How do our position groups stack up compared to each other? Here's my take:
OL - this is a slam dunk, no-brainer. We have nine projected NFL draft picks on campus right now (A.Thomas, I.Wilson, S.Kindley, C.Mays, B.Cleveland, T.Hill, J.Salyer, W.McClendon, C.Webb). Nine. And that's not counting backups like Shaffer, Hayes, Condon, or Ericson (some of whom would have started under the previous regime), or guys coming in the fall (Truss, anyone else?). To put that in perspective, in 15 seasons at UGA, Mark Richt had eight offensive linemen drafted by the NFL. Eight. Ka-Boom.
DB - I could be talked into flipping LB with DB for 2nd & 3rd, but both units are stacked. We're losing Baker, but we're bringing back a ton in LeCounte, Reed, (our top 2 tacklers from last year) Campbell, McGee, Stokes, and a lot of talented backups. We're gonna be talented, deep, and extremely well-coached here. One of the better units in the country.
LB - Ditto here. We're losing D.Walker & Taylor, but we're bringing back Crowder, Rice, Grant, and a whole slew of guys looking to break out: Beal, Anderson, Cox, Tindall, Q.Walker, and the top recruits Smith and Johnson. This will be a fun group to watch and one of the better units nationally as well. Just crazy talent here.
QB - Fromm is one of the best in the business, and one of the better QB's we've ever had. Likely an early 1st rounder. Depth is unproven but promising.
RB - Swift is one of the better RBs nationally, and it's a testament to our team's strength that this position group is this far down the list with a guy like Swift. But the realty is we don't have the *proven* depth we've had in years past. Tons of potential though with Herrien & Cook, and if Zamir is close to 100%, or McIntosh shows out, look out.
WR - We lost a ton with Mecole, Godwin & Riley, there's just no sugar coating it. Holloman started to emerge late last season, and we'll need him to continue that trajectory this year. We're going to need someone to emerge along side him though, and we're lucky we have some options with Robinson, Simmons, Blount, Jackson, Bush & Landers. But we're probably going to need Blaylock or Pickens to step up in a big way here.
DL - This position is a real head-scratcher. It's the only spot where Kirby hasn't recruited gang-busters (he's recruited good, just not great). We've got some good pieces with Davis, Rochester, Clark, Wyatt, Herring, etc, we just don't have that jaw-dropping 1st round type guy like we do everywhere else. But despite this likely being our "worst" position group, they're still pretty good (kinda like the old saying about pizza: "when it's bad, it's still pretty good"), and you gotta feel good about the team if every other group looks better.
Anyway, just to get some discussion going, what do you guys think?
OL - this is a slam dunk, no-brainer. We have nine projected NFL draft picks on campus right now (A.Thomas, I.Wilson, S.Kindley, C.Mays, B.Cleveland, T.Hill, J.Salyer, W.McClendon, C.Webb). Nine. And that's not counting backups like Shaffer, Hayes, Condon, or Ericson (some of whom would have started under the previous regime), or guys coming in the fall (Truss, anyone else?). To put that in perspective, in 15 seasons at UGA, Mark Richt had eight offensive linemen drafted by the NFL. Eight. Ka-Boom.
DB - I could be talked into flipping LB with DB for 2nd & 3rd, but both units are stacked. We're losing Baker, but we're bringing back a ton in LeCounte, Reed, (our top 2 tacklers from last year) Campbell, McGee, Stokes, and a lot of talented backups. We're gonna be talented, deep, and extremely well-coached here. One of the better units in the country.
LB - Ditto here. We're losing D.Walker & Taylor, but we're bringing back Crowder, Rice, Grant, and a whole slew of guys looking to break out: Beal, Anderson, Cox, Tindall, Q.Walker, and the top recruits Smith and Johnson. This will be a fun group to watch and one of the better units nationally as well. Just crazy talent here.
QB - Fromm is one of the best in the business, and one of the better QB's we've ever had. Likely an early 1st rounder. Depth is unproven but promising.
RB - Swift is one of the better RBs nationally, and it's a testament to our team's strength that this position group is this far down the list with a guy like Swift. But the realty is we don't have the *proven* depth we've had in years past. Tons of potential though with Herrien & Cook, and if Zamir is close to 100%, or McIntosh shows out, look out.
WR - We lost a ton with Mecole, Godwin & Riley, there's just no sugar coating it. Holloman started to emerge late last season, and we'll need him to continue that trajectory this year. We're going to need someone to emerge along side him though, and we're lucky we have some options with Robinson, Simmons, Blount, Jackson, Bush & Landers. But we're probably going to need Blaylock or Pickens to step up in a big way here.
DL - This position is a real head-scratcher. It's the only spot where Kirby hasn't recruited gang-busters (he's recruited good, just not great). We've got some good pieces with Davis, Rochester, Clark, Wyatt, Herring, etc, we just don't have that jaw-dropping 1st round type guy like we do everywhere else. But despite this likely being our "worst" position group, they're still pretty good (kinda like the old saying about pizza: "when it's bad, it's still pretty good"), and you gotta feel good about the team if every other group looks better.
Anyway, just to get some discussion going, what do you guys think?