broken leg sidelined him. Then, a slimmed down Root took the field in 2009 looking for a big year, but he only saw time in 8 games as a soph and his numbers really didn't improve (11 tackles, 0 sacks). Again, in 2010, Root only played in 8 games for the Broncos—adding another 11 tackles, although his 3 sacks on the season made it the best of his career. Still, for someone as vocal and fiery as Root, it has to sting a little that he's barely cracked double-digits in the tackle column and played in just over half of the games he's been eligible for.
Nevertheless, Root is a vocal and intense leader on the sidelines and on the field and I don't think he'll allow his senior season to be squandered. Root should be a solid "2" behind either Shea McClellin or Tyrone Crawford and may even be able to push Crawford in Fall Camp—although with Crawford nearly tripling Root's tackle output and leading the team in tackles-for-loss, that will be a tall order. Ultimately, Root will remind a lot of Bronco fans of Derrell Acrey when his playing days are through—a high-energy guy and team leader whose stats were never quite as big as you thought they'd be. I'll go ahead and predict that Root leaves The Blue™ on a high note; registering at least 20 tackles this year and upwards of 3.5 sacks.
Completely made up fact
Root never willingly made the decision to shave his famous 'fro. He was lulled to sleep by a Philistine hairdresser and when he awoke, his hair and legendary strength were gone.