2009 Spartan Nation Football Profile: CB Chris L. Rucker (CLR) #29

2009 Spartan Nation Football Profile: CB Chris L. Rucker (CLR) #29 Height: 6’2” Weight: 201 2009 Eligibility: Junior EXP: 2 Letters Status:Â

2009 Spartan Nation Football Profile:Â CB Chris L. Rucker (CLR) #29

Height: 6’2”

Weight:Â 201

2009 Eligibility:Â Junior

EXP:Â 2 Letters

Status:Â Starting CB

 

Strengths: This youngster has the makings of a fine career and if he can stay healthy will play on Sundays. In fact, regular readers and viewers of SpartanNation.com know that I have several friends in the NFL community and I hear those same sentiments on a regular basis about CLR from them.

 

I have three game examples of the strengths of CLR. The first was against Cal. Jahvid Best, the very talented RB, caught the ball in the flat and CLR demonstrated great vision to see the play before it happened, showed off the jets by closing the gap immediately, and leveled the RB in the flat. It showed off his vision and his closing speed.

 

Another example is also from the Cal game. He was downfield in coverage and shed the WR block to get over and make a downfield block of Best again. Thereby, again, showing his closing speed and vision.

 

Lastly, you look at the OSU game. In the first quarter and just under three minutes in the quarter, OSU was up already 14-0 and pulling away. Hartline catches the ball for OSU and goes 57 yards. CLR similar to the second Cal play above came across the field for the goal-line tackle at the 1. The whole play was set up by the opposite CB blitz and he not only had superb coverage on his man, but made a TD stopping tackle downfield on a man that was DOUBLE covered by his two safeties on the play.

 

CLR has the tools to be great. Injuries and no redshirt making him play a lot his first two seasons when healthy should be beneficial this season.

 

Weakness: The weakest part of CLR’s game is his ball catching abilities. George Perles was famous for saying that CBs are guys who couldn’t catch so they couldn’t play WR. CLR is not terrible, but it is safe to say he struggles. Here is an example.

 

Against UM, the Wolverines were facing a 2nd and 11 at the MSU 19 with the Spartans up 7-0. CLR had great coverage and, in fact, because of his vision cut in front of the receiver at the goaline and with no opponent pressure he had two hands on the ball and dropped it. The ensuing play the Wolverines scored to tie the game, but they wouldn’t have if he had made the drive ending interception.

 

Final Analysis: I named CLR to my first team 2009 All Big Ten team. I know that he has the support of the staff that see him as a special talent and the respect of the NFL. If he can stay healthy I look for him to have a superb season.

 

The amazing thing is that if he can stay healthy and continue to improve the sky could be the limit on his ceiling and just what he can do. He is so athletic and that serves him well.