Tag: USA Today

3 Georgia Bulldogs crack Matt Miller’s updated top 50 NFL draft prospects

Matt Miller lists trio of Georgia Bulldogs among his top 50 NFL draft prospects…

With just over a month before the 2024 NFL draft, ESPN’s Matt Miller recently updated his list of the top-50 NFL draft prospects.

Three former Georgia Bulldogs made Miller’s list, including tight end Brock Bowers, offensive tackle Amarius Mims and wide receiver Ladd McConkey. Each are listed within the top 25.

Here’s where Miller considers the trio, along with an NFL player comparison and analysis.

10. Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

Height: 6-3 | Weight: 243
Comp: George Kittle

“The perfect tight end for the modern NFL game, Bowers has game-changing after-the-catch ability and has even lined up at tailback for the Bulldogs on occasion. In his three seasons of play, he had 26 touchdown catches (plus five more scores on the ground) while averaging 14.5 yards per reception. He’s a Kittle-like “move” tight end who can haul in passes on middle-of-the-field option routes. The rise of Kittle and Sam LaPorta as legitimate passing-game options and mismatch players is great for Bowers’ draft stock.” — Miller

24. Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

Height: 6-8 | Weight: 340
Comp: Cam Robinson

“Mims is an eight-game starter at right tackle, but those eight starts and his traits as a pass-protector have NFL scouts very excited. Mims was sidelined with an ankle injury that required TightRope surgery midway through the 2023 season but returned for the final four games. The biggest hole in his game is experience, but Mims didn’t allow a sack at Georgia, and he had a blown run block rate of 1.2% over his three-year career.”

25. Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

Height: 6-0 | Weight: 186
Comp: Tyler Boyd

“NFL teams looking for a savvy, experienced, productive slot receiver will fall in love with Georgia’s WR1. McConkey has powerful routes and awesome footwork while showing the toughness to run through contact and the speed to split the field vertically. He did battle through an ankle injury that held him to 30 catches and two touchdowns in 2023 — his least productive college season — but he’s as reliable as they come with a drop rate of 5% the past two years. McConkey’s fantastic showings at the Senior Bowl and the combine — where he ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash — answered any lingering questions about his ability.”

No program has sent as many players through the draft as Georgia has over the last three years (34). That number is expected to grow considerably this year with 13 Bulldogs aiming for a shot at the next level.

The 2024 NFL draft will take place from April 25-27 in Detroit.

Why Will Muschamp took reduced role on Georgia’s staff

Kirby Smart details Will Muschamp’s reasoning behind move to defensive analyst…

The Georgia Bulldogs’ sideline will look much differently this fall after multiple changes to the coaching staff this offseason.

The biggest difference will be on the defensive side of the ball. Formerly co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, Will Muschamp has moved to defensive analyst, and Travaris Robinson has taken Muschamp’s role after coming over from Alabama.

We received some clarity on Muschamp’s move from head coach Kirby Smart last week as the Bulldogs continue spring practice.

“He spent a lot of time around young men in this profession, and he’s developed a lot of really good football players. He’s shaped a lot of boys into men. He’s got a lot of great relationships from the places he’s coached,” Smart said. “He spent a lot of time developing those kids, and he wants to be able to see his son. He wants to be able to watch his son develop and play. He got to see that firsthand with Jackson here who did a tremendous job for us. Every day coach Muschamp got to go on the practice field and be with his son.

Mushamp’s son, Jackson Muschamp, is set to graduate from UGA this spring. The walk-on quarterback had a poetic ending to his career in 2023, seeing his first collegiate action in Georgia’s Orange Bowl win versus Florida State.

Smart acknowledged that Will muschamp’s diminished role, in part, is due to his desire to be more involved with his younger son, Whit Muschamp, who is preparing for his freshman season at Vanderbilt.

“I can only imagine what that felt like for him and the satisfaction of seeing his son each day. Now he’s got Whit, who’s got an opportunity to go to Vanderbilt and play. He wants to be a factor in his life and be with him. That was a really easy transition. I thought he handled it very well. He communicated very well with me.”

The combination of Smart, Muschamp and co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann has one of the best, if not the best, defensive staffs in the sport. Smart knew he needed a hard hitter to take Muschamp’s place, and he found that in Robinson.

Robinson coached with Muschamp at Florida and South Carolina, bringing a similar mindset to Athens. He is also considered one of the best recruiters in college football.

“Our ability to hire T-Rob was tremendous. He’s got tons of value in our SEC footprint. Recruiting value, football knowledge, leader of men. Anywhere he’s coached, his players really, really trust him and enjoy him,” Smart said. “He’s been nothing but an asset for us in terms of knowledge but also in terms of relationships. We’ll get a great benefit from T-Rob coming, and we’ll get a huge benefit from coach Muschamp remaining part of our program to help us.”

Georgia will continue spring practice leading up to the annual G-Day scrimmage game on Saturday, April 13. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET, televised on SEC Network+.

Georgia in-state target Isaiah Gibson commits to USC

USC hauls in another prospect from the state of Georgia in four-star DL Isaiah Gibson.

Lincoln Riley’s USC Trojans made a statement on Sunday, hauling in two elite defenders from the state of Georgia in the 2025 recruiting class.

First, it was five-star defensive lineman Justus Terry. The long-time UGA pledge flipped his commitment to USC in an unexpected move. Terry, out of Manchester High School, is rated as the No. 2 player at his position in the 2025 class, per 247Sports.

Georgia target Isaiah Gibson followed suit on Sunday afternoon by committing to the Trojans over UGA, Oregon and Oklahoma. The Warner Robins High School product is rated as four-star recruit and the No. 1 edge defender in the 2025 class.

Terry and Gibson expand USC’s class to three total commitments, each from the state of Georgia. Five-star quarterback Julian Lewis (Carrolton) was the Trojans’ lone pledge before Sunday’s moves.

It’s worth noting that the 2025 cycle is just beginning to heat up and there is plenty of time for Kirby Smart and the UGA staff to make another push for each of these recruits.

Georgia defensive lineman Mykel Williams was once committed to USC before signing with the Bulldogs in the 2022 class. UGA also had similar success in the 2024 cycle by flipping five-star safety K.J. Bolden from Florida State on Early Signing Day.

 

 

 

Dillon Gabriel rated as a Top 3 quarterback entering the 2024 season

According to USA TODAY college football analyst Patrick Conn, Dillon Gabriel is one of the top quarterbacks in the country.

Oregon knew replacing Bo Nix would be a high priority after the 2023 season, but even Dan Lanning couldn’t have predicted the level of success that venture would turn out to be.

As soon as Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel announced he would be transferring away from the Sooners, Lanning couldn’t pick up his phone fast enough in order to bring Gabriel to Eugene.

Luckily for the Ducks, Gabriel came to Oregon, liked what he saw and committed shortly after his visit. According to College Wire’s own Patrick Conn, the new Duck signal caller ranks No. 3 in returning quarterbacks for the 2024 season.

Gabriel is coming off a career year with the Oklahoma Sooners in 2023, where he set career highs in completion percentage, yards, yards per attempt, and rushing touchdowns,” Conn said. “The southpaw is a very mobile quarterback that can extend plays with his legs or tuck the ball and get upfield. He should fit right in with the Ducks and put up similar numbers to that of Bo Nix.”

In his last season in Norman, Okla., Gabriel threw for 3,660 yards, 30 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He also completed 69.3 percent of his passes. A similar season should propel the Ducks into the new expanded College Football Playoff.

Podcast: Chris Conley talks time at Georgia, new contract with 49ers

Chris Conley joins ‘UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton & Arthur Lynch’. Watch or listen here…

Host J.C. Shelton and former Georgia Bulldog Arthur Lynch are joined by 49ers wide receiver Chris Conley!

Your friends at UGA Football Live and UGA Wire present your one-stop-shop podcast for all things Georgia football: “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton.”

The podcast streams on YouTube as a part of The Pulse Sports Network and wherever you get your podcasts.

Check it out for stats, analysis and interviews with some Georgia greats. We are here throughout the year to keep you up to speed on UGA football.

Conley recently signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. The nine-year NFL veteran sits fifth all-time in UGA history with 20 receiving touchdowns.

Conley looks back on his time at Georgia, details lessons learned from Mark Richt and Mike Bobo, and shares some insight into what it takes to play in the NFL as long as he has.

Watch here, on YouTube:

Listen here, on Spotify:

Listen here, on Apple Podcasts.

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review! And check out one our latest episodes breaking down new UGA assistants James Coley and Josh Crawford:

 

 

Former Georgia Bulldog Leonard Floyd signs with the 49ers

Leonard Floyd is headed back to the West Coast after signing with San Francisco. Details here…

Former Georgia Bulldog Leonard Floyd is headed to back to the West Coast after signing with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday. His new two-year deal is worth $20 million, per NFL Network.

“San Fran!!!!! Im giving you my best yet,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Floyd, 31, spent last season with the Buffalo Bills after three seasons with the L.A. Rams, including a win in Super Bowl LVI. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the No. 9 overall pick in 2016 and spent four seasons in Chicago before his move to the Rams.

Floyd is coming off one of his best NFL seasons, tying a career-best with 10.5 sacks. He started 16 regular season games and served as one of the leaders of the defensive line group in Buffalo.

Floyd played four years at Georgia from 2012-2015. He is currently the Bulldogs’ eighth all-time sack leader (22.5). The Eastman, Ga., native earned second-team All-SEC honors as a senior in 2015.

Floyd will join former Bulldogs Chris Conley and Robert Beal Jr.  in San Francisco. Former Georgia tight end Charlie Woerner, who spent the last three seasons with the 49ers, signed with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday.

Game time, TV announced for Georgia’s G-Day spring scrimmage

We have official game time & TV info for UGA’s G-Day spring scrimmage game…

We have game time and TV information for Georgia’s annual G-Day spring scrimmage on Saturday, April 13. The game will begin at 1 p.m. ET and be shown on SEC Network+, the school announced on Monday.

The Bulldogs begin spring practice on Tuesday in the first of five weeks of practices on a Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday schedule. Fans will have their first chance to see the new breed of Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium on April 13.

Spring practice is is often underestimated when it comes to the college football schedule as a whole. It’s the first opportunity for young players to acclimate to Georgia’s process under head coach Kirby Smart and a key opportunity for those who are battling for starting spots this fall.

Georgia lost 21 players to the transfer portal and 12 players to NFL draft declarations this offseason. The sidelines will also look differently after the loss of key assistants from the 2023 season. While getting every new Bulldog acclimated will be a tough task for Smart and company, he’s done it before on the way to back-to-back national championships.

Podcast: Looking at which Georgia Bulldogs improved NFL draft stocks at the Combine

Former Bulldogs made some money in Indianapolis. Watch/listen here…

Host J.C. Shelton is joined by former Georgia Bulldog Arthur Lynch to look at which Georgia Bulldogs stood out at the NFL Combine!

Your friends at UGA Football Live and UGA Wire present your one-stop-shop podcast for all things Georgia football: “UGA Football Live with J.C. Shelton.”

The podcast streams on YouTube as a part of The Pulse Sports Network and wherever you get your podcasts.

Check it out for stats, analysis and interviews with some Georgia greats. We are here throughout the year to keep you up to speed on UGA football.

We’ve seen it before this time of year. Former Georgia players take the field at the NFL combine and showcase why they were so special in Athens, often times boosting their NFL draft stocks. The case was not different this time around.

Watch here, on YouTube:

Listen here, on Spotify:

Listen here, on Apple Podcasts.

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review! And check out one our latest episodes breaking down new UGA assistants James Coley and Josh Crawford:

 

 

ESPN describes Ladd McConkey’s NFL combine performance as flawless

Georgia WR Ladd McConkey put on a show at the 2024 NFL combine.

Former Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey is gaining steam as a potential first-round selection after an impressive performance at the 2024 NFL combine last week.

Often underestimated during his career at UGA, McConkey hasn’t had that issue when it comes to pre-NFL draft evaluations from experts. His combine performance added to the hype.

ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid had this to say when sharing his takeaways from Indianapolis.

“Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey was nearly flawless during positional drills. His trademark start-stop quickness and explosive footwork allowed him to easily move in and out of each route. McConkey is a finished product as a route runner and adds burst with 4.39-second speed on a 6-foot, 186-pound frame. He entered the combine as my No. 36 overall player, but his pro readiness and fluid speed have me thinking he’s a top-32 prospect and Round 1 target.”

McConkey’s draft stock has been on the rise since his performance at this year’s Senior Bowl. While he routinely draws the lazy Julian Edelman comparison, McConkey proved further at the combine that he should be in first-round talks. His skills are reminiscent of All-Pro wideout Antonio Brown and rookie Pro Bowler Puka Nacua.

McConkey measured taller than previously thought, coming in at 5 feet, 11 5/8 inches and 186 pounds. However, McConkey’s arm length and wingspan are among the smallest of wide receiver prospects, 30 1/4 and 72 inches, respectively. His 8 5/8 inch hands match the second-smallest among those going through the process.

McConkey has never been an imposing physical threat. He wins against defenders with speed, acceleration, elite route-running and sure hands.

We received a glimpse of some of those skills in the gauntlet drill:

McConkey’s 4.39 official 40-yard dash time tied for the sixth-best time among all receiver prospects, burying any doubts about his breakaway speed. McConkey’s athleticism was also on display in the vertical (36 inches) and broad jump (10 feet, 4 inches).

McConkey has an opportunity to bolster his draft stock further when UGA hosts its pro day on March 13. The 2024 NFL draft will be held from April 25-27 in Detroit.

 

Former Alabama commit Dontrell Glover includes UGA among final schools

Georgia is in the running for former Alabama commit Dontrell Glover.

Georgia is in the running for four-star offensive lineman Dontrell Glover out of Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, Georgia. The 2025 prospect recently included the Bulldogs among his top nine schools, per a report from On3’s Chad Simmons.

Glover (6 feet, 3 1/2 inches, 310 pounds) fits the mold of the large offensive lineman Kirby Smart and staff look for. Glover is the No. 9 interior offensive lineman, the No. 27 player in the state and the No. 193 player overall in his class, per 247Sports composite.

Glover was previously committed to Alabama before Nick Saban’s retirement and Kalen DeBoer’s move to Tuscaloosa. The Tide didn’t make the cut for Glover’s final nine.

Glover plans to choose among Georgia, Auburn, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Florida State, Miami and Georgia Tech.

I expect UGA’s recruiting pitch to Glover is a simple one. Few programs can point to the level of development Georgia can when it comes to offensive lineman. The Bulldogs’ success at the position in the NFL draft seemingly shows itself each year.

The Bulldogs have sent 11 offensive lineman to the NFL under Smart. UGA is expected to have two more offensive lineman taken in this year’s draft, including tackle Amarius Mims and center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger.