Category: Predictions

Projected 2020 Georgia football depth chart: Offensive line

Taking a look at Georgia football’s offensive line depth chart for 2020 after losing four starters from dominant group in 2019.

In 2019, Georgia had one of the best offensive lines in the country.

The unit ranked fifth in the country in run-blocking and fourth in pass-blocking according to PFF (Pro Football Focus).

Looking ahead to 2020, the Bulldogs will have almost an entirely new starting unit. Cade Mays transferred to Tennessee, Matt Luke replaced Sam Pittman as line-coach and the Dawgs lost All-American Andrew Thomas, Isaiah Wilson and Solomon Kindley to the NFL draft.

So, what will the protection look like in front of new quarterback Jamie Newman next season?

Right Tackle

  1. Jamaree Salyer (Jr.)
  2. Warren McClendon (RFr.)

Salyer is the most experienced option at right tackle for the Dawgs and although his size may be best fitted at guard, Slayer is athletic enough and played well against Baylor in the Sugar Bowl.

Right Guard 

  1. Ben Cleveland (RSr.)
  2. Warren Ericson (RSoph.)

Cleveland has the most experience of any Bulldog lineman and at 6-foot-7 340 pounds may be the strongest player on the entire roster. He missed the Sugar Bowl with academic issues and has had his fair share of problems with injuries, however, his power on the inside is one of the reasons UGA running backs averaged almost 3 yards before contact last season.

Center

  1. Trey Hill (Jr.)
  2. Clay Webb (RFr.)

At center, the key is experience. Hill’s first season at center in 2019 was definitely a learning experience. He struggled with snaps at times but towards the end of the season he showed improvement. Hill’s upside is his pad-level and power inside and as a defensive lineman you don’t want to get caught in a Trey Hill-Ben Cleveland double-team block that is for sure.

Left Guard 

  1. Justin Shaffer (Sr.)
  2. Clay Webb (RFr.)

Left guard is an educated guess. Shaffer played well in two games last year before his season was ended with a neck injury. He is expected to be healthy come fall, but we could possibly see a mix up in the middle positions among Shaffer, Hill, and talented redshirt freshman Clay Webb. Hill could possibly move over to left guard and Webb take over at center but we will know more whenever the Dawgs are cleared to practice.

Left Tackle

  1. Xavier Truss (RFr.)
  2. Warren McClendon (RFr.)
  3. Broderick Jones (Fr.)

The Bulldogs are losing one of the greatest lineman in Georgia history in Andrew Thomas, so the transition is going to be interesting. At 6-foot-7 330 pounds, Truss looks to be the best fit at the position. He saw minimal action in 2019 but he seems to move well and definitely will be hard to move off the spot.

Coaches still have many decisions to make on who will get the starting spots in Atlanta vs. Virginia, but keep an eye out for position battles when practice resumes and the Bulldogs start to find their identity for the 2020 season.

Are Jamie Newman and George Pickens the next Matt Stafford and AJ Green for UGA?

Comparing Georgia football’s Jamie Newman and George Pickens to former UGA stars Matthew Stafford and A.J. Green.

Among all the doubt and speculations surrounding the 2020 college football season, there are still some exciting things Georgia football fans have to look forward to.

One of those things is the Jamie Newman to George Pickens connection.

Last season, Pickens put college football on notice as a true freshman…

In 2019, Pickens caught 49 passes for 727 yards and eight touchdowns, which included a dominating performance in the Sugar Bowl against Baylor where he caught 12 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown.

PFF (Pro Football Focus) rated Pickens as the best true-freshman receiver in the country. Keep in mind that was in a run-dominated offense which included quarterback Jake Fromm’s pedestrian deep ball.

Enter Jamie Newman..

According to PFF, Newman, a transfer from Wake Forrest, graded as the third best quarterback in the country last season. Newman was second behind Heisman winner Joe Burrow in throws into tight windows and throws beyond 20 yards.

The combination of Newman’s accurate deep-ball with Pickens’ hands and catch-radius is going to be a scary situation for opposing defenses in 2020.

The duo reminds me of a couple of Bulldog greats, Matthew Stafford and A.J. Green.

Back in 2008, the Stafford to Green combo was one of the best in the country.

As a freshman, Green caught 56 passes for 963 yards and eight touchdowns on his way to SEC-Freshman of the Year honors and Stafford went on to be the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Yes, the bar is set a bit high and maybe Newman to Pickens won’t be as dominant as Stafford to Green.

However, with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s passing game don’t be surprised if the duo has a record year for the Bulldogs offense.

Georgia basketball star Anthony Edwards goes No. 1 in latest NBA mock draft

Georgia forward Anthony Edwards goes No. 1 in NBC’s latest NBA mock draft

Georgia’s Anthony Edwards was selected at No. 1 in NBC Sports‘ latest NBA mock draft.

On June 25, Edwards could be UGA’s first ever No. 1 selection in the NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-4 guard was a one-and-done at Georgia, displaying an incredible scoring ability and freakish athleticism.

The SEC Freshman of the Year scored a team-leading 19.1 points per game while adding 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

On Edwards, NBC Sports wrote:

Edwards is the best scorer in this 2020 NBA Mock Draft. At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan and explosive athleticism, he’s proven himself to be a dangerous three-level bucket-getter that can get hot and do things like score 33 points in a half. Ask Michigan State. He also has the physical profile of a guard that can defend two or three different positions in the NBA. It’s all there.

Although Edwards is perhaps the most proficient scorer in this year’s draft class, there are still some questions regarding his jump-shot.

At UGA, Edwards shot 29% from the 3-pt line, however, the numbers may not reflect that the guard was forced to be a one-man show for the Bulldogs.

Whether Edwards goes first or not, Bulldog fans hope he lands with a certain team from Atlanta…..

The Hawks do currently hold one of 14 projected lottery picks, so there is a possibility Edwards may be back in the red and black this fall.

College football without fans? Thanks, but no thanks

Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick went on Finebaum Show to discuss possibility of 2020 CFB season being played with no fans due to coronavirus

On Tuesday, Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick spoke on The Paul Finebaum Show about the effects of COVID-19 on the 2020 college football season. 

Swarbrick said:

“I don’t think you can conduct a season that way, I think spectators are too central to the experience.”

Now, although Swarbrick may have concerns more on the financial side of things, he is still right.

As we college football fans well know, there is nothing quite like a Saturday home game.

The atmosphere is the most electric you will feel across the sports world. 

Think of some of the most exciting games in sports that you look forward to each year. To name a few, the CFP, the World Series, the NBA Finals, the Masters, etc…

Compare how it feels watching those events on TV to being in the Classic City for a top-10 matchup on a fall Saturday. 

Picture that moment as Dawg Nation points to the upper-deck southwest corner of Stanford Stadium. 

Goosebumps, right?

Can you imagine a year of college football without those incredible feelings of excitement and loyalty?

Like when the lone trumpeter plays the Battle Hymn of the Republic as 93 thousand people stand silent in respect, while the late Larry Munson narrates the history of UGA football. 

Or when the third quarter buzzer sounds and Sanford is lit up with lights during the Red Coat’s performance of Krypton.

The single greatest sports experience of my life was last fall, when I watched a sell-out crowd raise their hands in unison for the fourth quarter of Georgia vs. Notre Dame.

Would a season with no fans level the playing field? Sure it would. But that’s not the point. The fact is, years and years of tradition and success have earned these bigger programs like Georgia the right to play in front of their hostile fans that make life tough on the opposition.

I’ve been to some crazy road games. The most electric atmosphere I’ve ever witnessed in person was actually in Williams-Brice Stadium when Georgia got blown out by South Carolina in Columbia. The fans 100% won the Gamecocks that game, and though I left feeling angry and fearful that Georgia’s season was over, I would not have traded that experience for anything.

That is what college football is about, unity. Thousands of people coming together, regardless of background, to support their team to victory.

Something that we will miss if football is played without fans in attendance…

I would rather have the season postponed, than have to watch a game without those traditions that I have grown to love. 

Could you accept a football season without fans? 

Drafting 5 Georgia football players for a pick-up basketball game

The UGA Wire staff has released a list of the Georgia football players we would take for a starting 5 in a pick-up basketball game.

The UGA Wire staff got creative amongst this brutal sports drought and put together a starting five of Georgia football players that we would take part in a game of pick-up basketball.

We also asked a number of football players via Twitter who they’d take as their starting five as well, and will be releasing those to see how the lineups match up.

The Dawgs have some serious hoopers on the football team and this couldn’t be a better time to showcase their skills.

Here are our picks:

Pick No. 1: Point Guard, Jamie Newman (6-4, quarterback)

We chose Newman with the first overall pick as our point guard. Newman’s strong arm and accuracy on the field will translate to his shooting and passing ability on the court. Newman’s size and ability to see the court and facilitate is why we chose him first at point guard.

Pick No. 2: Shooting Guard, Richard LeCounte (5-11, safety)

We went with LeCounte at the shooting guard position because he has athleticism, vision and grit on defense. Playing defensive back helps LeCounte to see the whole court and facilitate the offense while also helping him play scrappy defense. He’s a slasher, meaning he uses his athleticism to get to the rim and finish with contact.

Here’s a bit of preview of what LeCounte would be doing on our squad.

Pick No. 3: Small Forward, George Pickens (6-3, wide receiver)

Pickens’ freak athletic ability gets him the third pick as a small forward.  If you’ve ever spent any time at the Ramsey Student Center, you’ve most likely seen George Pickens putting in work on the basketball courts. Pickens’ speed, agility and catch ability would make him a scoring and rebounding machine for our squad.

(Skip to 0:43 for Pickens’ dunk)

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Georgia OT Andrew Thomas goes to NFC South in latest NFL mock draft

Georgia football OT Andrew Thomas projected to NFC South team in latest 2020 NFL mock draft from Bleacher Report.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the NFL has not changed its original date of April 23-25 for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Instead, multiple reports have the league considering moving the draft to a remote format. Regardless, there are several former Georgia Bulldogs anticipating their name being called. 

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report recently listed his thoughts on each team’s needs. He noted that Tampa will be looking to add a left tackle with pick 14 to protect Tom Brady next year and that Andrew Thomas may be picked for the job. 

Miller wrote:

“With Tom Brady locked up, look at offensive tackle in Round one as the biggest need and also best value. If Andrew Thomas (Georgia) or Austin Jackson (USC) is there, the Buccaneers could get a plug-and-play left tackle to protect the GOAT.”

During his tenure at Georgia, Thomas was one of the most decorated offensive linemen in the country and one of the best blockers Georgia’s ever seen.

He was a unanimous first team All-America selection for the Dawgs last season and won the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy. He was also voted two time All-SEC 1st Team by Coaches and Associated Press and was selected as a Freshman All-American in 2017.

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Can Georgia football go undefeated in 2020?

Does Georgia football have what it takes to go undefeated in the 2020 CFB season?

Yes, it’s a broad question, but now that we all have plenty of time, we can figure out what the Bulldogs would need to do in order to finish next season without a blemish.  

Kirby Smart is entering his fifth season leading UGA. Although the last few seasons have left Georgia fans with broken hearts, there is no denying the reputation that he and the Bulldogs are building in Athens. 

Bleacher Report’s Brad Shepard wrote:

“When you consider just how much talent the Bulldogs have on defense and project to have on offense, it’s not a stretch to think Georgia is a favorite to at least be in the College Football Playoff.”

Georgia has dominated recruiting in the last few years, signing the No. 1 class two out of the last three years, so talent and play-making ability will not be an issue. 

Players like Kelee Ringo, Broderick Jones, Jalen Carter, Mekhail Sherman and Darnell Washington joined the already loaded team. 

Georgia solidified its roster when Smart went fishing in the transfer portal and landed Jamie Newman, a transfer quarterback from Wake Forest. 

Newman has an incredible deep ball and will be aided with a talented run-game and on the outside, one of the highest graded receivers in the country, George Pickens. 

The true hurdle that the Bulldogs will have to navigate is their schedule. 

Georgia will kick off the season in Atlanta against a Virginia team that won the ACC Coastal last season. 

The Dawgs will also have to deal with South Carolina, Kentucky and Missouri on a four-week road trip that starts with Alabama on Sept. 19 in Tuscaloosa. 

Bama on the road in week three will be a major test for the Bulldogs, especially after Nick Saban is stuck in his house right now probably watching 16 hours of film a day. 

After the road trip the Bulldogs come home to Athens for five of the last six games excluding the game against SEC East runner-up Florida in Jacksonville. 

If Georgia can last through the regular season, its quest for perfection would only just be beginning, as it is not the only team that returns a stable of talent.

Clemson, LSU, Alabama and Ohio State always recruit well and return some very good starters in 2020.

However…

If the Dawgs can stay healthy and navigate the tough schedule, Georgia could wind up undefeated or at the very least find itself playing in the CFP in 2020. 

Dan Orlovsky says Jake Fromm is ‘best connect-the-dot QB in this draft’

Former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky says Jake Fromm is ‘best connect-the-dot QB in this draft’, breaks down film and predicts where he will land.

Jake Fromm, without question, left his mark on Georgia football in his three years playing between the hedges for the Bulldogs.

Fromm decided to forgo his senior season in Athens and enter the 2020 NFL Draft.  The question now is how will his skillset transition the pros.

Former NFL quarterback, and current ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky had some great things to say about Fromm on Friday.

In a tweet, Orlovsky broke down Fromm’s connect-the-dot ability with some film. Connecting the dots is basically when a quarterback reads his options and how the opposing defense is playing each of his receivers, one option, or one dot at a time.

Orlovsky complemented Fromm and said that “plenty of quarterbacks have ‘their trait/traits’ that make them the player they are.” and his is his decision making.

Fromm has never been a flashy quarterback that goes for home-run balls or the biggest play.  He’s smart, manages games, and gets the job done by picking apart defenses.

Orlovsky mentioned that the Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans saints and New England Patriots could all be great fits for Fromm to land, come draft day.  He is a quarterback that would work very well in one of those systems, as these teams are in the market for a new franchise QB.

Future Hall of Fame QBs Drew Brees (Saints) and Philip Rivers (Colts) would be perfect mentors to Fromm for the next two seasons.  Tom Brady left the Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Fromm would be in good hands in New England with head coach Bill Belichick.  He would also be reunited with former teammates Sony Michel, David Andrews and Isaiah Wynn, who all play for the Patriots.

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College Football News releases 2020 bowl projection for Georgia Bulldogs

College Football News released bowl projections for Georgia in the 2020 season.

Kirby Smart has transformed the Georgia program into one that’s consistently in the College Football Playoff conversation each preseason.

Smart guided the Dawgs to the playoff during the 2017 season and came so close to doing it again in both 2018 and 2019.

Could 2020 be the year that Smart gets the Dawgs back into the playoff? Pete Fiutak of College Football News thinks it’s a good possibility.

In his SEC bowl projections, Fiutak has Georgia sliding in and facing off against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

Yep, you read that correctly.

Georgia vs Ohio State, or as the media would read it come December: Georgia vs Justin Fields.

Could you imagine? Bulldogs vs Buckeyes in the Grandaddy of Them All, where replays of Sony Michel’s walk-off touchdown are still playing clearly in the brain of DawgNation.

Fiutak also recently projected Georgia’s win total for 2020, predicting 10 regular season wins for the Bulldogs next season.

With that in mind, it sounds like Fiutak has the Dawgs sneaking into and winning the SEC Championship Game with two regular season losses. In this scenario, that win in Atlanta would impress the committee enough to let a two-loss Georgia team, that played a very difficult regular season schedule, into the playoff.

I asked Fiutak for some more information on what led to this projection:

“Without spring ball to go on, just projecting talent – and Georgia has it. Here’s the deal. If the Dawgs split the Bama and Florida games, can they avoid a South Carolina loss like last year? They have to beat Auburn, too, but that’s at home. It’s still April – going with the call now that they win two of those three, and FINALLY pull off the SEC Championship. These things always change and adapt as we go … let’s see how these teams actually look, first.”

Fiutak also has Alabama and Clemson squaring off in the Sugar Bowl. Sadly, he predicts Ohio State and Alabama both advance past the semifinals and meet each other in Miami for the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Todd McShay releases two-round NFL mock draft: Three Bulldogs players taken

ESPN’s Todd McShay released his most recent two round NFL mock draft with three Georgia football players taken.

We have finally made it to NFL Draft month, and with no sports taking place the excitement over the 2020 draft is at an all-time high.

NFL Free Agency came and went but provided us with entertainment for a few short days while many were hunkered down at home avoiding coronavirus.

With teams filling needs, free agency provided everyone – from teams, players, fans and draft analyst – a better look at how the NFL Draft will play out at the end of the month.

ESPN Draft Analyst Todd McShay released his latest two-round NFL mock draft last week and had three former Georgia football players being selected in those first two rounds.

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