Dawgs' NFL Draft talent preview - one on hold, but ten with eyes on Sundays

Deandre Baker Was All Set for the NFL - Then This Happened
For Deandre Baker, it’s hard to forget: his University of Georgia team came within an inch of winning a national championship. In his head, he continues to recall how the game against Alabama came to an end. Georgia got behind the line to take down Alabama passer Tua Tagovailoa in overtime and take his team out of field goal range. Georgia believed that they were about to secure the University’s first national championship since 1980.

Then it happened. Tagovailoa threw a 41-yard TD bomb to DeVonta Smith to rewrite the Bulldogs’ story.



Baker could only watch as that play unfolded. That his team fell just one game shy of winning a championship was motivation enough to ignore the NFL draft and return to the program. Another factor in Baker’s decision was that he was watching ESPN on the very day of the deadline for players to make a decision on whether or not to declare. Then they replayed the TD. If there was any chance that Baker would change his mind, it had just been blown to smithereens.

In the lead up to the early entry deadline for the draft, Baker said that he had heard that he would be taken anywhere within rounds one to three. Both DC Mel Tucker and HC Kirby Smart had expressed their surprise in his decision to return to the Bulldogs.

Lockdown corner
Throughout last season, Baker, who recorded nine pass breakups and three interceptions, saw a limited number of balls thrown in his direction. Pro Football Focus revealed that the DB went 272 defensive snaps in a row without giving up a touchdown.

When Baker was given a national audience, he appeared to play some of his best football. While the Bulldogs were given a lesson in passing the football by Oklahoma in the first half of the Rose Bowl, he went on to make one of the game’s biggest plays.



On 3-and-12 in double overtime and making his way through traffic, Baker saw that Oklahoma was executing a misdirection play. He avoided any receiver looking to divert his angle and forced Marquise Brown out of bounds and shy of the first down.

This set up a Lorenzo Carter blocked field goal attempt, before a Sony Michel walk-off touchdown put them into the national championship.

In the title game, while Calvin Ridley scored a late TD, Baker held him to just 23 yards on 4 catches.
Baker first came to the fore as a sophomore. He started 2016 as a backup, with Juwuan Briscoe and Malkom Parrish on the outside. After week four’s 45-14 loss to Mississippi, however, Georgia decided to give Baker a chance to start.

It soon became clear that the move was a good one.

With safety Dominick Sanders, DB Aaron Davis, and CB Malkom Parrish all graduating, Baker is now the secondary’s only seasoned veteran.

Bulldogs could make draft history
This year’s draft, however, could prove to be a historic one for Georgia. Some 10 Bulldogs took part in the recent NFL combine. Should nine of those players be picked, it would be UGA’s largest-ever draft class.

The quality of Georgia’s class, however, isn’t just about depth. UGA can refer to a handful of their players as some of the best in the draft and could see up to three players taken in round one: a program record. Two UGA players have been selected in the first round of a draft seven times in the past.

In an NFL.com mock draft, Chad Reuter predicted that three Bulldogs would be selected in the first round: Roquan Smith to the San Diego Chargers (pick 23), Sony Michel to the Pittsburgh Steelers (pick 28) and Isaiah Wynn to the Jacksonville Jaguars (pick 29).



Reuter named six Bulldogs in total that he believes will be selected within the first four rounds of the draft. He predicts that RB Nick Chubb will be selected by the 49ers with the 59th pick, Lorenzo Carter by the Browns with the 84th pick, and Trenton Thompson picked up in the fourth round by the Chargers. If Reuter’s prediction comes true, the Bulldogs would only need to see three of its four players who were at the combine selected to set a single draft record.

According to many betting sites, how these draft departures will affect the 2018-19 Bulldogs remains to be seen. For a team that was three points away from a national championship, they are only fourth in the betting to win it, with Oddschecker listing bookies that place them at 10/1. On the one hand, Bulldogs fans may feel insulted but, on the other, they may be tempted to take advantage of the free bets available, with such favorable odds on offer. The champions, Alabama Crimson Tide, are favorites to retain their title at 11/4. The Clemson Tigers and Ohio State Buckeyes are both favored above the Bulldogs, at 8/1 and 9/1, respectively.

Different paths
When it comes to two of these players (Smith and Thompson), their paths may have begun in similar fashion, but they’ve since taken very different routes along the way. Both were juniors last year and had one year remaining of eligibility when they make the decision to turn pro in January. Smith, however, is believed to have had a difficult time in making the decision, whereas Thompson supposedly had no doubts at all.



As each sit and wait, with the draft less than a month away, it’s Smith alone who seems to be destined for stardom in the NFL. It’s uncertain as to what will become of Thompson. He’s almost certain to be drafted, but it’s open to debate as to how long he will have to wait until his name is called.

The talk at Georgia’s Pro Day was that the best Thompson can hope for is the third or fourth round. Smith, however, looks likely to be a top-15 pick. He was told as much in December when he completed his underclassman evaluation application form. He claims his decision to enter the draft this year, however, was not the no-brainer that many assumed it to be. Smith, who led the entire SEC in both sacks and tackles for loss, said that he struggled in letting go of his Bulldogs family.

Sony Michel, Davin Bellamy, Nick Chubb, and Lorenzo Carter each returned for their senior seasons last year for largely the same reason. Not one of them, however, was given the same kind of high praise that went to Smith. Instead, they were given similar feedback to that of Thompson.
Such decisions are rarely based on contract potential and draft grades, however. There can be extenuating factors.

Tough time for once top prospect
The 6-foot-4 Thompson has suffered with injuries throughout his collegiate career. He underwent shoulder surgery last year, in addition to struggling with knee injuries. He also suffered a medical episode that led to him being hospitalized and forced to withdraw from school.

While it created health worries for Thompson, it also caused him further trouble, academically. It’s unclear as to whether he would have been eligible for another season, but most felt that it was the right time for him to make the leap to the NFL.

When Thompson arrived in Georgia from Westover High School, he was the top prospect in the country, according to 247Sports composite rankings.

At times, he lived up to his reputation, with 56 total stops in his sophomore year. Between recovering from shoulder surgery and suffering from a knee sprain, however, he saw fewer snaps in 2017. He missed a pair of games and finished with 38 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss.

Thompson seemed to struggle at Georgia’s recent Pro Day, appearing to be favoring his right leg during step-overs and timed runs. Smith’s workout was almost flawless, even though his status indicated that he wasn’t obligated to participate. Only time will tell how each of these players progress from here. For now, at least, it appears that their careers are destined to take very different paths.

Super Bowl Dawgs

Malcolm Mitchell hasn't played for the Patriots this season as he has been nursing a knee injury. The former Georgia star receiver has been in the NFL for just two seasons. But if New England wins tomorrow night against the Philadelphia Eagles Mitchell could have just as many Super Bowl rings! Regardless, there's no doubt Mitchell wishes he was on the field to help Tom Brady out and everyone back in Valdosta GA wishes the same thing.

Boss Andrews' best 75 meter sprint.

One former Bulldog and now Patriot that will be playing is David Andrews. "Boss" wasn't drafted in 2015, but signed on with Belichick's team and eventually earned the starting spot to start their 2016 season. Like Mitchell, Andrews is a homegrown Georgia boy having graduated from Wesleyan High School. Dawg fans remember Andrews as a consistent starter having played in 50 games as a Bulldog. There's no doubt that Tom Brady and the New England coaches appreciate that consistency as well.

The lone Dawg on the Eagles' side is Dannell Ellerbe. Philadelphia is Ellerbe's fourth NFL team, and this will be his second Super Bowl having won one with the Ravens in 2013. Unfortunately, the former two sport star out of Richmond Senior High School in Rockingham NC has played sparingly this season. But when he does enter the game both Georgia fans and Ravens fans will look for him around the ball. Ellerbe has a knack for creating and recovering turnovers. In fact, his interception of Brady in the 2013 AFC Championship game helped the Ravens slip past the Patriots into SB XLVII.

NetBet Sport currently has the Patriots as a 4.5 point favorite. As an NFL agnostic, I only have those three former Dawgs in the fight. It's even more popular to root against the Patriots in the NFL as it is to root against Auburn in the SEC. And Belichick's team usually enjoys the role so much they simply keep on winning.

Still, I think the Eagles could run away with this one, much like the Falcons last year for the first 45 minutes. But I think Philadelphia closes the deal. Most importantly, I hope my smoked wings turn out as good as last year.

Reminder: suits are paid for their analysis

Mel Kiper says Chubb and Michel should stay put.

"I don't think Chubb or Michel has maximized his grade yet, and another year might allow that to happen," Kiper said this week on a conference call. "This year did not allow it to happen, so if you're happy being a third-, fourth- or fifth-round pick, you come out. If you want to try and help your stock, you go back for another year."

Musics to my ears! But also bad advice. 

I have no idea what Sony and Nick will decide. Seems a no brainer for Chubb. Despite what some analysts might say I think he's proven to be a more than capable three down back. That's what NFL scouts want to see is a running back that can not only make yards on the ground, but also hold his own in the pocket and transform himself into a receiver when necessary.

But Chubb is also the kind of person that doesn't always succumb to conventional wisdom.

Sony could also become a three down type of back for the NFL. He can certainly pick up blitzes and can be both a receiver from the backfield or the split out wide as well. But he has more to gain from returning if you ask me.

However, I would advise both to leave and start preparing for the combine and Pro Day. Kiper is right that running backs should want to be taken in the top two rounds. But there's also no other position in football that has a shorter shelf life.

If either Chubb or Michel want to make a living playing this game that they're both so talented at, they should start sooner rather than later.

Keith Marshall proves that $peed pay$

File this under "Hard work really does pay off" - Keith Marshall sets top 40 time at the NFL Combine and Adidas pays him $50,000.

Marshall ran an official 4.31-second 40-yard dash time on Friday, which turned out to be the fastest time this year at the NFL scouting combine.

Because of the lightning-fast time, Adidas is set to pay Marshall $50,000.

Marshall, who began the 2015 season third on Georgia’s depth chart behind Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, came to Georgia with a reputation for being one of the fastest recruits in the country. Even after sustaining a torn ACL in 2013, which held him out of the majority of his 2014 season, Marshall showed what kind of speed he still has in Indianapolis on Friday.

Marshall ran unofficial times of 4.29 and 4.31 seconds before earning the official 4.31 mark.

Pretty cool for a guy who had a tough luck road and then was vastly under-utilized last season, especially late. Happy to see his hard work on the field and in recovery pay off. And for those of you who weren't aware, Marshall lost his grandmother last week too.

All of that, coupled with his superior all around performance in Indy, and I think this post deserves a signature Truth4 stiffarm!

Gurley stands alone

Of course, he was long considered to be just a three year player at Georgia. But he's the only draft eligible underclassman Richt has that is leaving early. As Weiszer reports, that's just one more from last season when no Bulldogs entered the NFL Draft pool, but it's still a stark contrast to recent years that saw many key players leave campus.

From 2009-12, the Bulldogs had 11 underclassmen enter the draft.

That included tight end Orson Charles (fourth round, 2012), safety Reshad Jones (fifth round, 2010) and nose guard Kwame Geathers (undrafted, 2013).

Thinking back, I always felt Leonard Floyd would leave after this past season. But shoulder surgery may have helped him decide to stay. Others that were possibilities - Malcolm Mitchell, John Theus, Jordan Jenkins, Justin Scott-Wesley, and Kolton Houston. Mitchell and JSW dealt with injuries and lots of games missed. And Houston is still progressing as an offensive lineman after emerging from Mark Emmert's purgatory before the 2013 season. So really, Theus and Jenkins were the only other possibilities to leave early who had played a lot this past season.

In Weiszer's piece, Richt argues that the importance of a college degree is often lost in the headlines this time of year. I wouldn't bet against that either, especially with someone like Jenkins who made a big deal out of applying to (and getting accepted into) the Terry College of Business back in August. Still, the lure of the NFL's early rounds and all that cash has to be tempting. Last May, 98 underclassmen threw their name in and 14 of them were selected in the first round. In fact, the first four picks were players who left eligibility on the table. From there it dropped off steadily until 45 of those underclassmen were left undrafted.

So to a player like Jenkins and Theus, that dropoff puts a lot of stock into their draft analysis they get back from the NFL. If they even requested it. Nationwide, the number of underclassmen requesting a draft grade went down dramatically.

The number of college underclassmen that have requested an evaluation from the NFL Draft Advisory Board is down a staggering 42 percent from last year, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent revealed in a tweet Thursday. The precipitous drop likely stems from a change to NFL policy regarding the feedback system for underclassmen. NFL Media's Albert Breer noted the changes to the system in July, reporting that college football programs would be limited to requesting feedback on behalf of five underclassmen. Previously, there had been no limit to the number of underclassmen that could request a grade.Another potential reason for the big drop could be the cautionary tale from this year's draft. Of the record-setting 98 underclassmen that were granted eligibility for the 2014 NFL Draft, a whopping 45 went undrafted. That number prompted further calls from coaches and others for players to think long and hard before making the jump from college to the pro ranks as underclassmen.

Some fans get angry at players who leave early. I'll admit to being disappointed a time or two about a player's decision. But in the end it's not my place. This is often the moment they've worked very hard towards, and the decision to stay and study or leave and play full time is a personal one. So it's good to see these players are getting better feedback to make the best decision for themselves and their family. And not just blindly jumping at a possible cash grab.

Best of luck to Todd Gurley. Looking forward to seeing him continue his career for many years. And best of luck to those that are staying. Looking forward to seeing them continue at least another season 'tween the hedges.

Early look at potential Dawg draftees

All that's left of the 2014 season is a bowl game for Georgia. So with many looking at the 2015 NFL draft thought we'd take a moment as well. There was quite a bit of talent on the roster for the Bulldogs this year. Here’s a look at a few potential draftees.

Leonard Floyd

Most mock drafts seem to be sold on Leonard Floyd to be the first Georgia player off the board, should he decide to declare early. He might not go very high, but he is a pretty talented player who could play either defensive end or outside linebacker at the next level. He probably will not be taken until the 2nd half of the 1st round at the earliest, but he is a very talented pass rusher.

Todd Gurley

The trend in the last few years has been to wait for a running back in the NFL draft. Despite his recent knee injury and subsequent surgery, Gurley could be one of those rare guys who goes in the 1st round as a very dynamic running back in 2015. He has a chance to be a fantasy football superstar, and that is enough of an incentive for a playoff team to take him near the end of the 1st round. There is a chance he slips to the 2nd, but if rehab goes well, he is still the most dynamic running back in the draft.

Ramik Wilson

A lot of different teams in the NFL need help at inside linebacker, so Wilson will be talked about as early as the middle of the 2nd round. At this stage in the game, he is probably going to go somewhere in the range of middle of the 2nd to middle of the 3rd. He is a very solid player who has good discipline at his position. Expect him to earn playing time right away.

Jordan Jenkins

Yet another pass rusher that is draft eligible, Jenkins is obviously a step below Floyd right now in the draft gurus' eyes. He is going to find a spot in the NFL though, whether it's in 2015 or following his senior season in Athens. And if its sooner rather than later, he could sneak into the last part of the 2nd round if he works out well. More than likely, he will fall into the 3rd round and provide decent value for any team willing to give him a look.

We'll continue to look at some more of the draft eligible Dawgs in the coming weeks to see where they may land to continue their playing careers.

Dawgs in the Draft - Chasing (and living) the Dream

My kids have all A's and B's. I don't say that to brag. (Ok, well a little bit.) But when I look at their grades and then hear them verbalize being overly anxious about a test that the state has mandated, it really sticks in my craw. They're good kids and have worked hard. They have incredible teachers who have pushed them to realize their academic potential. And yet there's still this assessment that's supposed to tell us more than all of the classwork, homework, projects, quizzes and tests combined.

Something Garrison said in that last podcast really resonated with me. Probably because of this state testing thing that has me a bit distracted. But he alluded to the fact (a couple times) that too much attention is given to what these NFL Draft "experts" are saying and the numbers put up at the combine. For hours upon hours and days upon days they've been talking more and more about a glimpse taken through a window as opposed to the view one can get from just opening the door.

Tuesday Busted Coverage was sending out some informative and historical tweets related to the poo that these experts like to fling around. I grabbed a screen shot for you of some of the best ones to the right, but you can read more of them here if you're so inclined. The point being that sure, these guys get some things right. But Jimmy Clausen was a solid enough pick to bet one's career on it?

So Clowney is the jewel of the 2014 draft. As the saying goes, he looks good getting off the bus. He's a freakish blend of size and speed. Many teams covet his potential at the professional level. So will they overlook the fact that he took some sick days this past season and that his stats took a significant drop from his sophomore to his junior year? Most certainly, yes. And one team will pay him handsomely in hopes that the potential they think they see is realized.

Brown was an overwhelming success in his rookie season in Baltimore. (via)

No wonder a guy like Garrison Smith, whose numbers dwarf the defensive lineman Todd McShay calls a "once in a decade type of natural talent", is turned sour by the spectacle that is the NFL draft coverage these days. After all, Smith had twice as many sacks as his SEC East counterpart, the guy considered to be the best pass rusher in this year's class.

Which leads me to something else Smith said. When asked if he was nervous about the draft or where he may end up living in a couple of months he quickly responded no, that he was excited for the opportunity and would be happy with whatever comes to pass. That's a sentiment echoed by former teammates like Rantavious Wooten:

“I did everything that I could do,” Wooten said after Georgia’s Pro Day last month. “I’m going to sit back, relax and whatever happens, happens. I’m not going to stress about the draft or sit here and put so much pressure on myself or everything like that. I did everything I could do. If it works out for me, great. If I get drafted, great. Free agent, whatever I have to do, I’m fine with it.”

While most of us would have trouble relating to what it's like to be on the verge of breaking into professional football, we've all found ourselves yearning for certain job situations, promotions, advancements. You work hard towards getting to a certain position where you can validate all of those long hours of preparation. It's rewarding to realize that level of success.

As Weiszer points out, some of the Dawgs in this year's class of draft eligible players may find themselves in Marlon Brown's shoes from a year ago - for whatever reason, having to prove themselves further and having to beat someone out of a roster spot. They are chasing the dream, one that they've had for years. Decades even, as many of them have been aiming for it since they were learning their ABC's. Some have watched friends and family make made poor choices, using those experiences as motivation for a better life. They've overcome injuries and even endured coaching changes, all while balancing the life of a student and an athlete.

The obstacles lay behind these Dawgs now. They have have refused to settle for what might have been. And are pursuing the answer to what will be.

Dawgs in the Draft - Aaron Murray gets board

Dan Rubenstein's Wonderlic seems a lot more fun.

Dawgs in the Draft - remembering Terrell Davis

Was reading up last night on some red and black draft history for a post that will come out tomorrow, and I rediscovered a story I had forgotten. So I started to wonder if you had forgotten it too.

Terrell Davis came to Athens by way of Long Beach State. He redshirted his freshman year, rushed for a modest 262 yards his first season and then found himself without a field when the program there was eliminated for budget reasons.

So he came all the way out east to play for Georgia, but quickly found himself on the bench behind future 1st round draft pick Garrison Hearst. Once the star tailback was officially an Arizona Cardinal, Davis seemed to blossom as an every down back while rushing for over 800 yards and as a receiver out of the backfield for another 160. He ran with power and had good speed for a tailback with his size. With really just one full season of college football experience, he decided to remain his senior season in hopes of becoming a top pick the following April.

But his senior season was marked by a hamstring injury and disagreements with head coach Ray Goff. The hamstring was a nagging injury that forced him out of the backfield for three games. Meanwhile, Goff insisted Davis practice or ride the bench his senior season. I remember hearing stories of disputes between the two both at the time and later after Goff was let go. In one the head coach had an all out meltdown in the locker room at the half insisting Davis man up and find his helmet.

And while that is mostly a matter between the coach and the player, it came to a true boil when Davis was trying his best to get drafted. He'd showed great promise as a potential every down back for an NFL roster, but there were questions about his health and durability. According to Davis, Goff was not only of no help in this regard, but he made matters worse. Much worse.

"The head man there didn't go out of his way to even sit down with the scouts and tell them about my situation, " Terrell complains of his former coach. "And that goes a long way, because they are going to go with who knows you best. He was just real derogatory in everything he did...when the scouts would come down there, he would lock up the film room and go home! He was just mean to everybody - he's hurt countless players that way,"

Of course, we all know eventually Davis went on to a great albeit short NFL career in Denver. He joined the 2000 yard club in 1998 with the Broncos and has a couple of Super Bowl rings, not to mention a Super Bowl MVP trophy as well as an NFL MVP trophy.

All that to say (and to help lead up to tomorrow's post), that many times the best players aren't even given a look on draft day(s). And many sure as hell aren't ever mentioned by guys like Mel Kiper and Todd McShay during their endless coverage leading up to the selection show(s). Terrell Davis was one of three tailbacks in the history of the NFL to rush for as many yards as he did (6,413) in his first four seasons. The other two are also Hall of Famers, Eric Dickerson and Earl Cambell. And yet, Davis was the 21st running back chosen in the 1995 NFL draft, landing in the 6th round as the 196th player overall. Ahead of him were the likes of Kijana Carter (1st overall) and Tyrone Wheatley (17th). Carter amassed just over 1,100 yards in his injury-ridden career; Wheatley eventually passed Davis' four year total in his last season with the Raiders in 2004.

There may not be many names from the University of Georgia called during this year's NFL draft. At least not as many as we've grown accustomed to in recent years. But there's also a rich history of former Dawgs overcoming many obstacles to make rosters, further their career, provide for their families and make a name for themselves.

"You can't sit in your room and eat ice cream. So I went to work."

Garrison Smith on being shut out of the NFL Combine.

Smith, who played in both the 4-3 and 3-4 defenses at Georgia, recorded 63 tackles, 10 for loss and six sacks in 2013. He started in all 13 games for the Bulldogs and moved to nose tackle.

The Atlanta native said he felt like he and some of his fellow Bulldogs were stiffed by the NFL combine.

“That’s the biggest injustice I’ve ever seen. I’ve never seen anything like that happen before. Me personally, I feel like I had one of the best seasons as a D-tackle in the country,” he said. “… You put up them type of numbers as a D-tackle in a 3-4 defense and you don’t get invited to the combine? Wow, that’s amazing.”

Which is why last week's Pro Day was so important for Smith. He got to perform in front of NFL reps and spent time talking to several team's representatives. He might be bitter about the combine snub, but he's not sulking over it. It's evidently fueling him to make the next step in his playing career.

Smith said he values his game tape more than his ability to perform drills in shorts and a T-shirt with a stopwatch in the hand of a nearby coach or scout.

“I feel like anybody can look good in shorts and T-shirts,” he said. “It’s a lot of T-shirt all-americans out here. It’s a lot of guys that can look good running the 40, look good doing drills, but when you put them pads on, they don’t look that good. … I’m not a T-shirt all-american. I’m backing it up with them pads on. That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.”

Smith, who suffered an ankle injury during Georgia’s game against Georgia Tech in late November that caused him to gain some weight while he recovered, said he has trimmed down to 294 pounds, down five pounds from his weight at the start of the 2013 season. He said he’s been working on his quickness and agility as he trains with Georgia’s strength and conditioning staff in preparation for the NFL draft, which is May 810.

“I can look good in T-shirts,” Smith quipped after Pro Day. “I can look good in a birthday suit, it don’t matter. But when them pads get on, it gets real serious. In them trenches, ask about me down there. I got a lot of respect down there.”

No question. It's so easy to pull for this guy isn't it? Good on ya Garrison!

"You all are the ones who are nervous...I'm excited."

Fascinating read about the weeks leading up to yesterday's news that Michael Sam had decided to come out as a gay man. And woven within it is something most SEC fans have already seen on the field - Sam's unrelenting confidence.

No question this will become one of the biggest sports stories we've seen develop in years. Why? I think this one paragraph sums it up best:

It's easy to understand why. His teammates knew he was gay and none of them cared about showering with him for an entire season. It also didn't hurt the team's success as Missouri finished 12-2 and ranked No. 5 in the country. Sam and his agents know the fears some have tried to put in them are based on simply the fear of the unknown.

Remains to be seen how the NFL will respond. But perhaps they should look to Missouri (and many other college programs like it to be honest, including UGA) as an example. Because what is already clear is that Michael Sam is a winner that can makes teams better, both on the field and in the locker room.

Measuring Murray up

Good article and video here by Andy Staples on Aaron Murray getting measured, both by NFL scouts and his own peers.

Murray hopes coaches will judge him more by his 35-17 record and by the way he played when his team needed him most. Can he throw under pressure? Check out this third-and-13 play that sealed the win against South Carolina on Sept. 6. Is he mobile? Check out this run against Tennessee, which came after the Bulldogs had lost nearly every key skill position player on offense to injury except Murray.

Or ask a teammate. Georgia tight end Arthur Lynch is playing for the South team this week, and he came to Athens with Murray in the class of 2009. "He's the epitome of what you'd want as a quarterback," Lynch said. Lynch said Murray had the team's respect in his first game as the starter in 2010, and Lynch said Murray is still earning his respect. "For [goodness] sakes, he's out here and he can't even drop back," Lynch said. "But he's out here taking mental reps and helping quarterbacks who are essentially his competition. He's encouraging me. What else could you ask for?"

Or, better yet, ask an opponent. Former LSU linebacker Lamin Barrow faced Murray between the hedges on Sept. 28. "If I had to pick a word, it would be underrated," said Barrow, whose Tigers lost, 44-41, and gave up four touchdown passes to Murray. "I think he's one of the best quarterbacks in the country." In the days leading up to the game, Barrow marveled at Murray's pocket poise in watching him on video. When the Tigers saw Murray in person, they still weren't ready for his ability to escape pressure. "He made some plays against us where I thought we had him sacked and then, whoop, it's right over your head," Barrow said.

No early NFL departures expected

It's been a recurring theme for Richt's staff the last several years - underclassmen declaring themselves for the NFL. This year however, the focus seems to be on making next season better.

With a team that could return a lot on both sides of the ball, do you know of any underclassmen that are threatening to leave?

At this point, honestly I’d be surprised if anyone left early. Malcolm Mitchell and Damian Swann were serious candidates before the season, but Mitchell’s injury and Swann’s struggles have pretty much ended those chances. A few other draft-eligible players – Amarlo Herrera, Ramik Wilson – have talked excitedly about next year.

After Mitchell's freak ACL tear in Clemson, and even despite his hamstring injury his freshman year and the role-switching experiment last season, my gut was telling me he'd leave. Early indications are the opposite and that he's only been pointing to a return in Athens next season. And that would be a decision that would pay off handsomely for him should he make a full return and have the kind of season we were expecting this year.

Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/12/04/2836705/mailbag-grantham-mason-acls-offseason.html#storylink=cpy

NFL scouting, post Aaron Hernandez

Saw this tweet from Bruce Feldman sometime yesterday and then saw some backlash over it:

"Spoke w longtime NFL personnel man who said in wake of AaronHernandez teams may use police experts to check prospects tattoos"

Without fully opening up the can of worms, let's just twist the lid slightly. Is this a surprise? If you have a vested interest in an NFL team, does this bother you in any way?

With the money that these players make, I'm more surprised that this hasn't already been happening on a large scale. From the combine to the draft there are a lot of players to evaluate. And whether or not a tattoo on a bicep could mean suspected gang affiliation is not nearly as time sensitive as a 40 time. And while we may not mind gambling on NFL Sundays, executives and owners would rather not gamble on a draft pick that may or may not pan out off the field.

In short, I completely understand this from a business perspective as wanting to worry more about what happens on the field and leave the personal side of things to someone that may understand what they're seeing.

As for the civil liberties...is this really that much different than a CEO handing an interviewee a laptop and asking them to pull up their Facebook page?

Monday's Meatloaf - but at least my name's not Michael F. Adams

Time to address the elephant in the blog space. You’ve been very kind to keep your questions at a distance while I mourn this loss, this abject failure that will tarnish my legacy as a Georgia Bulldog and UGA alum for years to come. I appreciate your consideration. Let’s muddle our way through this shall we?

(steps up to podium wearing wrinkled golf shorts, his Lebowski t-shirt, wife’s terrycloth robe complete with cheese puff dust and UGA slippers. Readjusts vintage ray-bans and speaks uncomfortably into microphone…)

"Who's the guy outside in house slippers
with a bullhorn?"

If you come here often and/or are one of the unlucky and incredibly misguided souls that follows me on twitter, you know that I launched a campaign to become Prez Adam’s successor. It’s been a longtime ambition of mine, dating all the way back to the time the office of the president was disgraced by a pair of high water lady jeans swinging a leg unathletically in the direction of a rubber ball. In the years since I have been laying in wait, readying myself for the time in which I could restore order to our beloved campus. I planned to put grits back on the menu. I was going to bring morale back even faster than the Timberpond fella brought sexy back. Y'all would be invited to my box at Sanford…anytime. Because that’s where I would live. It has a shower right?

Anyway. It was to be a dream come true. Out with the old fat yankee; and in with the blogger that has wifi and a half empty highball. So long you pestilent pig; hello you long lost Athenian with hundreds of dollars of unpaid parking tickets. Hand over the checkbook you money grubbing freeloader; here’s the key to the executive bathroom Mr…ahem...President Bernie.

But lo, it was not to be. A number of semi-egregious and somewhat shameful transgressions led me to withdraw my candidacy, albeit quietly and with little to no CNN coverage. I will enumerate some of these sins below in an effort to purge myself of the foul taste and the errors of my ways. But before I did that I wanted to thank you for your support and beg y'all to give incoming President Jere Morehead your full support. He may not be able to blog, play cornhole, swill bourbon from the still, cook a grilled cheese sandwich, operate a blender, skim wifi, eat a grilled cheese sandwich, bark, tweet, pour a Guinness correctly, nap on an Orbit bus, or crush souls with his air guitar the way that I can. But he is our new president. And his name isn’t Michael Adams. 

Amen.

Today’s Ingredients

- Speaking of that guy, Blutarsky will miss Adams' penchant for administrative douchebaggery. Although I think he typed that with his tongue in his cheek.
- BigRedBaller catches up with one of Georgia's newest commits - Jeb Blazevich.
- Evidently Tyler spent the last four days with Mel Kiper and a Costco-sized can of hairspray. He runs down the first three rounds, the last four and the undrafted free agents.
- Lady Sportswriter looks at Baccari Rambo's past and future after being selected late by the Redskins.
- More draft stuff from CCRider as he grades out the first round. Have to agree that the EJ Manuel pick by the Bills and the trade up by the Falcons to get Trufant are two very big mysterious decisions.
- Yesterday Mother Nature was kind enough to replace the Hogs' brooms with umbrellas.
- I was about to call bullshit on this piece by Spencer Hall as I was travelling through Grayson GA this weekend, but then I realized that yes...their Blockbuster Video is going out of business too.

Some of my most trivial and unilaterally embarrassing transgressions, ladies and gentlemen. Exposed to you like an English bulldog rolling around on his back next to the famed hedges, I bear to you my soul and only ask that you not hold these sins against my family. They are but innocent bystanders here, as they unpack the boxes that were marked for the presidential estate and let loose the dreams of living between Sanford Drive and East Campus Road. Just above where the trumpet sounds and Dawg hunkers down.

Some of these may seem overly cryptic. Most names were redacted because I enjoy using the word redacted out of context.

He's a little bit taller. But other than that...

*My second junior year at UGA I broke the rope on the Chapel Bell, injured my leg on a rusty nail and had to get a tetanus shot. *After all these years, and considering myself an Athenian, I still don’t particularly care for most of REM’s music. Plus, having met them, they’re assholes. Except Peter Buck. He casually acknowledged my presence.  *I once resorted to dangerous levels of taunting mixed with intense hatred and grotesquely high levels of alcohol in the blood stream, embarrassing myself and my school for telling a Vandy fan to bark like a Dawg. I mean, it’s Vanderbilt dude. Let it go. *This one time, at band camp… *South Carolina peaches are better than Georgia’s. (Dear God that hurt out loud.) *I never had sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, even back when that seemed to be the popular thing to do. *I have a filthy vocabulary and recently had to pay a fine for absolutely no %$#!@ reason.  *JASPER’S KNEE WAS DOWN GODDAMNIT!!! *During my first sophomore campaign I was caught taking sandwiches out of Bolton Dining Hall one Friday evening. I was on the five day plan, not the seven. This made for some intense hunger pains on Sunday nights while Homer chastised Flanders about not drinking Duff beer. Still, I knew it was wrong. *In yet another Chapel Bell incident Fred, Nama and I were scolded by undercover UGA cops pretending to make out for ringing it too late in the evening. WTF? *I hate gators too much. And yet not enough. Both at the same time. I’m flawed people. Turn your heads in shame. Please! *Recently, while on a boat, I molested a mic stand while singing Jesse’s Girl. (Mrs. Bernie is so lucky.) *I’ve worn orange inside of Clempson’s Death Valley. I was very young and it wasn’t my fault. But it was real and it happened. (Shit. Someone please stop me!) *While touring Italy, I photographed David in all his glory even as the guards screamed at me “NO FOTO! NO FOTO!” In my defense, duh! I don't speak Italian. Can't they recognize a tourist taking pictures in a museum? *Later I also posed as David in all my own glory. But I was not accustomed to drinking fermented grapes. Still, this is my burden to carry for my lifetime of agony. *Never once did I invest money with Coach Donnan. That’s "guarandamnteed". *Lastly, and most painfully, while enrolled at UGA my GPA once rose to a level higher than my BAC. Oh God! The shame!

Come to think of it, that might be why I graduated so early after only eight years.

So there it is. A festering wound exposed with one rip of the band-aid. Take a good long look people. Cast your judgmental eyes upon it and pretend that you have no such wound of your own. As the philosopher once said "Hating people will engage themselves in hating behavior, repeatedly." While I'm proud of each one of these acts individually, collectively they have lead to this much deserved and costly consequence. Forever I will be known as the guy that failed to replace the lying, cheating bastard as UGA President, all because I rarely manage my drunk and don't care for "shiny happy people". With the office of president within my grasp, my past came back and ripped it from my clutch before I could cross the goalline. I'm so sorry y'all. I so totally Jordan Reed'd this whole campaign. I can hear Gary Danielson and Uncle Verne countlessly recalling my epic failure.

Quoth the raven, "You suck dude. Eternally."

Well, until the day Morehead gets caught pulling some semblance of a Damon Evans and my alma mater needs a leader to step in. Of course, that Kyle King guy probably will be out of weblogging rehab retirement by then. Anyway, here's your fork Reader. But no napkins today. I used them all to try and clean up this mess.

Bernie

Kwame goes west

Great weekend for Coach Richt and staff as they had eight former Dawgs drafted and at least two more to sign free agent contracts after the NFL Draft's conclusion.

One of those undrafted signings was Kwame Geathers who signed with San Diego. The Chargers need bulk in the middle of their 3-4 alignment and they'll get that with Geathers. At six and a half feet and 350+ pounds he eventually settled pretty well into Grantham's scheme.

The knock on Kwame (who if you'll remember bounced around a bit on Richt's roster) has been staying low. And that's going to continue to be a challenge for him as the the opposing blockers he goes up against will only get better. He's a gifted athlete with super human size and he has great hands. Understandably, many felt he should've stayed another year at Georgia to improve his game to more than just a first and second down tackle. Hopefully he continues to craft his skill and makes the Chargers' roster.

Some Thursday forecasting

Looking back at some recent headlines and ahead for what may come...

Ken O'Brien is an asterisk for being drafted
ahead of Marino. But he was 8-7 lifetime
against the Hall of Famer.

• I think Schlabach had it right when he said it doesn't really matter what they call the four team playoff in 2014. The real question is which city we'll be in when the SEC begins dominating this new format just like the old. Smart money says Arlington Texas on January 12th, 2015.
• floriDuh coaches pasting pics on the internets has been fantastic. I bet Les Miles is chomping at the fescue to get in on the act. Perhaps LSUFreek could give him some artistic pointers.
• So Coach Richt and all his predecessors' have combined for ZERO wins against North Texas and App State. Yet by August 31st we'll be a LOT more concerned about a Clempson Tiger program we've owned 41 times out of 62 meetings.
• What's something you won't get from the top online betting reviews? A contrite Gene Chizik. He's "not one to dwell on the past and look at all the 'what-ifs' and things of that nature" but I'm sure he's reflecting quite nicely in his pool of buyout cash.
• Lastly, tonight begins the NFL draft. I watched the 30 for 30 special "Elway to Marino" the other night. It encapsulates everything I find intriguing about the draft: big time players behind the scenes making decisions about big time players on the field. After the 2013 installment ends this weekend Georgia coaches will be able to point to several more players that made their dreams come true by way of Athens GA.

Go Dawgs!

Coach Richt has lost control over combine questions

Could be a banner year for Dawgs in the NFL draft. But first many will have to answer for off field transgressions.

“There are players in the draft last year, for instance, that had multiple things in their background, but if they would have slid to a certain spot, we would have taken them because we felt comfortable,” Indianapolis general manager Ryan Grigson told reporters. “At the end of the day, if players have made numerous mistakes but they’ve shown that they could nip it in the bud and then have considerable time moving forward to at least show they’re going in the right direction, we’ve been a place of second chances.”

In the article Weiszer summarizes the issues for each player, from Rambo and his brownies to Tavarres King's underage possession arrest before his sophomore season. Doesn't seem like anyone will be hurt much if at all by their mistakes. Unless you consider getting chosen later in the first round significant.

Former Redskins general manager Charley Casserly, now with the NFL Network, has said Ogletree would “easily” be in the top half of the first round if not for off-field problems.

The difference will be staying out of trouble before that second NFL contract is negotiated. That's where the really big money comes into play.

Monday's Meatloaf - Can I get a damn ruling? PLEASE!!

Sometimes things just don't measure up. Regardless of any inherent complexity or simplicity of use or time-honored functionality, you eventually arrive at the conclusion that something is still amiss.

I went to sleep Friday night with my golf world in working order. I woke up Saturday morning and it was upside down. Granted, I don't understand the rule book, but as a casual golfer I just need to know that hitting the ball into the lake three times affords me a free hole to just butcher at will. "I DON'T NEED A DROP AREA! I KNOW I CAN HIT IT ACROSS THIS THING. GIVE ME ANOTHER BALL."

You can't double eagle with a 4-wood without
ignoring the rule book Gene.

More importantly, this knowledge affords me peace of mind that once a year when I tune into The Masters. I can rest assured that everything is taken care of and all of the rulings are crystal clear to those in charge. All that is left is to sit back and enjoy a figurative level playing field for all of the golfers on the literal unlevel playing field.

But Tiger's beautifully struck yet unlucky shot on 15 Friday changed everything. More directly, the officials' inability to handle the situation changed everything. And even more directly, when even my own dad was puzzled by what happened my golf world turned completely upside down. My dad was born on a golf course and is my walking rule book for whenever I hit a ball into the lake for the third time.

If he can't sort out the details and explain them to me in weekend hackers' terminology, well...it's all been a sham. We've been bamboozled! The whole mess is a complete farce.

On one hand I'm revoking every penalty stroke I've ever taken. On the other, I know I'm not a scratch golfer. As any body of water that I have ever tried to hit a dimpled ball over can surely attest.

Today's Ingredients
- I mean, check out the exchange in this piece between Luke Glover, an official and Bernhard Langer. 
- “Bernhard asked, ‘What if this whole area was covered with leaves, does that mean it would be unplayable?’” Glover recalled, “and at that point (the official) said it was OK to go ahead and play it.” Wow.
- There's something very Divinci Codesque about today's Curious Index. At least in terms of how Run Home Jack brings the news of Dave Didion's new job.
- As we talked about earlier, today marks an important period for Georgia recruiting. Kimberly updates us on a top tight end.
- Is there anything more underhanded and pollen-filled than spring shenanigans? Blutarsky found some Clempson players undercover at the GDay game. Unknowingly, I returned the favor this past weekend.
- Good news on the diamond, Tyler says the Dawgs are not eliminated from the SEC Tournament. The bad news is that we may not be able to say that much longer.
- Women's tennis....SEC champs! And the men, having sewn up the regular season title last week, head to Oxford for the tourney as the #1 seed.
- Greg discovered some NFL draft prospects acting like they're an 1980's rock band or something.
- Lastly, things are really getting weird at Florida coaching meetings. you have to give Joker the edge here, but this is quality Instagrammmming by Pease.

With something as archaic as The Renowned and Royal Rules of Golf being reduced to just a collection of odd suggestions - When addressing your ball, wink twice with your right eye if you intend to play a fade and three times with your left if you intend to Bubba that ball to death! - I decided to dig a little deeper into the Official and Outlandish Blogging Handbook: a guide to make your internetting smartter. What I discovered was both exotic and expertly simple. Turns out, I've broken every commandment with which this weblogging world was founded upon.

1. Don't ever write about Auburn doing ANYthing wrong. Because when they're wrong, they're also right. It's senseless to point out ANYthing even remotely contradictory to this point.

   

   Aniston is always looking to drive up Google
   page ranks. God bless her body of work.

2. ANYtime you type the word "solidarity" it must be underlined. ANY. Time.
3. Adding pictures of scantily clad women is strongly encouraged. This improves Google ratings for your site. Especially if the picture has little to nothing to do with the blog's topic.
4. Al Gore invented the internet, but Houston Nutt recruited him to do it. So he deserves at least an asterisk reference somewhere in each post. Preferably after a semi-nude picture of Lennay Kekua.
5. Excesssssive typppping doesn't cause carpal tunnnnnel. Chewing gummm while typpppping causes carpppal tunnnnel.
6. Whenever you click the spell check button before posting a computer generated electronic mail message is sent to your third grade teacher. She'd like a word with you before recess.
7. Stealing content from other websites is neither encouraged or discouraged. While the internet was founded by incredibly smart and driven people, it is maintained and managed by lazy folks with cheese dust on their t-shirts. Majority rules. Solidarity.
8. Shoes are optional at all times. But pants are strictly forbidden at ANY time.
9. The word ANY must always be in all caps, and preferably followed at the end of the sentence with multiple (more than three but less than twenty two) exclamation points!!!! !
10. When your blog achieves its own Wiki page, stop and start over again. You've clearly done something wrong. Or maybe too incredibly awesome.

There are 4,294 more rules, but I'm sure you're hungry and tired of reading. Plus, #799 clearly states that you must keep posts as brief as possible. And this is already a long par 4. Here's your napkin. Shirt stains are a two stroke penalty. Maybe.

Bernie

How Many Bulldogs Will Go In The First Two Rounds?

The 2013 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and once again quite a few Georgia Bulldogs are expected to go fairly early in the draft. While it appears as though no one will be in contention for the #1 pick, there are a few who will be off the board fairly early. Here is a look at the top prospects from Georgia, with a projected range.

Jarvis Jones

If it wasn’t for a so-so pro day, Jones would be among the first few players drafted this season. As it stands, the outside linebacker will more than likely go around the middle of the first round. Those in fantasy football leagues will be very interested in a guy who led the nation in sacks for the Bulldogs, combining an impressive motor with superior skill. He is the type of player who can step in and provide help, especially on the pass rush, right away for a number of teams.

Projected Pick Range: #11-#15

Alec Ogletree

Fans of Georgia already know what Ogletree brings to the table, and scouts have figured it out as well. He is great at attacking the line of scrimmage and getting into the backfield against talented opponents. Since he will go later in the first round, chances are a team that will be in the playoff hunt in 2013 will pick him up. That means he might not start right away, but he will get playing time.

Projected Pick Range: #20-#25

Cornelius Washington

It is not every day that you see a SEC school have three linebackers projected to go very high in a single draft, but Washington has the tools to be a special player in the pros. He is a physical specimen at 6’4”, 265 pounds, and if the right team brings him in, he could really emerge as a steal. He does not have the skill yet, which is why he will drop to the second round, but he has enough raw talent to go in the second.

Projected Pick Range: #45-#50

John Jenkins

Not many 359-pound people in the world have as much athletic ability as John Jenkins. The defensive tackle with a bit of a mean streak should sneak into the end of the second round just because of his raw numbers. There are questions about his motor, but that might have more to do with his conditioning than he will to win.

Projected Pick Range: #55-#60