Georgia football safety JR Reed ranks low in USA TODAY draft position rankings

Such rankings are subject to change following pre-draft workouts including the NFL Combine and each school’s respective Pro Days.

The NFL Scouting Combine is less than two weeks away. Ten of the 337 players invited to Indianapolis played their college ball for the University of Georgia, placing the Bulldogs among the best-represented programs in the event.

Though each participant is assuredly honored to be invited, one standout previously projected as the Bulldog’s top defensive prospect is listed lower than previously predicted, ranked as the fourteenth best safety prospect according to USA TODAY’s DraftWire.

J.R., the son of twelve-year NFL veteran Jake Reed, arrived in Athens by way of Tulsa University. The same young man who started every game in his first season on an SEC roster (and every game until his graduation) was regarded as a two-star recruit coming out of high school.

It is important to note that these are preliminary rankings based entirely upon collegiate performance. Such rankings are subject to change following pre-draft workouts including the NFL Combine and each school’s respective Pro Days.

That said, all he did was tally 199 tackles and five interceptions in his three seasons wearing red and black. He somehow managed to record seven tackles in a Rose Bowl win. Those are decent marks for a two-star, I suppose.

J.R. Reed has spent his past three years discrediting doubters. Some may see him as being ranked too low, but it’s doubtful that the man himself is any sort of bothered by it.

 

Ten Georgia football alumni invited to NFL Combine

The Georgia Bulldogs will be well represented at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

The Georgia Bulldogs will be well represented at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

Ten Dawg lettermen will attempt to turn the heads of NFL scouts and coaches across a series of drills and exercises, all conducted between February 27 and March 2 in Indianapolis.

Today, the NFL released a list of all 337 players invited. Representing the Silver Britches will be (in alphabetical order):

  • Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship
  • Wide receiver Lawrence Cager
  • Quarterback Jake Fromm
  • Running back Brian Herrien
  • Offensive lineman Solomon Kindley
  • Safety JR Reed
  • Running back D’Andre Swift
  • Offensive lineman Andrew Thomas
  • Tight end Charlie Woerner
  • Offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson

With several surprising early draft declarations, Georgia is ranked among the top three in number of prospects invited per school.

The only school that matches Georgia’s number of participants is Alabama  and the only school with more participants than both is LSU.

Good luck to every Dawg at the Combine. The Bulldog Nation is rooting for you.

Matchup preview: Baylor’s offense vs Georgia’s defense

Georgia DC Dan Lanning admits that the Dawgs face a tough test in scheming against a balanced Baylor offense.

Georgia’s defense may be coming off their worst performance of the season (statistically speaking), but the Bulldogs arrive in New Orleans still ranked fourth in total defense to square off against the Baylor Bears in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

As defensive coordinator Dan Lanning pointed out in his press conference, the Junkyard Dawgs face a tough test in scheming against a balanced Baylor offense.

The Bears feature a proven pocket passer in Charlie Brewer, who was recently cleared to play in the Sugar Bowl. Behind him are “shifty” tailbacks John Lovett and JaMycal Hasty, both totally solid in providing pass protection. Beside him are a group of versatile tight ends capable of receiving and particularly adept at blocking. He’s assisted by the great size and speed of his outside receivers, specifically in senior Denzel Mims and sophomore Tyquan Thornton.

With the Georgia secondary missing J.R. Reed and Tyrique McGhee, the Bears’ Brewer, Mims, and Thornton could take advantage of younger Bulldog players getting some of their first significant playing time in the defensive backfield. The defense has at times struggled with passes over the middle of the field, but has excelled with 50/50 balls to the outside of the field, so this matchup will be strength-on-strength.

Baylor is ranked at a good-but-not great 50th in the nation in team rushing and is presented a tall task in facing a Silver Britches defense ranked third in the country against the run.

Georgia’s defensive front seven is still the only group in the country that has given up only one rushing touchdown all year.  The next fewest: Oregon with four allowed.

If Baylor’s offense has one glaring weakness, it would be their offensive line.

They’re one of the bigger offensive lines in the Big XII and consequently are one of their conference’s better run blocking units. However, their pass protection is wildly inconsistent, they’ve given up more sacks (35) than any of their conference foes, and only eighteen FBS teams have given up more. That’s remarkable for a team that finished the regular season with a single loss.

The Dawgs’ D hasn’t rushed the quarterback as much this year as fans have seen in previous seasons, but with edge rushers Quay Walker, Nolan Smith, Jermaine Johnson, and Azeez Ojulari having combined for 12 sacks, Bulldog Nation should feel confident that Dan Lanning’s squad can notch multiple sacks on Brewer.

Given the injuries Georgia has on the other side of the ball, Baylor’s best chance at wearing down the Junkyard Dawgs is controlling time of possession. If Baylor’s offense can’t control the clock and Georgia’s defensive starters can get ample time to rest on the sideline, I like the Dawgs in this one.

For a full preview of the game, click here.

Georgia football DC Dan Lanning: Baylor offense “doesn’t beat themselves”

Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning took to the podium today for his pre-Sugar Bowl presser.

Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning took to the podium today for his pre-Sugar Bowl presser.

Arriving in New Orleans without Jim Thorpe Award finalist J.R. Reed, Lanning fielded several questions regarding altering his game plan in the absence of the standout senior safety. In addition, fellow defensive back Tyrique McGhee did not travel with the team and has not participated in bowl practices.

“That’s an opportunity [for younger players]. A lot of young guys got opportunities in this game last year. I think that was critical for their development.”

Lanning noted that last year’s Sugar Bowl was a huge opportunity for redshirt freshman Azeez Ojulari, who saw his first playing time in red and black in last year’s game and his since appeared in the starting lineup.

(Note: bowl games are considered exhibition matches by the NCAA and thus players such as Ojulari with a redshirt may participate without forfeiting a year of eligibility).

He believes that the 2019 Dawgs’ heavy rotational play on defense has them prepared for Baylor’s powerful offense.

“We’ve probably had over forty guys who have had significant roles for us in this defense. You’re not necessarily going to see new [players], but you’ll see more [of rotational players]. More Lewis Cine, more Chris Smith, more Otis Reese.”

The defensive coordinator made it clear he didn’t want to single out any player on Georgia’s historically great 2019 defense.

“What’s great about our players is that they don’t care about who gets the recognition. They want to have success but they realize individual success comes within team success.”

The staff and players have dubbed this selfless style of play a “no-name defense.”

The stout Georgia defense earned a lot of team success in 2019 and enters the Sugar Bowl ranked fourth in total defense, but statistics aren’t Lanning’s primary concern.

“We take a lot of pride in our performance…and it’s great that the numbers reflect that. But our number one goal regardless of the numbers is the win.”

Baylor’s offense provides a challenge for Lanning’s defensive unit, and the coach has high praise for the Bears’ balanced offensive attack.

“They’re extremely well coached. They have big tight ends that can block at the point of attack, and they’re really big at receiver on the outside.”

He later added, “they have shifty backs, and their quarterback [Charlie] Brewer is just a winner.”

The Bears rushed one fifty-five percent of their plays (476 pass to 394 rush) in 2019, a bit uncharacteristic of a Big XII offense. Lanning admitted that it’s difficult to scheme around a group that does “a great job of mixing it up.”

“If you want to take away the wideouts, they’re going to be able to run the ball. If you want to take away the run, they’re going to be able to throw the 50-50 ball to the outside.”

The Dawgs will need to play their usual disciplined defense to contain an equally disciplined Baylor offense.

Lanning stated simply: “They’re a team that doesn’t beat themselves.”

Georgia football safety J.R. Reed on if he’ll play in Sugar Bowl

Georgia football safety J.R. Reed discussed the Sugar Bowl and whether or not he will play.

While meeting with the media in Atlanta as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, Georgia safety J.R. Reed discussed the Sugar Bowl and if he will play.

Reed confirmed that he will indeed be suiting up in red and black in New Orleans.

“The Dawgs are playing and I’m still a Dawg,” Reed told the Athens Banner-Herald’s Marc Weiszer.

Last season, Bulldog cornerback Deandre Baker caught some heat after sitting out the same game to avoid risking injury.

Baker went on to be a first round NFL Draft selection by the New York Giants.

As for Reed, though, he said he and his family discussed it but thought it was best to play and represent his university one final time.

Georgia will have both safeties for the Sugar Bowl, as Richard LeCounte expressed the same sentiment after the SEC Championship Game loss.

“I’m definitely going to play in the bowl game,” LeCounte said. “The next thing I’m looking forward to is what happens in the bowl game.”

Two Georgia football players named semifinalists for prestigious awards

A pair of Georgia football players were named semifinalists for prestigious CFB awards.

Two Georgia Bulldogs have been named semifinalists for a pair of college football’s most prestigious postseason awards.

Andrew Thomas, a junior left tackle, was named one of six semifinalists for the Outland Trophy, which goes to America’s top interior lineman.

Joining Thomas on the list is:

OC Tyler Bidasz (Wisconsin), DT Derrick Brown (Auburn), OT Penei Sewell (Oregon), OG John Simpson (Clemson) and OT Tristan Wirfs (Iowa).

I could definitely see Thomas bringing home the trophy, but Auburn’s Brown poses a tough fight. Currently, Thomas is a top-five pick in almost every NFL mock draft I’ve seen.

On Monday, the list of six will be trimmed to three and the winner will be announced at ESPN’s College Football Awards on December 12th from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

Georgia junior safety J.R. Reed was named a semifinalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is given to America’s best defensive player.

Reed is joined by Brown (Auburn), LB Isaiah Simmons (Clemson), DB Antoine Winfield Jr. (Minnesota) and DE Chase Young (Ohio State).

Right now, this trophy is looking like it’s Young’s to lose, despite the fact hew was suspended for a portion of the season. But Reed has been a consistent force in the secondary all season and will go on to a long NFL career.

Georgia football announces captains for Auburn game

Georgia football announced its captains for the UGA vs Auburn game on Saturday.

Georgia football takes on Auburn this Saturday in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, a game that the Bulldogs must win to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.

On Friday ahead of the big game, Georgia announced its captains for the matchup.

Wearing the patch on Saturday will be running back D’Andre Swift, quarterback Jake Fromm and safety J.R. Reed.

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This season, these three have been three of the biggest keys to the success of the 8-1 Bulldogs.

Fromm has guided No. 4 ranked Georgia all season, throwing for 1,858 yards, completing  67% of his passes, tossing 13 touchdowns and giving up just three interceptions.

Swift is closing in on the 1,000 yard marker through nine games and is currently at 921, averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

And on the other side of the ball it’s been Reed who has come up with numerous big plays to help turn Georgia’s defense into arguably the best in college football.

They will all have their hands full playing on the road in a hostile environment this Saturday, though.