ASU's De'Marieya Nelson to get a look at Devil-backer

• Coach Todd Graham%27s top priority is to find a Devil-backer
• Safety Marcus Ball is awaiting clearance from a health matter
• Freshman Renell Wrenn can%27t stop growing

Coach Todd Graham's top priority in preseason camp will be to find a Devil-backer, the play-making position that often lines up as a defensive end.

Carl Bradford – now with the Green Bay Packers – excelled at the position the past two seasons. The top returners to replace him are sophomore Viliami Latu and redshirt freshman Chans Cox, but Graham said he also wants to give senior H-back De'Marieya Nelson a shot.

This isn't a total surprise -- Nelson (6 feet 3, 224 pounds) played sparingly on defense last season.

"You ever watch him on special teams?" Graham said. "He's one of our hardest hitters."

On offense, Nelson still will be ASU's top H-back. Last season he rushed for 53 yards and caught seven passes for 107 yards. This season, that versatility might extend to the other side of the ball.

Other notes:

• Health-wise, the Sun Devils are in good shape entering preseason camp, which begins Aug. 1. One possible exception: Redshirt freshman safety Marcus Ball still is awaiting clearance from an undisclosed medical condition. Graham can't comment on Ball's situation because of privacy issues. Ball has had a rough start. After positioning himself last season for a starting position, he injured his collarbone during the Camp Tontozona scrimmage and had to redshirt. He later had surgery. He'll enter preseason camp as the front-runner to replace Alden Darby at ASU's bandit position.
• "In addition to Nelson, freshman running back Kalen Ballage (6-3, 215) also might get looks at multiple spots. Graham said Ballage may get work at H-back, and he may even rush the passer on defense. "That dude can motor," Graham said.
• Noticeably absent from Friday's final summer workout: Jaxon Hood. Not sure what's going on here, but that's probably not a good sign. Hood, a defensive tackle, is ASU's most experienced defensive player, entering his junior season with 17 career starts.
• ASU expects junior-college running back De'Chavon Hayes and freshman running back Demario Richard to be ready to go soon. The last incoming player to report likely will be freshman linebacker Ismael Murphy-Richardson, and he could miss practice time.
• Receiver Ronald Lewis played cornerback near the end of spring practice, and Graham liked the redshirt freshman's potential there. But the plan entering camp is for Lewis to return to receiver.
• Freshman D.J. Calhoun spent most of spring practice with the first team at weak-side linebacker, but Graham said junior Antonio Longino will start preseason practice with the first team. In his first season out of junior college, Longino last season posted six tackles in eight games. Graham praised Longino's offseason work more than once during Pac-12 media days in Hollywood.
• Marcus Washington's days on offense appear to be over. The senior spent the first four years in ASU on offense, most recently as a backup tight end. But Washington (6-0, 223) worked at spur linebacker in the spring, and Graham said Washington will get a look at Devil-backer during preseason practice.
• Graham likes ASU's depth at its 3-back (tight end/H-back) position. He said sophomore tackle Evan Goodman and junior defensive tackle Demetrius Cherry might get looks as a tight end in blocking situations.
• Sophomore Viliami Moeakiola will start with the first team at spur linebacker, but don't be surprised if freshman Christian Sam gets an extended look at the position.
• Freshmen defensive end Renell Wren is listed at 6-4 on the roster, but every time I bring him up, he seems to have grown. "He's 6-7, and that guy can run," Graham said. Standing nearby, quarterback Taylor Kelly nodded in agreement. "He's huge," he said. Senior Marcus Hardison is projected to start at defensive end. Sophomore Edmond Boateng – a junior-college transfer who enrolled early -- likely will back him up, but Wren could play himself into the picture. "He's going to be a beast," Graham said.

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