|
Georgia did not had a player drafted until Marcus Howard went off the board in the fifth round at pick number 161, but do not underestimate this pack of Dawgs.
As the Georgia Bulldogs football team continues to make strides towards its 2008-2009 season and a hopeful national championship, many former Dawgs are making their way to the next level after capping their remarkable careers off with a shellacking of the Hawaii Warriors in the 2008 Sugar Bowl. Georgia alumni are a special breed. The names are familiar. They ring loudly in NFL circles around the nation. Herschel Walker, Terrell Davis, Hines Ward, Champ Bailey, Garrison Hearst, Benjamin Watson....these are just a few of the names that football fans everywhere may recognize and they are Georgia greats. Here’s a look at the next line of players--those who hope to add their names to the list of Georgia greats--and what sort of impact they may have with their new teams.
 Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media
Thomas Brown (RB - Atlanta Falcons - 172nd overall) - Brown was a true value pick for the Falcons at this point in the draft. A lot of draft scouts had him picked as one of the biggest sleepers in this year’s running back class. Brown is the classic overachiever type of running back who makes the most of his smaller size. He’s only around 5'8", but packs a mean punch when hitting the hole with his 200-pound frame. Brown also has very active feet which never seem to stop moving and if not for an injury-plagued campaign at Georgia, Brown could have easily been one of the best rushers in the school’s history. 2007 was actually Brown’s most productive year as he finished with 779 yards rushing and a career-high 10 touchdowns. Brown only had 10 receptions for 84 yards this season, but it has to be said that when he is fully healthy, he has some of the best hands of any back in the country. His receiving skills will certainly be useful to the Falcons as they are a little thin in the receiving corps and will be breaking in a new QB. The Falcons are getting a hardworking, hometown guy who should feel comfortable in Atlanta.
Chester Adams (OT - Chicago Bears - 222nd overall) - In 2007, Adams played a key role in paving the way for one of the more explosive offenses in the SEC as Georgia racked up over 5,000 yards of total offense. This Alabama native started 22 games at right tackle over the past two seasons and was part of the 2006 Georgia team that allowed just 17 sacks, ranking 2nd in the SEC in that category. Adams was also named the most improved offensive lineman at the end of spring drills in 2007, setting himself up to become an NFL draft selection this year. He’s a mammoth of a man at 6'4" and 335 pounds. If he can stay healthy and avoid a repeat of the nagging ankle injuries he sustained in 2006, Adams should help provide room for Cedric Benson, Matt Forte, or whoever will be the Bears running back in 2008. He is an underrated player who could end up being a pleasant surprise.
Brandon Coutu (K - Seattle Seahawks - 235th overall) - Coutu has the ability to make an instant impact for the Seahawks. He was 18-23 last season in field goal attempts, including a 52-yarder against Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl and he did not miss a field goal all season long inside of 47 yards. Coutu was a perfect 49-49 on extra points and has the leg strength for kickoffs as well.
Brandon Miller (MLB - Atlanta Falcons - free agent) - Miller will be joining former teammate Thomas Brown in Atlanta as a free agent pickup and gives the Falcons some options. Miller is listed as 6'4" and 260 pounds so it is possible that he will switch over to defensive end if he puts on some extra weight. He is not as fast as you would like a linebacker to be, but has shown great work ethic while also being one of the team’s leaders on the defensive side of the ball. A move to end combined with some coaching could really make Miller a productive ball-hawking player.
Fernando Velasco (OL - Tennessee Titans - free agent) - Velasco possesses a lot of versatility--he won the starting center job last spring and was also used at both guard spots through his time at Georgia. Velasco was the leader on an offensive line that guided the Bulldogs to over 2,500 rushing yards this past season. Velasco has also been extremely reliable, starting every game in the last two seasons for the Dawgs.
Sean Bailey (WR - Kansas City Chiefs - free agent) - Sean Bailey was one of the more heralded high school receiving recruits to come out of the 2003 class. Over the next five seasons, he was a very solid and consistent performer for the Bulldogs, saving his best performances for his last season in Georgia. Bailey was the Bulldogs’ leading receiver in 2007 catching 37 passes for 597 yards and 4 touchdowns and although he has suffered through some injuries in his career at Georgia (he missed all of 2006 recovering from a torn ACL) he has still maintained a positive attitude. He is fast and reliable on deep routes, intelligent and has great football insticts. The Chiefs desperately need some receivers in their offense, so don’t be surprised if Bailey makes the roster come this fall.
Kelin Johnson (S - Seattle Seahawks - free agent) - Johnson will also be fortunate enough to join a teammate in Seattle as he will join Brandon Coutu in his attempt to make a roster spot. Johnson was undoubtedly the leader of the Dawgs defense this past season. He’s not only a ferocious hitter, but also led the Bulldogs with 4 interceptions in 2007 and had their only blocked kick of the season. The guy’s motor never stops and he roams the secondary just waiting to lay someone out. With his leadership capabilities and a little coaching, Johnson could be the surprise of this Georgia class, no doubt about it.
Kregg Lumpkin (RB - Green Bay Packers - free agent - Lumpkin started his career at Georgia off with a bang--in his freshman season, he was second on the team with 523 yards rushing on 112 carries. Lumpkin, however, spent the next couple of seasons working his way back into the rotation after a knee injury caused his train to come off of the tracks a little. After fully recovering from the injury, Lumpkin led all Bulldog rushers with 798 yards rushing and 6 touchdowns in 2006. In 2007, Lumpkin again saw his progress derailed by nagging knee and thumb injuries and he managed to appear in just 6 games, totaling just 44 yards rushing. Lumpkin has truly had an up and down career at Georgia but the potential is there and flashes of brilliance have certainly shown through. Lumpkin has tremendous size at 6'1" and 222 pounds and is capable of contributing to a young Packers backfield if he can remain healthy.
|
