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Georgia football Pro Day: Restless Brock Bowers, iconic Ladd McConkey, Gunner Stockton’s audition
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Georgia football Pro Day: Restless Brock Bowers, iconic Ladd McConkey, Gunner Stockton’s audition
ATHENS — Kirby Smart knows better than anyone player development is the best advertisement Georgia football has going for it on the recruiting trail.
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Though requested and obviously prefered having been their QB for the past year, Carson elected to NOT throw to his teammates at Pro Day -- is it Team or Me??? Just asking!
I would say a two headed coin. It is team- as Stockton was given a chance to showcase his abilities. As well as Beck is focused on his current team mates and is getting used to their speed and cuts.
Sounds like inexperienced Stockton needs to work on becoming more of a passer (accuracy) than a thrower. Pickens wanting inexperienced Beck to throw to him at his pro day over SBIV reinforces the contention that SBIV could be streaky or inaccurate throwing the ball. And that Beck was a more accurate passer than SBIV (as proven by Beck's completion % in '23).
@UGADad20
Now that we have had the benefit of hindsight, it is becoming more clear that Stetson Bennett's skills - and the offensive system that Kirby Smart and Todd Monken put in to take advantage of them - were better suited towards winning national titles (on teams that were loaded on defense and had great talent at OL and TE that is) than they were at maximizing the draft potential of WRs and RBs. Some guys who either transferred from Athens, decommitted or never seriously considered UGA at all because of this were called "selfish" and "prima donnas" but it is basically impossible to be a high draft pick in the system that UGA was running back then without having either the incredible athleticism or dominant combine workout performances that guys like Bowers, Pickens, Cook and McConkey put up. Jaxon Smith-Njiba's workout numbers didn't come close to McConkey and Pickens , but he was a #1 draft pick because his college system allowed him to put up 95 catches for 1600 yards. All those WRs and RBs who won titles for Alabama and LSU? Same. Justin Jefferson and Calvin Ridley both ran an above average 4.43 40, but they also both had almost as many catches in a single season as McConkey his entire career.
As for Gunner Stockton, he was billed as "another Stetson Bennett" coming into Athens out of high school and a lot of UGA fans badly wanted him to win the QB job - or at least get plenty of meaningful playing time during the season - because of it. His being better at swing passes to backs and out routes than on posts and true deep balls - 40 yards isn't a deep ball by NFL standards as Tennessee's Joe Milton III threw a ball 70 yards in the air at the combine - makes it seem so, and his game is similarly not in the interests of the prospects of UGA WRs. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint didn't have the incredible workout numbers of McConkey - Online Athens said that his 40 time was in the 4.6 range - so he badly needed to show scouts that he can do the "big receiver who can make tough catches in the intermediate game" during his pro day.
For workout numbers from yesterday's combine the Athens newspaper is a good source:
"Lassiter ran an unofficial 4.60 Wednesday. Other unofficial 40s included 4.62 for running back Kendall Milton, 4.70 for running back Daijun Edwards and 4.69 for wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint."
@randomsportsfan
Not sure what your points are about SBIV, GS, UGA WR's or the UGA O.
What we know is that CKS is conservative offensively (regardless of QB) and favors ball control, time consuming smash mouth football to wear out the opponent. His teams are built that way. (see average size of the 8 '24 OL recruits). What CKS learned about SBIV was that he was very confident and could try to make something happen on every play. Sometimes resulting in bad decisions.
CKS likes risk free football ESPECIALLY from the QB. Hence, even 73% passer CBeck was reined in early last season. I don't see any significant differences between the UGA '22 O and the UGA '23 O. Just different personnel to build around and execute with. One could argue that had the '23 team had the '22 D there would have been a 3 peat.
For the apparent reason of accuracy, Pickens wanted Beck to throw to him at his pro day. I can probably name 10-15 completions (off the top of my head) that SBIV threw that required "circus" catches by his receivers. Plays like Pickens laid out dive catch vs AL in the CG. Or Bowers circus catch down the sideline vs MI in the CFB PO game. Bowers incredible TD catch vs SC, MRJ's one handed spear of a pass behind him in the SECCG vs LSU. AD outfighting the AL DB for a 40 yd TD in the NCG. McIntosh had a circus catch made vs AL. I could go on but you get the idea. Don't remember that happening w/Beck last year. If fact Beck put a couple of balls on ASmith that were not receptions.
SBIV's 1st year of CFB starting (at UGA not JC) resulted in a 55% completion %. Beck's 1st year starting in CFB resulted in a 72% completion %. More often than not (and more often than most QB's) Beck puts the ball on his man.
So your point is that GS didn't have a chance to show off his arm throwing to MRJ because MRJ is not fast enough to run deep routes? We know GS has an arm but does he have touch and accuracy (yet)? Those refinements take time to develop. Based on the throws reported he missed, GS is still a work in progress (as expected).
As for Bazooka Joe. He is the exception not the rule. 10%(?) of CFB and NFL QB's can (maybe) throw a football 70 yards.
As for LMcC, it has been fun watching him develop. With his skills he is a fun player to watch. Is he a 1st rd pick? Probably not for a few reasons that have nothing to do with how good he is (when healthy). 1) there are only 32 1st rd picks. Across all of CFB, all positions. Just not likely that he will be 1 of the 1st 32. 2) This is a deep yr for wr's (Terrence Edwards). Making other wr's who had more production, are more prototypical NFL specimens, and didn't spend most of the SR season hurt with multiple injuries more likely to be selected.
CKS has chosen to be "by committee" at every position (except QB) on the field. This allows him to recruit , develop players/depth, keep guys healthier and keep multiple guys happier/in the program. "By committee" does not allow wr's or RB's to rack up Heisman numbers. Some guys see the value in that and some guys don't.
@UGADad20 ref Ladd going in the first round. His best option looks like pick 32 with the Chiefs. If they pass then Washington @36 or should I even say Atlanta mid round
he could go earlier if a team wanted to trade up to low 20s to get him
this is part of the enjoyment of draft season Following the dawgs as they step into the NFL and any speculation around the draft from a fan it’s just fun and a WILD GUESS!!!
@randomsportsfan "unofficial" is very unofficial -- it was the reporter timing with stopwatch from a distance
Best place to look is NFL.com -- eventually players draft profiles will be updated. Media aren't allowed to get close enough to time accurately.
KC seems to like UGA players. They have had a number of them and brought back Mecole Hardman last year. KC acquired/signed (small, fast) WR Marquise Brown yesterday. Seems unlikely that they would use their #1 rd pick on LMcC now.