Rashad Cheney
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 275
Hometown: Ellenwood, GA
247 Sports Composite Rating: .8920
Power 5 Scholarship Offers: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Penn State, South Carolina, and Tennessee
Spring Enrollee: No
Scouting Report
Cheney will be a three-technique defensive tackle in his playing career at Minnesota. For the layman, that means he will line up on the outside shoulder of a guard. The defensive alignment makes it difficult for opposing offenses to double team a three-technique defensive tackle, which is good news for a defensive lineman of Cheney’s size and bad news for the offensive lineman lined up across from him. Cheney’s task will be to get in the backfield and disrupt the play, whether that means making a play on the ball carrier or rushing the quarterback. Quickness is key, and Cheney is fast with his first step and aggressive with his hands. It’s not hard to see how he could make life difficult for opposing offenses and wreak some havoc upfield.
Potential Impact
Cheney is one of three defensive tackles signed in this recruiting class, so clearly the position was an area of emphasis for head coach P.J. Fleck and co. But JUCO transfer Keonte Schad figures to be the impact player of the incoming group, joining a rotation at defensive tackle next season that will likely include returning starter O.J. Smith, redshirt senior Royal Silver, and sophomore Jamaal Teague. Cheney could see the field in the four games afforded to a player in their redshirt season, but I would be surprised if he plays beyond that, barring injury to those top four defensive tackles.