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Comments
I hear what you're saying, and I'm concerned too - I want to beat Bama just as much or more than the next UGA fan. But let's take another look at the other draft-eligible Bulldogs this year before we panic (my subjective thoughts):
Eric Stokes - 3 star - Overperformed. Development win.
Azeez Ojulari - 4 star - Overperformed and beat out other 5 star OLBs. Development win.
Tyson Campbell - 5 star - Could argue he underperformed, given his lofty recruiting ranking, but will still be drafted at top of 2nd. Given many chances to succeed, starting his freshman year.
Ben Cleveland - 4 star - likely will go day 2. I would argue he neither significantly over-performed, nor significantly under-performed.
Monty Rice - 4 star - solid collegiate career (finalist for Butkus award), but draft position likely held back by the fact that he does not have the speed NFL is looking for in a LB these days. Nothing the coaching staff can do about that.
DJ Daniel - 4 star - solid collegiate career, if unspectacular. Neither coaching/development fail or win, in my mind
Trey Hill - 4 star - top 150 recruit - started 14 games as a sophomore, draft position likely impacted by surgery on both knees. Neither major coaching/development fail or win
Mark Webb - 4 star - Never really found footing as CB or WR, could argue coaching fail
Malik Herring - 4 star recruit - Solid, if unspectacular contributor - neither coaching fail/win.
Richard LeCounte - 5 star - Draft stock took hit due to motorcycle accident and subsequent testing numbers. Not a development issue, IMO.
Tre McKitty - Played at GA one year - hard to draw conclusions on coaching/development.
So, looking at that, I don't see a ton of 5 stars that flopped, or even 4 stars. You could argue that more of those 4 stars should be developed into stars, but for the most part I think a lot of these kids played as should be expected. Over the next couple drafts we'll see more 5 stars enter the draft (Adam Anderson, Nolan Smith, etc.) - so maybe that will result in higher UGA draft picks. That might be more indicative. But at this point I don't buy the argument that UGA coaching failed to develop these players properly.
Bamas 2017 Class was second highest all time and was preceded by 10 straight top 1-2 classes. They were stacked with cherry picked prospects before CKS got started in 2017 and 2018. Misleading comparisons to date focusing on number of first round picks.
While it is always cool to say "that guy was a Dawg," evaluating the program based on what players do after they leave is ludicrous. We have an annual top five program because of Coach Smart, his selection of coaches and the way they all do their jobs.
We have NEVER BEEN an annual top 5 program prior to Kirby's homecoming. There are so many reasons to love/hate UGA right now. The more they hate us the better off we are. The only folks evaluating their program based on alumni being successful in the NFL are those that don't really have a shot at regular season glory. I'll take one loss seasons, January games and Saturday success over Sunday potential every day.
I don't watch the NFL anymore and really don't care how these guys pan out as pros. But, the fact that Bama is consistently putting 4-6 guys in the first round is an indication of just how far ahead of everyone else that program is, including UGA. It doesn't matter if those 6 Bama guys succeed in the NFL, what matters is that the best of the best NFL evaluators perceive these guys as the best of the best players. That is why Bama has consistently been the team to beat year after year after year. It's a well-oiled assembly line lead by the greatest college coach in history.
It is true that we went from a perennial Top 10 team to at perennial Top 5 team. We are definitely moving in the right direction...but Saban will continue to be a thorn in everyone's side until he retires. If Saban had retired 4 years ago, UGA would probably be the dominant program. Alas....it doesn't appear Saban is going anywhere.
The 2022 draft will be a bumper class for UGA as far as the top 50 picks go. JT, Salyer, Jordan Davis, maybe Pickens, Trayvon Walker, ANderson, Wyatt, Quay Walker ,Nolan Smith, Nakobe Dean, Tindall to name a few . Hopefully a few of these underclassmen will decide to "play it back" and improve their draft stock even if incrementally.
That said, just like BAMA's run to the title in 2021 with their bumper draft class this year UGA needs to take advantage of this haul of spectacular players. If not I believe we will look back after next year's draft and think what a waste of talent.
Win a Natty and the first round picks will come. Just that simple Bama this year and LSU the year before.. seeing a player on that stage hoisting the Natty can make a difference.And as far as players staying if I remember correctly Chubb and Micheal came back for their senior years.
I agree with the idea that staying can work in a player's interests. They all want to get that million dollar check written, and I'm sure we are all rooting for them to get it, too, but patience and hard work might be the best way to get it. The better the team is perceived, the better the individuals are perceived. That can affect draft positions--not always, but probably most of the time. Alabama has obviously sold their guys on the benefits (to the players) of staying for your senior year. You get a year stronger, bigger, more mature, and most importantly, you get your best year to shine for the scouts. I think we will do well this year because of the players who are returning--Davis, Wyatt, Daniels, White, Cook, Salyer, etc. Stokes made the decision to come back last year and it obviously paid off for him. It's a really tough call because there are risks either way.
If and this is a big IF, players who declare for the draft look at it as business decision then in some cases it makes sense to return for another year. If you look at the Bama players who returned for another year and were drafted in the first round, it would seem they all made the right decision. Harris and Leatherwood went from the second round to the first. The same holds true for Smith. Jones probably went from an undrafted free agent to a first round pick. Waddle was a junior and it made no sense for him to return.
These player decisions to a great degree based on honest evaluations, and trust in the person who is advising them and to a degree the maturity of the player. It would seem on the surface that Saban is better at this than Kirby.
What is equally interesting is how so many posters seem to disagree with Kirby on the importance of the draft. Kirby indicates it is critical to the recruiting effort. He down plays the other things that we sometimes consider like NC, facilities, academics, etc. If you stop and consider that the players being recruited by the major football programs all are looking at the end goal of getting to the league then what Kirby is saying is correct. I think you will see more and more of this going forward. From a player’s perspective it is who can do the best job of preparing me for the future.
What we do know about recruiting is the intangibles are very important but do not seem to be taken into consideration in awarding a player a particular star rating. You have 3 and 4 stars who have strong work ethics and become first round draft picks. You also have 5 stars who never quite live up to expectations and end up being a late round pick or not drafted at all. This had to be part of the evaluation process.
Some folks can't put 2 + 2 together and get 4.
Simple fact is if we(UGA) recruits just as well as BAMA and yet it seems that in the last few years BAMA has had almost 4 times the 1st round draft picks that UGA has had, if so, then a fair question is why? It's not preposterous. A thinking person might like to know why. Is it coaching? Not saying it is, but certainly worth considering.
One year of NFL 1st round draft picks doesn't tell a story, but 21-6 Saban over Kirby the past several years looks a little skewered in one direction. If it's not a big deal to you OK, but don't chastise others for pondering the difference .
If we had recruited below BAMA over those same years then of course one would expect a sharp contrast, however that's not the case, we are second to BAMA during this time period, only barely.
I for one am not "freaking out" but I am inquisitive enough to ponder why?
You raise an interesting question. I tend to look at who both UGA and UA are recruiting. Sometimes but less than many would think they are recruiting different players, in other words UGA will target someone and UA will not target that player or go all out to sign him. Two players I am following are Webb and Dalcourt for Bama. Webb was a 5 star center that we were thrilled to sign from AL. While Bama offered, they did not push very hard and in fact Saban never scheduled an in home visit. It seemed Saban felt Dalcourt, while a 4 star, was a better fit at Bama than Webb. It will be interesting to see how their respective careers progress. This may be a case of intangibles.
You imply and I tend to agree that something is missing or is just not right. All I can think of is the culture and getting players to buy in. One thing is the more successful a program is by whatever metric one chooses to measure the easier it is getting players to buy in to the culture that has been established. Some of this might be that Kirby is still trying to establish his culture as well as his coaching identity.
What I find a bit amazing is how this continues year after year at UA even with a constant turnover in coaches. One can only hope that with each coming year UGA narrows the gap till there is no gap.
I didn't read this whole thread and I apologize if this has already been stated but last night's draft was very heavy offense. Alabama's draftees were offensive guys. Most of the night were offensive guys. The majority of our offense has come back for their senior year this year and UGA is very heavy defense in this draft. So, if taken in that context this whole freaking out about only 1 player being drafted in the first round doesn't make much sense.
...anyone wanna look at the Rounds 1-3 snapshot and overreact? Either direction, just pick a side and go. It’s irrational, but entertaining...
So, continue...