Category: Predictions

Will Patriots target Georgia football QB Jake Fromm in NFL Draft?

With Tom Brady leaving the New England Patriots, could Bill Belichick target Georgia football QB Jake Fromm in the 2020 NFL Draft?

After a 20 year career with the New England Patriots, legendary quarterback Tom Brady announced that he would be leaving the team that he won six Super Bowl rings with.

I don’t need to tell you this, but that leaves an obvious hole at quarterback in New England.

With that being said, could the Patriots look to former Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm in the NFL Draft?

They have the No. 23 pick in the 2020 draft, one that they likely will not be using on Fromm, who is viewed as a third round prospect in April’s draft.

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But the Pats also hold the 87th overall pick, and that’s where things could get interesting if Bill Belichick wants Fromm on his team.

Whether or not he’ll be available that late into the draft is hard to tell. I’ve seen him go anywhere from the second to fifth round. But if New England wants Fromm badly enough, it will do what it takes to get the Warner Robins native.

But that also raised the question –  does Belichick even want Fromm? Based off what we have seen in the past, I’ll go ahead and guess that he’d be thrilled to have a guy like Fromm in his quarterback room.

For starters, Belichick loves Georgia players, a fact that he’s alluded to multiple times. He likes the way that Kirby Smart runs his program and prepares players for the league both mentally and physically.

In the past fews years alone, we’ve seen New England select former Georgia players Malcolm Mitchell, David Andrews, Sony Michel and Isaiah Wynn.

If you add Fromm to that offense, one that no longer includes Mitchell, that would be a Georgia fan’s dream.

But there is one glaring issue — Simply put, Fromm was not very good last season. However, as inconsistent as his arm was in 2019, his mindset and preparation never wavered. Also, the play calling was horrendous…and I’m sure Belichick knows that.

Fromm really is the perfect fit for a Belichick offense, though. A drama-free, hard working leader who puts the team above anything else.

Quarterbacks are not widely available in this year’s free agency, so I’d expect New England to take a quarterback in this draft. It’s just a matter of whether or not to take an immediate starter early in the draft, or wait it out a little and get a guy who can be groomed for the future – like a Fromm.

Former Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who the Pats used a fourth-round pick on in 2019, is currently sitting atop the depth chart now that Brady is gone. I have not seen Stidham throw an NFL pass yet, but I can tell you right now, he’s not the long-term answer in New England.

Concerns over Coronavirus result in UGA swimming, NCAA championship games to be held without fans

The NCAA released a statement Wednesday that it will hold all championship events without fans in attendance, due to the fear of spreading coronavirus. All championship games will be held with only limited staff and immediate family members, NCAA …

The NCAA released a statement Wednesday that it will hold all championship events without fans in attendance, due to the fear of spreading coronavirus.

All championship games will be held with only limited staff and immediate family members, NCAA president Mark Emmert announced in the statement.  This means both the SEC swimming and diving championships held at Georgia and the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will be held with no fans.

The decision was in hindsight a no-brainer. The Golden State Warriors, along with a number of professional sports teams world wide announced that they would not have fans for the remainder of their seasons.  The risk for all those in attendance would be too great to allow admittance to tens of thousands of fans.

“The NCAA continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 in consultation with public health officials and our COVID-19 advisory panel,” Emmert said in the statement. “Based on their advice and my discussions with the NCAA Board of Governors, I have made the decision to conduct our upcoming championship events, including the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with only essential staff and limited family attendance.

“While I understand how disappointing this is for all fans of our sports, my decision is based on the current understanding of how COVID-19 is progressing in the United States. This decision is in the best interest of public health, including that of coaches, administrators, fans and, most importantly, our student-athletes.”

This all has been sparked by the World Health Organization terming the virus a pandemic.

Emmert also told The Associated Press that there could very well be changes in game locations, especially for the Final Four, set to take place in a lonesome Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

$867.5 million in television and marketing revenue was brought in from last year’s men’s basketball tournament, according to the NCAA’s most recent financial statement.

Roughly 1,350 fans bought tickets to the swimming and diving championships in Georgia’s Ramsey Center.

All locker room media access will also be prohibited for all NCAA championships.

“The health and well-being of student-athletes and teams is an ongoing priority for the SEC,” the league said.

The Bulldogs take on Ole Miss Wednesday as the last game with fans in attendance for the SEC Tournament.

“Tonight’s SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament games will continue as regularly scheduled. We are evaluating plans for the remainder of the tournament.” said the SEC on Twitter.

“Not too many people touching me, putting their arms around me, nothing like that,” said Georgia superstar, and recently named SEC freshman of the year Anthony Edwards. “We’ll take pictures, but keep your distance…I’m not trying to get sick or anything like that. No disrespect to anybody.”

The current available number of confirmed cases in the United States is at 1,000, with the death toll at 31.

This is truly something we have never seen in our lifetimes, and the effects are now being seen in the sports world.

Prayers to all who have been affected by the virus so far and to keeping not just the country but the world safe.

College Football News projects Georgia’s win total for 2020 season

College Football News made win total projections for all CFB teams, including Georgia football and the SEC. With a tough 2020 schedule….

Pete Fiutak at College Football News recently released his projected win totals for all 130 FBS programs. 

For Georgia, fans are looking at this season, just like every year, as national title or bust.

But recently the pressure’s been on more than usual, with the Dawgs coming so close to making a return visit to the College Football Playoff in each of the last two seasons.

This season should be no different. The schedule is tough, but Kirby Smart has recruited well enough to position the Bulldogs for another SEC Championship and Playoff run.

In his win total projections, Fiutak has Georgia projected to win 10 games, meaning the Bulldogs would finish the regular season at 10-2.

Read full story on CFN: College Football Future Win Total Projections For All 130 Teams: Spring Version

If Georgia does go 10-2 in the regular season, that would be its worst record since Smart’s first year in Athens when he went 7-5.

Fiutak highlights Florida, Auburn and Alabama as Georgia’s key games in 2020. That’s a tough slate, and it looks like he projects Georgia to come out of that 1-2.

If Georgia finishes with 10 wins, but beats Florida, it’ll likely make the SEC Championship — which would then become a must-win game for UGA if it wants to make the Playoff.

Last preseason, Fiutak projected Georgia’s win total at 10.5, and the Bulldogs proceeded to win 11 games.

Related: 2020 Georgia football schedule: Game-by-game predictions

As for Florida, Fiutak also predicts the Gators to win 10 games. That would make that Halloween Cocktail Party a massive meeting between the two rivals.

Notable SEC projections from Fiutak:

Alabama’s win total projection is at 11, LSU 10 and Auburn 8.

Outside of the SEC, he has Clemson and Ohio State at 11, Oklahoma 10.5 and Oregon at 10.

Georgia men’s basketball announces new season attendance record

For the second consecutive year, Georgia’s men’s basketball has surpassed Stegeman Coliseum’s annual attendance record.

For the second consecutive year, Georgia’s men’s basketball has surpassed Stegeman Coliseum’s annual attendance record.

Attendance spiked following Tom Crean’s 2018 appointment as the Bulldogs’ head coach. When Crean managed to secure the commitment of 2019’s top high school prospect Anthony Edwards, excitement built further for Georgia basketball fans.

So, an average season with an above-average NBA prospect ended on a sour note against rival Florida. Georgia fans have every right to feel dejected.

Win or lose, however, Georgia faithful kept buying tickets to hoot and holler for the Dawgs. The Steg was packed and, oh my, was it loud.

A sure sign of an impassioned fanbase, the majority of the home crowd stayed until each game’s final whistle all year.

Mind you, that’s not just because of the fans’ recognition of the inevitably horrific post-game traffic splitting from Carlton Street toward either Lumpkin Street or East Campus Road.

The 2019-2020 Bulldogs’ hopes aren’t dead. There’s still an entire conference tourney left to be played.

Crean’s squad, which entered the campaign with high hopes, needs to win next week’s SEC Tournament to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Unless conference tournament results prove otherwise, the Dawgs are considered a bubble team for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

In that case, a conference quarterfinal or semifinal would ostensibly improve Crean and company’s chances, but after such an up-and-down season, nothing can be guaranteed (always the case in the sports) or even predicted (always the case in Georgia sports).

Should the Bulldogs receive an NIT invite, they have the opportunity of hosting another game in Athens, potentially adding to the season’s attendance record.

Opinion: No, Georgia basketball did not waste its only season with Anthony Edwards

After Anthony Edwards committed to UGA in February of 2019, many Georgia fans quickly deemed him the Dawgs’ deliverer from mediocrity.

Anthony Edwards arrived in Athens, Georgia to much fanfare.

Depending on which recruiting service you asked, Edwards was either the first- or second-ranked high school basketball prospect of the 2019 recruiting cycle.

After the senior out of Atlanta’s Holy Spirit Prep announced his commitment to Tom Crean’s Bulldogs in February of 2019, many Georgia fans quickly deemed him the Dawgs’ deliverer from mediocrity.

Reminder: this was over three months before Edwards had even graduated high school and over eight months before he would play in his first collegiate competition.

What is almost certainly the Dawgs’ only regular season featuring Anthony Edwards ends with an even 15-15 record. Unless the 2020 Bulldogs can replicate the results of 2008’s unlikely winners in next week’s SEC tournament, Georgia may not qualify for any further postseason play.

Crean’s squad, which entered the campaign with high hopes, needs to win the conference tourney to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Unless tournament results prove otherwise, the Dawgs are considered a bubble team for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

A quarterfinal or semifinal appearance in the conference tourney would likely earn them a spot, anything less would likely leave them out. But Georgia basketball fans probably don’t want to think of any more what-ifs.

Though plagued with blown leads and those pesky what-ifs, the Bulldogs’ 2019-2020 campaign was highlighted by several miraculous finishes, wins over Georgia Tech and Auburn, and a slew of NBA-worthy clips from Edwards.

All of that sounds bad. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not great. But here’s the thing: Edwards is still projected as the top NBA draft pick by more than one draft analyst.

This isn’t a moral victory thing. Anyone who watched Georgia’s men’s basketball team all season saw the team fold and surrender late leads on multiple occasions.

To me, a recovering pessimist constantly checking my peripheral vision for any sort of bright side, such results don’t blind me from what I’ve learned to see truth of the matter:

If a star player like Anthony Edwards can come into Georgia’s historically average basketball program and maintain his projected draft position while packing Stegeman Coliseum to the brim, it shows young local talent that they can do the same and receive that fanfare and adoration similar to Edwards’.

That is, before they go get a fat paycheck in the NBA.

Though not assuredly, this could prove vital for a program currently struggling to tread water alongside a strong and balanced Southeastern Conference no longer run just by traditionally powerful Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee (each of which can usually predict its two annual division games against Georgia as wins).

The Atlanta area is one of the highest-concentrated NBA breeding grounds in the United States. Georgia often lands local four-star recruits but very seldom secures commitments from upper echelon five-stars. The last was current Los Angeles Laker Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in 2011.

Examples: 2018’s Ashton Hagans and E.J. Montgomery enrolled at Kentucky. Wendell Carter enrolled at Duke in 2017. Kobi Simmons enrolled at Arizona in 2016.

So, yeah, in the short term, this isn’t ideal. Especially knowing that .500 winning percentage could’ve been a .533 or a possibly a .567, or heck, maybe even .600!

But since I’m speaking in hypotheticals, Georgia could very well have lost some of their eventual dramatic victories, namely against SMU, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas.

Given what Edwards’ success could mean for the future of Georgia men’s basketball recruiting in the future, I choose to see this year’s 15-15 record as a glass half full.

Even in the short term, the Bulldogs’ hopes aren’t dead. There’s still an entire conference tournament to be played.

Dabo Swinney shares thoughts on opening against Georgia in 2021

Clemson football head coach Dabo Swinney gives his thoughts on opening against Georgia football in Charlotte for the 2021 season.

Both Georgia and Clemson dropped their opening games for the 2021 college football season in order to ramp up the competition and play each other.

The two programs have been at the top of the rankings for quite a while now and it’s about time they’re due for a matchup like this.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney shared his thought with the media following spring practice this Tuesday.

“This was a situation where you set these things out in advance and all of a sudden 2021 was an oddball year for us, and we really needed another game. So, it worked out, especially being able to go to Charlotte. That’s kind of been the formula we’ve had for a long time. … Dan (Radakovich) and I talked about it last summer. I hate the fact we lose a home game, because it’s important to our community, but we’ll get back on track on how we do things moving forward.” said Swinney.

“And it’s exciting … we may not have done it if it was just another random team, but the fact we get a chance to play Georgia is something I think both fan bases will be excited about. Obviously, it’ll be a tough game; it’s hard to win those games, but it’ll be an exciting way to start it off.”

2014 was the last time the schools met in Athens when former Georgia running back Todd Gurley went off for 195 yards and 3 touchdowns, helping the Dawgs win 45-21.  The Bulldogs hold 42-18-4 record all-time against Clemson.

The game is scheduled for September 4th at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

The two are also scheduled to kickoff the 2024 season in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.

Which UGA o-lineman has most to gain this spring?

With so many starting spots available, who will offensive line coach Matt Luke turn to during his inaugural season in Athens?

Following the departure of former offensive line coach Sam Pittman, the new head coach at the University of Arkansas, multiple Bulldogs he recruited to the University of Georgia followed suit.

Tackle Isaiah Wilson, a redshirt sophomore, declared early for the NFL Draft. Fellow tackle and projected first round pick Andrew Thomas did as well following his junior season. Relatively surprisingly, guard Solomon Kindley made the same decision despite qualifying for a redshirt senior season.

Cade Mays, the first Georgia Bulldog since Jonas Jennings to play all five OL positions in red and black, transferred to Tennessee to play with his younger brother in Knoxville for their father’s alma mater.

Center Trey Hill and guard/tackle Ben Cleveland are the only holdovers to start on the Bulldogs’ offensive line. Both players are entering their final season of eligibility.

With so many starting spots available, who will offensive line coach Matt Luke turn to during his inaugural season in Athens?

Xavier Truss:

Assuming Ben Cleveland gets early reps at right tackle (if not right guard), the left tackle spot will be wide open and thus attainable for the redshirt freshman Truss. At six-foot-seven and 330 pounds, he’s got the length and mass necessary to protect right-handed grad transfer QB Jamie Newman’s blindside. Combine that with the motor and footwork necessary to facilitate outside run plays and he may just be the Dawgs’ best fit at LT.

Warren Ericson:

Following injuries and the several aforementioned early NFL Draft declarations, Ericson started at right guard in January’s Sugar Bowl win over Baylor. In 2020, the redshirt sophomore may have to rotate behind seniors Cleveland and Justin Shaffer at either of the guard positions, but can put himself in a good position to secure solid substitute reps before Cleveland and Shaffer exhaust their eligibility. Matt Luke clearly sees something in Ericson.

Warren McClendon:

The younger of the OL’s two Warrens, McClendon shares with Ericson ample opportunity to break into the starting lineup. With both tackle spots ripe for the taking, McClendon can compete with Truss at left tackle, but seems more suited for right tackle as his size. The cousin of former Georgia running back Bryan McClendon saw limited action in 2019 but has the skills and build to impose his will upon SEC defenders in 2020.

Justin Shaffer:

Shaffer has patiently waited his turn to start on the Bulldogs’ offensive line, and an untimely injury extended that timeline. He made his first career start against Tennessee and started every play of the game. In his start against South Carolina, a neck injury sidelined Shaffer for the remainder of the regular season. After having fully recovered from his injury, he’s deserved his time to show out in the trenches for the Dawgs and is expected to be a mainstay on Georgia’s 2020 offensive line.

USA TODAY releases 2020 NFL mock draft

USA TODAY has released their official post-combine 2020 NFL mock draft which features two Georgia football players going in the first round.

With under two months until the 2020 NFL Draft and the combine coming to a finish, USA TODAY released its 2020 NFL mock draft this Tuesday.

The list made by the NFL and USA TODAY’s Nate Davis featured two Georgia Bulldogs going in the first round.

Of the 32 first rounders, Davis had offensive tackle Andrew Thomas going 18th to the Dolphins as well as running back D’Andre Swift, going 26th.  The Dolphins traded for the 18th pick from the Steelers and got the 26th from the Texans.  If this mock draft is accurate, there could potentially be some fresh Bulldog blood invading the state of Florida very soon.

Here are a few of the notable draft selections from USA TODAY:

1. Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

2. Washington Redskins – Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

4. New York Giants – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

5. Miami Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

18. Dolphins (from Pittsburgh Steelers) – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

If you buy into the assumption they’ll target Tagovailoa first, step two should be fortifying the protection for him – or whoever is taking the snaps here. Addressing the O-line would also bolster the league’s least effective run game in 2019.

24. New Orleans Saints – Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

26. Dolphins (from Houston Texans) – D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia

Fitzpatrick led Miami with 243 rushing yards in 2019. Probably enough said, but Swift – widely regarded as the draft’s top back – would be a steal here in any circumstance.

ESPN’s Todd McShay on Georgia’s Jake Fromm: ‘He’s a day 2 pick’

ESPN’s Todd McShay gives his evaluation of where he thinks former Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm will land in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Former Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm did not have the most impressive showing at the 2020 NFL scouting combine.

Fromm was the slowest of the 13 quarterbacks that participated in the 40-yard-dash, clocking in at 5.01 seconds.

ESPN’s Todd McShay did not hold back when discussing Fromm and where he projected him to land after his collegiate career and combine performance.

“With Fromm, he comes out as a freshman and gets that job because of the injury and never relinquishes and has 5-stars transferring (Jacob Eason to Washington, Justin Fields to Ohio State) because he just turns into the guy,” McShay said Tuesday during a teleconference after the combine. “The past couple years, he had no receivers. With 3 injuries up front, protection was inconsistent, but you go back and study the tape when he had (talent at Georgia) on offense and he made plays. Watch him at the combine, his balls are floating. He’s a brutal evaluation.”

“I would argue he’s as smart football intelligence wise as any quarterback in this class,” said McShay, continuing. “You talk to anyone at Georgia about his work ethic and the length he goes to have success and you can see how he was able to overcome the lack of elite physical tools, but some of his throws aren’t going to work in the NFL. Eason, who he beat out, has a much better arm. Tua is such a natural. The ball just pops out. Burrow doesn’t have elite arm strength, but he can make all the throws.”

McShay gave his honest evaluation of Fromm but let’s not forget this is a quarterback who has dealt with adversity and has performed well on college football’s biggest stages these past three years.

Fromm was one play away from winning a National Championship, won a Rose Bowl and a Sugar Bowl.  There aren’t that many quarterbacks in the college football era that have a resume quite like his.

What have we learned from Georgia football alumni at the NFL Combine?

In which we compile all of this week’s posts pertaining to former Bulldogs at this week’s NFL Scouting Combine

For those who can’t focus the ideal amount of attention to Georgia football news, I’ll compile some of this week’s posts pertaining to former Bulldogs at the NFL Scouting Combine:

Brian Herrien provides a recollection of Nick Chubb’s encouragement.

Both of Georgia’s invited tailbacks were faster than Florida’s only invited tailback.

D’Andre Swift proved speedier than his two most famous former teammates.

J.R. Reed can do it all.

Charlie Woerner is a man among boys.

In other news:

The basketball Bulldogs stuck out a nervous victory over Arkansas sealed by an Anthony Edwards dunk.

The baseball Bulldogs embarrassed Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Fewer than twenty hours prior, Scott Stricklin’s Bulldogs edged out the Yellow Jackets by a score of six to five.