SCOUTING THE COMMITS: Defensive lineman Chris Whittaker
Cats Illustrated's scouting report series on Kentucky's 2017 commits continues with a closer look at the program's latest pledge.
Defensive lineman Chris Whittaker officially visited Kentucky over the weekend and he verbally committed to Mark Stoops while he was in Lexington. Cats Illustrated breaks down his game in the third installment of our series.
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SENIOR YEAR: Whittaker and fellow Kentucky commit Joshua Ali, a receiver, have helped Chaminade-Madonna (10-3, 3-0) to the Class 3A state championship in Florida. That game, against Trinity Christian, will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. in Camping World Stadium.
Defensive statistics for individual Chaminade-Madonna players are not yet available in full, but Whittaker did have 'close to a dozen' sacks, according to one Cats Illustrated source. Whittaker does not have any offensive stats in 2016.
STRENGTHS: Versatility is the name of Whittaker's game. Although that's a bit cliché in most cases, here it applies fully. Kentucky likes Whittaker because he's a defensive linemen who can play multiple spots in the trenches. Already 6-foot-3 and 256 pounds, a year ago Whittaker was 245 - so he's already gone a long way towards filling out and realizing his body's full potential as a football player. But he has a long way to go, yet, and the Kentucky coaches will be able to mold him into the end or tackle they envision him. It's worth noting that Central Florida, the school Whittaker had been committed to, was recruiting him as an outside linebacker. Kentucky's staff disagrees, but that speaks to his versatility (and his athleticism).
When Whittaker was lined up at defensive tackle he was one of the top interior pass rushers in the state of Florida. His quickness, coupled with his length and power, were simply too much for most guards to handle. When he moved out to end or stood up, Whittaker had the requisite speed to rush the passer upfield and to beat tackles, but he also added an element of strength that most other players don't have. He even has the strength that makes for a quality bull rush and has planted more than a couple of offensive tackles on their backside.
Whittaker is also active with his hands in a way that many defensive linemen his age simply are not. That makes him even tougher to handle. One of the things that he already does fairly well, that he should eventually do tremendously well, is rip and disengage. He gets his outside hip up the field and explodes past the tackle towards the passer effectively when he's rushing.
But Whittaker isn't a one-trick pony. He has been effective in run defense just as he's been a more-than-quality pass rusher.
Finally, but not of least importance, Whittaker is a high motor player.
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Chaminade-Madonna's coach talks about UK commits Chris Whittaker and Joshua Ali
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT: Whittaker sometimes has a tendency to play a little upright, so he'll need to work on staying low. That's an area that can improve that is totally within his control through practice, coaching and reps.
Whittaker doesn't have quite the same height or length that most of the nation's four- or five-star defensive ends will have, but that's not a criticism so much as an explanation for why his ranking might be a tad lower. He is a little closer to his growth potential than someone like Jordan Wright, a defensive end/rush 'backer who is still on the staff's radar.
Because Whittaker is active with his hands this isn't a concerning point, but he could stand to develop a patented pass rush move or two. Right now his arsenal is fairly standard, but that's why there will be coaching and plenty of time for development in college.
NOTES: Over the summer Whittaker admitted that South Carolina was his favorite. Previously there was an assumption that Notre Dame was the lead school in his recruitment.
Syracuse was the first Power Five school to offer Whittaker.
Whittaker toured many of the Power Five schools in the Southeastern part of the country -- both ACC and SEC schools -- over the summer. He finally visited Kentucky on his official visit over the weekend.
Before the season the Miami Herald released lists of the top five players at each position in Broward County. While they did not list Whittaker as one of the top five defensive linemen he did fall into the honorable mention category.
Whittaker committed to Central Florida, initially, because his mother wanted him to be closer to home. That he flipped his commitment to Kentucky was evidently a sign that his mother had opened up to the possibility of her son going farther away, or that Whittaker had ultimately decided he couldn't base his decision solely on that.
Whittaker had initially planned to officially visit Kentucky the weekend of September 17, but rescheduled for after the college football regular season.