TJ Guy
Welcome to Michigan, TJ Guy! 〽️ @guyjr11 hails from Mansfield, Mass. and played as an offensive tackle and a defensive end.
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— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) December 16, 2020
Prep
• Attended Mansfield High School (2021) coached by Mike Redding
• Two-year team captain (2019-20)
• Helped Mansfield to an 11-1 record and a Division 2 state title as a junior in 2019
• Boston Herald All-Scholastic honoree
• Also lettered in basketball at Mansfield; played center-power forward on a 23-win team that won the MIAA Division 1 South Sectional Championship during his junior yearKey Statistics
• Had his senior season postponed to spring due to COVID-19
• Played as an offensive tackle and a defensive end for the Hornets
• Registered 43 tackles with six tackles for loss, five sacks and five pressures as a junior; blocked for a unit that produced more than 2,000 rush yards
• Also scored one two-point conversion and blocked a puntHonors and Rankings
• Earned a 247Sports Composite ranking of three stars; the No. 924 overall player nationally, the No. 49 weakside defensive end and the No. 6 player in the state of Massachusetts
• Named a three-star prospect by 247Sports; the No. 35 weak side defensive end and the No. 5 player in the state of Massachusetts
• Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN, the No. 103 defensive end and the No. 8 player in the state of Massachusetts
• Rivals.com three-star prospect and the No. 7 player in Massachusetts
• Earned All-Star honors from the Hockomock League (2018-19), Hockomocksports.com (2019) and Attleboro Sun/Chronicle (2019)
• Named to the Massachusetts State Coaches All-Star Team as a junior (2019)Personal
• TJ Guy was born March 7, 2003
• Son of Darrius and Laureen C. South
• Has a younger brother, Justice
He is athletic and he plays fast. He is disruptive at the point of attack and he is menace in the backfield. He has very good body control and he shows an ability to change direction. He chases plays down from behind and he tackles well in space.
Guy is subtle with his technique. He has a swim move, and shows he can dip his shoulder and explode around the edge. He plays with suddenness and he is physical. He rarely loses the leverage battle.
Another thing I really like about Guy is his ability to go inside from the edge. Rather than relying so heavily on speed, he varies his attack and sometimes will get inside the offensive tackle. He always seems balanced.
He needs to continue to work on his hands. It is sometimes too easy for offensive linemen to engage him, but because of Guy’s strength and the fact he is just more athletic than anyone he faces, his ability to disengage and re-direct down the line of scrimmage is not impacted much. In college, it will not be so easy.
I’m calling my shot with Guy. I feel like he’s going to be the steal of the class, so it’s no surprise I have him ranked higher than the industry. Guy is all potential right now. He’s very raw from a technical standpoint and hasn’t learned how to unlock his athleticism. For how physically impressive he is, Guy doesn’t seem to overpower offensive linemen. With that said, a couple of years of good coaching and strength and conditioning work could do wonders here. At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, Guys moves extremely well for his size, which should come as not surprise since he ran the point for his high school basketball team and received some lower level hoops offers.
Guy is a project with the natural frame and athleticism to succeed, but will need a few years of coaching before he is ready to contribute. I’d put him on the same developmental path as Julius Welschof or Taylor Upshaw, the two defensive ends in the 2018 class with similar builds. While he’s listed as a weakside defensive end on 247Sports, Guy will be best at anchor in Michigan’s scheme. It’s going to take some work to turn this Guy into a Dude.
2021 Outlook: TJ Guy is a talented kid who comes to Ann Arbor with plenty of room to grow. He’s quick off the ball and can shed blockers en route to the quarterback. Guy isn’t likely to be a player who makes an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball, but he’s certainly a kid that has enough potential to become an eventual starter at the University of Michigan.
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