Wow! This was one fun game to watch. Both teams took turns swinging at each other and only at the very end did Tennessee connect on a couple blows to the psyche of Georgia before putting the game away. Tennessee won by 18, but it was much closer than the score would indicate. Tennessee couldn’t run the ball, but Erik Ainge showed why he could find himself as a top (maybe THE top) QB prospect for the 2008 Draft (if he waits that long). Georgia ran the ball a little bit better, but kept themselves in the game with some great special teams play.
College: Georgia
Conference: SEC
Columnist: Jeff West
Name - # - Ht - Wt - Speed - Pos - Class
Martrez Milner - 87 - 6' 4.0" - 255 - 4.65 - TE - 2007
Milner managed only one catch during the game. But Milner is keeping scouts interested by really excelling as a blocker. He has the body of a pass-catching TE, but the strength of a blocker. He’s a very solid in-line blocker – a rarity in the college game. He uses his hands exceptionally well and can seal the defenders off effectively using solid technique and surprising strength. He’s also a very good blocker in space, identifying and eliminating tackling threats. (POSITIVE)
Dan Inman - 72 - 6' 7.0" - 315 - 5.15 - OT - 2007
Inman was part of an OT shuffle that ran throughout the game. When he was in the game, he played relatively well. For a man his size, he appears to have very good feet. He got into position pretty quickly and was able to use his strength to keep his man at bay. He wasn’t as effective at the second level, primarily because he doesn’t get there effectively. (SLIGHTLY POSITIVE)
Quentin Moses - 94 - 6' 4.5" - 257 - 4.67 - DE - 2007
Opposing teams must be using David Copperfield as an offensive consultant because they are all but making Moses disappear. Moses faced his fair share of double teams throughout the night, but even when he was blocked by a single man, he was unable to make much of an impact. Moses was able to shed blockers a couple times and wrap up a running back, but Ainge never had to consider him. I think he will have to be considered as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme where he can use his speed to better advantage. (NEGATIVE)
Ray Gant - 90 - 6' 2.0" - 281 - 5.00 - DT - 2007
Ray Gant isn’t showing me a whole lot at the DT position. He is often watching Owens and Weston from the bench as part of a DT rotation. When scouts talk about players being able to pick their way through the trash, well, Gant is that “trash”. He’s being handled too easily by interior offensive linemen. At his size, he needs to be able to jump gaps and get more penetration, but he doesn’t show the quicks one would expect from a smaller DT. (NEGATIVE)
Tony Taylor - 43 - 6' 1.0" - 237 - 4.75 - LB - 2007
I was really impressed with Taylor in this game. He’s a big, physical LB who can really lay the lumber. He’s active and shows excellent pursuit (and deceptive speed for his bulk). He sheds blockers well and is able to get to the ball-carrier. He fills gaps and is a sure tackler. (POSITIVE)
Jarvis Jackson - 45 - 6' 2.0" - 225 - 4.60 - LB - 2007
Jackson is a very active LB who plays sideline-to-sideline. He always seems to be around the ball. He moves very well and shows good speed and athleticism. As an LB, he really excels in pass coverage. He is not a very physical player and has trouble getting off blocks. As more of a finesse player, he also isn’t a form tackler. (SLIGHTLY POSITIVE)
Tra Battle - 25 - 5' 11.0" - 180 - 4.55 - S - 2007
As the “rover” in the Georgia defense, Battle is asked to do a number of different things. He’ll be expected to blitz the QB (something he is very good at) and contribute in run support. He’s a physical player who is able to locate the ball-carrier and get to him while avoiding blockers. The rover is also called on to do a lot of pass coverage, and that’s a bit of a weakness for Battle. He’s inconsistent in this area. He’ll blanket a guy and then the next play, he’ll bite on a fake and then whiff on a tackle or get out of position and get called for interference. I’d like to see some more consistency in his pass protection. He reminds me a lot of Michael Lewis (SS Philadelphia) right now. (NEUTRAL)
Gordon Ely-Kelso - 95 - 6' 2.0" - 227 - 4.90 - P - 2007
Ely-Kelso attempted one punt (from his own endzone) that was blocked and recovered by Tennessee for a crucial TD. The snap was a bit high, which seemed to throw off the rhythm of the punt. I don’t know that I’d put all of the blame on the punter, but he didn’t make many adjustments to get the punt off more quickly. (INCOMPLETE)
Brandon Miller - 12 - 6' 3.5" - 248 - 4.54 - LB - 2008
Brandon Miller is really an enigma for me. He shows amazing athleticism and potential, but he’s just not contributing at a level that one would expect. He’s always near the ball, but rarely in on the tackle. He was asked to cover the slot receiver a number of times and got beat a few times and was called for defensive holding in the back of the endzone on another play. He’s getting more and more playing time, so hopefully the experience will be good for him. But if he’s thinking about declaring for the draft a year early, he’s making a mistake. He’s just not ready yet despite his physical abilities. (SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE)
Brandon Coutu - 96 - 6' 0.0" - 180 - 4.95 - K - 2008
DNP – Torn hamstring injury will keep him out for the remainder of the season.
Charles Johnson - 99 - 6' 2.0" - 264 - 4.65 - DE - 2008
While Quentin Moses is still getting the acclaim, Johnson is the one who is actually producing on the field. He’s seeing just as many double teams as Moses now, but is still getting in the backfield to pressure the QB. He had a good game against Tennessee, but seems to be wearing down a bit after a torrid start. He is a relentless player who never stops working until the whistle blows. He uses his hands relatively well, but relies heavily on getting leverage and then just driving his legs full-speed. He also reads the QB well and can drop off his blocker and jump to knock down passes. (POSITIVE)
Nick Jones - 70 - 6' 3.0" - 295 - 5.20 - C - 2007
Jones is a real finesse lineman who gets overwhelmed physically by bigger DTs. He shows good athleticism and gets to the second level effectively, but just doesn’t have the strength needed to stand up to the big DTs without getting help from an OG. He could be effective in a zone-blocking scheme at the next level, although he still needs to get stronger. (SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE)
Paul Oliver - 8 - 6' 0.0" - 195 - 4.40 - CB - 2008
Oliver has good size and exceptional speed at the corner position. He is a very good leaper and has excellent ball skills. He made a very nice play on a pass break-up down the sidelines against Tennessee. At this point, Oliver relies too heavily on his physical abilities and doesn’t show some of the technical skills he’ll need to develop to be productive at the next level. Oliver also needs to use his size to better effect as he is not at all physical on the field. He looks like another graduate of the Deion Sanders School of Tackling. (POSITIVE)
Players to watch: FS Kelin Johnson (JR) – Johnson looks like he’ll be the next great safety to come from Georgia. He is a hard-nosed player who is all over the field. FB Brannan Southerland (SO) – He’s the complete package at FB. He is a devastating lead blocker. He can catch the ball out of the backfield (he had an incredible leaping catch in the first half). And he can run the ball in short yardage situations. RB Thomas Brown (JR) – Right when it looked like Tennessee was ready to seize control of the game, Brown returned a kick for a TD. He’s explosive and shifty. A fun back to watch. RB Kregg Lumpkin (JR) – A big, fast back who hits the hole hard and fast and is hard to bring down for the LBs and DBs. He ran the ball effectively despite limited work in this one. OT Ken Shackleford (SR) – He’s got an outside shot at getting drafted (especially given the lack of depth in the upcoming draft at the position). He has very good feet and moves pretty well in pass pro. As a run blocker, he shows good strength and drive.
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College: Tennessee
Conference: SEC
Columnist: Jeff West
Name - # - Ht - Wt - Speed - Pos - Class
Cory Anderson - 45 - 6' 3.0" - 255 - 4.75 - FB - 2007
Someone once called Anderson a guard in the backfield, and that is just how he plays. He’ll never be mistaken for a big RB. He’s a bigtime lead blocker who just destroys the man he is blocking. (POSITIVE)
Jayson Swain - 1 - 6' 1.0" - 205 - 4.55 - WR - 2007
Swain was a non-factor in this game. He injured his ankle and didn’t play most of the second half. (INCOMPLETE)
Arron Sears - 76 - 6' 4.0" - 330 - 5.40 - OT - 2007
Sears played a fantastic game and is really making people take notice of him. He projects as a RT, or probably more effectively, at OG for the next level, but he was a very solid LT tonight against the likes of Quentin Moses and Charles Johnson. He doesn’t move exceptionally well, but he uses an excellent jolt right at the point of attack to throw the smaller defenders off balance and out of the play. He keeps the defenders at arm’s length and really finishes his blocks. He looked great and he was playing through a couple of injuries (sprained elbow and ankle). (VERY POSITIVE)
David Ligon - 66 - 6' 5.0" - 300 - 5.15 - OG - 2007
Ligon is a big, strong presence on the interior line. He sets up well, uses a nice punch to get the defender off balance, and then drops anchor to prevent the DT from getting any penetration in pass protection. As a run blocker, Ligon is a pile driver, using his exceptional lower body strength to open holes. (POSITIVE)
Justin Harrell - 92 - 6' 4.0" - 300 - 5.00 - DT - 2007
DNP – Out for season with bicep injury.
Turk McBride - 90 - 6' 4.0" - 275 - 4.90 - DT - 2007
McBride is a converted DE who has great athleticism on the interior. He spent nearly the entire game on the sidelines after suffering an early hip pointer. (INCOMPLETE)
Jonathan Wade - 4 - 5' 10.5" - 195 - 4.38 - CB - 2007
Wade is being talked about, in some circles, as a CB who could crash the first-round party come draft day. I’m submitting my membership application for that circle. Wade is an exceptional physical specimen. He has world-class speed so even the fastest of wideouts won’t outrun him. He’s very solidly built and has developed a much more physical nature than he showed a year ago. This physicality has really shown up in his run support. He can fight through blocks and make a big hit on the ball-carrier. Wade also provided very tight coverage on his charges. He’s really starting to understand offenses better and that showed when he jumped a short slant route for a very impressive INT. The only complaint that I have is that he plays a bit out of control at times. When he gets too aggressive, his speed takes him out of the play more quickly. (VERY POSITIVE)
Antwan Stewart - 24 - 6' 0.0" - 195 - 4.50 - S - 2007
Stewart is now starting at CB opposite Wade with the injury to Inky Johnson. He was a bit inconsistent against Georgia. He seemed to be worried about getting beat deep as he was a bit soft in his coverage. As he frequently lined up well off the LOS, he wasn’t able to contribute as much to run support. He’s struggling a bit at the CB position, but is still a decent prospect at SS. (SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE)
James Wilhoit - 25 - 5' 10.0" - 195 - 5.10 - K - 2007
Wilhoit has been a consistent kicker this season, and nailed his only FG attempt against UGA (a 37 yarder). He did miss an XP in the fourth quarter that didn’t come back to haunt him. I don’t think he has a big enough leg to be coveted by NFL teams. (NEUTRAL)
Roshaun Fellows - 36 - 6' 0.0" - 185 - 4.40 - CB - 2008
DNP – Had pre-season surgery for a torn pec. Will not play this year.
Inquoris Johnson - 29 - 5' 9.0" - 180 - 4.40 - CB - 2008
DNP – Has a shoulder injury including some nerve damage that will keep him out for the season, maybe even for his career.
Britton Colquitt - 47 - 6' 3.0" - 198 - 5.00 - P - 2009
Colquitt only punted a few times, but he got good distance on all his punts. He will need to work on his hang time as he substantially outkicked his coverage on his first punt which was returned 86 yards for a TD by Georgia. (NEUTRAL)
Robert Meachem - 3 - 6' 3.0" - 210 - 4.45 - WR - 2008
Meachem is lobbying to have his name mentioned with the Calvin Johnsons and Sidney Rices when people discuss the underclassmen wideouts. Meachem is a real physical specimen. He’s tall and solid, but still has exceptional speed and acceleration. One of the great things about Meachem is that he’s a hand-catcher, snatching the ball out of the air rather than letting it bounce off his shoulder pads. He does still need to work on running crisper routes, as he tends to round many of his cuts. (VERY POSITIVE)
Erik Ainge - 10 - 6' 5.0" - 220 - 4.80 - WR - 2008
It’s night and day watching the difference between Ainge of ’05 and this year’s version. David Cutcliffe should get coach of the year honors for all he’s done with Ainge. Ainge really looks like a pro QB now. He has a nice easy delivery and plays under control at all times. He doesn’t get rattled and is finding his open receivers. He’s patient, going through his reads, and is making good decisions. He’s certainly got the size and the arm to play at the next level, now he appears to have the head and heart too. I’d say that, along with Troy Smith and maybe Tyler Palko, Erik Ainge is playing at as high a level as a collegiate QB can right now. (VERY POSITIVE)
Players to watch: WR Bret Smith (SR) – Bret Smith had a fantastic game working out of the slot and is overcoming a lot of issues to get himself back on the draft map. LB Marvin Mitchell (SR) – He’s a guy who I’ve been flirting with putting in the database. He’s fairly quick, but not fast. He had a nice QB sack and FF, and another QB hurry early on, but other than that was fairly quiet. OT Eric Young (SR) – He’s a guy who was completely off my radar until I saw him continually stone Moses and Johnson. Watching him more closely, he’s got decent size (maybe more OG-like size) and good quickness. He moves well and has good footwork. He’s one I’ll keep watching.