14 Aaron Murray, Quarterback, Junior (RS) 6’1″ 212 pounds
Pros:
Has a good arm and makes plenty of “stick throws”…a good athlete…natural leader…poised…doesn’t make a ton of bad decisions…can throw on the run…good mechanics throws a beautiful looking football much of the time…has experience under center and does a good job with his foot work
Cons:
Does not have ideal height at 6’1…throws a good ball, but he should continue to work on his accuracy (you’d like to see him complete more than 61 percent of his passes)…could continue to work on selling the play action…continue to work on going through his progressions
Thoughts:
I’m not going to say too much definitive on him one way or the other right now. He has another year of college football to go and prove that he is worth the first round grade many will give him. I think the more experienced he becomes the better off he’ll be the thing that he’s going to hear more than anything is about his height and his “lower” completion percentage but those don’t concern me much right now.
24 Ken Malcome, Running Back, Sophomore (RS) 5’11” 226 pounds
Malcome is very young and inexperienced, but he was dubbed the most improved player at Georgia’s Spring camp. He has apparently overthrown sensational freshman Isaiah Crowell as the number one back on the depth chart, after having just 174 yards all of last season as a redshirt freshman. He has excellent size and pretty good speed for his size, so he will be an intriguing name to watch as a redshirt sophomore, especially as good as Georgia’s offense is expected to be. The former high school All-American has not scored a touchdown in a game since he played prep football, so his praise is pretty impressive at this point.
12 Tavarres King, Wide Receiver, Senior (RS) 6’1″ 192 pounds
Over the last four years, King has become one of the best big play threats in the SEC but hasn’t put it together for one dominant season yet. Georgia has one of the best quarterback prospects in the country in Aaron Murray, so King has a real shot of being a big time performer. He has averaged 20.9, 18.7, and 15.0 yards per reception in the last three seasons, but really broke out in 2011 with 47 receptions for 705 yards and eight touchdowns. Despite losing to Michigan State in the Outback bowl, King blew up with six receptions for 205 yards and a touchdown, averaging over 30 yards per reception. Michigan State’s defense wasn’t exactly a slouch in 2011, so that kind of performance is going to turn heads. King has good speed and is one of the top senior wide receiver prospects available.
15 Marlon Brown, Wide Receiver, Senior 6’5″ 222 pounds
Georgia is moving star freshman receiver Malcolm Mitchell to the defensive side of the ball, which is interesting in and of itself, but that is going to open a door for 6’5″ senior Marlon Brown, who had only 234 yards receiving as a junior, but three touchdowns and showed he can make big plays. Georgia has a plethora of depth at the wide receiver position, and Brown has a real chance to capitalize. His size and athletic ability could help him be one of the most dominant receivers in the country, and a big time red zone threat. Or, he could be a player who looks like Tarzan and plays like Jane.
93 Abry Jones, Defensive Lineman, Senior 6’3″ 309 pounds
Jones was one of the most improved players on Georgia’s defensive line in 2011, stepping in as a starter and racking up 48 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and four sacks. He has really good size and looks like he could be a fit in either a 3-4 or 4-3 defense. Phil Steele has him rated as the 17th best defensive end in the country, and is a pre-season third-team All-Conference player at his position. If he can continue to improve his pass rush ability and develop his overall skills, he has the ability to play at a high level in the NFL. He could be a mid-late round pick.
83 Cornelius Washington, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, RS Senior 6’4″ 268 pounds
Washington has a great combination of size, athletic ability, and versatility for a defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid prospect, and he had the best year of his career as a junior thus far. In only six starts last year, he had six tackles for loss, five sacks, and 29 quarterback hurries. The only issue here is that Washington had a two-game suspension in 2011 for driving under the influence. That type of thing cannot be tolerated, but it is. He offers some versatility because of his size, and he is able to play down in a four man front and even some three man fronts, as well as standing up in a 3-4 as an outside linebacker. Should be able to capitalize production-wise because of all the attention that will be paid to star OLB Jarvis Jones.
6 John Jenkins, Defensive Tackle, Senior 6’3″ 351 pounds
Big, strong defensive tackle prospect who appears to be an ideal nose tackle for the NFL level. Already has experience playing in a 3-4 and already has just as good if not better production than Kansas City Chiefs 2012 first round pick Dontari Poe. Jenkins nearly declared for the 2012 NFL draft but now anchors a Georgia defensive line for the 2012 season, a line that will be among the best in all of college football. He is a massive space eater who has a good bull rush, and can anchor well against the run. Capable of taking on and beating double teams, and gets good pressure on the QB (10 QB hurries in ’11). Had an interception in the Outback Bowl against Michigan State, but came up injured on the play so that is something to monitor going forward. He started his collegiate career at Gulf Coast Community College, and only has one year of SEC football under his belt. He has first round talent if he can put it all together. Players with his size and production don’t often last long on draft day, unless they have serious character flaws.
99 Kwame Geathers, Defensive Tackle, Junior 6’5″ 350 pounds
Another massive defensive tackle prospect on Georgia’s defensive line, Geathers is a huge (no pun intended) reason why the Bulldogs had such a dominant run defense in 2011. He isn’t yet a full time starter on the defensive line for the Bulldogs, which is why more time there could benefit him. He has two brothers in the NFL already, so he has good football bloodlines, and Georgia head coach Mark Richt praised his work in Spring practices. If he can catch the eye of NFL scouts early on, he could potentially be one of the top junior defensive tackles in the country. He still has a lot of room to grow as a player in terms of his durability and technique, but for now, he’s a very solid rotational nose guard who has a lot of upside.
29 Jarvis Jones, Outside Linebacker (3-4), Junior 6’2″ 242 pounds
2011 Notes
Pros: excellent athletic ability…serious burst off the line of scrimmage…incredible upside..an insane amount of production in 2011…plays with a lot of anger against the pass and the rush…good wrap up tackler…has a good bull rush…plays with good leverage consistently…has the athletic ability and fluidity to drop back into coverage and be effective…Lays some punishing blows…Fantastic motor…Long arms
Cons: Has some problems disengaging from blocks in the run game at times, but generally does a good job of stacking and shedding to get to the ball carrier…Needs more seasoning in his pass rushing repertoire…could stand to get bigger…inexperienced needs to continue refining his technique in pass coverage…Transferred to USC because of a neck injury in his freshman year that he couldn’t get medically cleared by the Trojans medical staff
All year I’ve been wondering who is going to step up and take the reins to become the top 34 OLB, and that player has been Jarvis Jones. Jones has been extremely productive this year because of his non stop motor and pure physical abilities. Jones could use a lot of refinement and also add a little weight. When good offensive linemen get their long arms on him he has trouble getting off the blocks, but he generally does a good job of using his hands to stack and shed offensive linemen. He’s so quick off the ball when he’s rushing the passer that he is able to get his arms into the OT quickly and bull rush him, much like Von Miller. Jones drops back into coverage for the Bulldogs now and you can see his athleticism, but he needs to continue to work on his drops. Jones could be the first 34 OLB drafted in 2012 if he comes out, which means that he could be a top 15 selection.
35 Michael Gilliard, Linebacker, Senior 6’2″ 220 pounds
Slightly undersized but athletic linebacker prospect who was as opportunistic as any of Georgia’s linebackers in 2011. Finished the year third on the team with 65 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, four passes broken up, and a forced fumble. It was a breakout year for Gilliard, who was an All-American in high school with high expectations. If he can step up and be the leader of the Georgia defense that he is capable of being, he could be a late round candidate and a guy who blows up some workouts to impress scouts physically that the production and athleticism match up.
9 Alec Ogletree, Linebacker, Junior 6’3″ 236 pounds
Ogletree has been a star since he stepped on campus. I love this note I found at the Georgia athletic site: “Earned one of the team’s David Jacobs Awards as a player who, by example, portrays courage, spirit, character and determination.” Those are important attributes to me in a player. Was the SEC defensive freshman of the year as a strong safety, and now is ranked by many sites as the top inside linebacker in the entire country. Broke his foot in the season opener last year against Boise State, missed seven games, came back and played in/started seven games where he recorded 52 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two passes broken up, and two forced fumbles. Excellent speed and athletic ability and is a guy who can really make an impact when he is on the field. If his teammate Jarvis Jones is the best linebacker in the country in 2012, he might be the second best. He is a player who is able to be used in a variety of different ways, as a traditional inside linebacker as well as off the edge, but because of his experience as a defensive back, he has really good speed and athletic ability. Capable of blowing up plays in the backfield with elite first step, and if he reads plays correctly he is nearly unblockable, especially with that defensive line in front of him like he has at Georgia. Ideal inside linebacker prospect for any scheme. Should be one of the first players off the board at his position, though ILBs are not valued all that highly on draft day unless they have really special skills. See: Kuechly, Luke. Does a great job of breaking down and delivering big hits.
19 Sanders Commings, Defensive Back, Senior 6’1″ 217 pounds
Commings is highlighted in red because he has a character concern attached to him. While he is a big, physical corner capable of delivering big hits on the field, unfortunately he also will serve a two-game suspension for hitting his girlfriend off the field. In my opinion, hitting a woman should result in a much longer suspension, maybe even a whole season, but that’s an ethics matter. In terms of football, Commings is very talented and he should be one of the top corners on the market come time for the 2013 NFL Draft, but his stock will fall because of potential character concerns. He was fourth on the team last year with 55 tackles and also had four tackles for loss, an interception, and 11 passes broken up. Obviously has a great combination of size and speed, and his size allows him to be physical with receivers. If he can keep his nose out of trouble, he should be a mid-round pick with intriguing size, speed, and upside.
1 Branden Smith, Cornerback, Senior 5’11” 176 pounds
Smith is another guy who needs to keep his nose out of trouble. In March, 2012 he was pulled over and was caught with a baseball sized amount of marijuana. He now faces a suspension to start the year, but he is a very talented player. He doesn’t have great bulk for his size, but he is extremely fast and can make plays with the ball in his hands. Played offense a little bit last year and averaged over seven yards per carry with a rushing touchdown. Also contributed as a receiver and return man, and had 24 tackles and two interceptions on defense. He has explosive speed and his ability to play two ways makes him an intriguing potential kick/punt return prospect. He is ranked sixth on NFL Draft Scout’s board of cornerbacks for the 2013 NFL Draft, and if he can stay out of trouble this season, could be one of the better corner prospects but because of his size and marijuana charge, probably slated to be a second round pick or later.
36 Shawn Williams, Safety, Senior 6’1″ 220 pounds
Williams led the Bulldogs in 2011 with 72 tackles, leading the star-studded secondary along the way. Has great overall size and was really productive in 2011 with 72 tackles, four interceptions, five tackles for loss, five passes broken up, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick. He really makes plays all over the field for the Bulldogs, and has really good athletic ability and speed for his size. He has also played some linebacker for the Bulldogs, who have a really deep secondary. Unlike some of his teammates in the secondary, he’s been able to stay away from trouble to this point, and will actually get to play a full season in 2012 barring injury. He was projected as a third round pick prior to the 2012 NFL draft, and his senior season could either expose him as one of the top safeties in the country, or expose his weaknesses.
18 Bacarri Rambo, Safety, Senior 6’0″ 218 pounds
Rambo is facing a four game suspension at the start of the year for testing positive for a school drug test. Rambo is looking into appealing the suspension, as well as potentially entering the NFL’s supplemental draft. When he’s on the field, he’s undoubtedly one of the top playmakers in the entire country at his position. As a junior in 2011, he had 55 tackles, eight interceptions, and eight passes broken up. He was named a first-team All-American and first team All-SEC pretty much unanimously, and is one of the best ball-hawking free safeties in the country. He may be appealing his suspension, as four games is a lot, but he needs to either keep his nose out of trouble or quit hanging with the wrong crowd. If he does enter the supplemental draft, I wouldn’t be shocked to see a team use a second round pick on him. He has a rare combination of size, speed, instincts, and ball-skills at the safety position. If he gets his act together, he could be a dominant player. Here are my notes from last year:
The playmaking safety enters his junior year as a 2nd team All SEC pre-season performer by Athlon Sports, and was a third team All SEC player last year according to Phil Steele. As a junior, he had 82 tackles, three forced fumbles, and three interceptions. Rambo is really a game-changer at the safety position, and he is not afraid to lay his body out there in order to make the play (see hit on Mario Fannin against Auburn). This is a guy who is flying under the radar right now, but if he continues to make plays at this rate (two interceptions as a freshman, also), he could be one of the top safeties available in this year or next year’s class.