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Marvin Jones Jr. to miss spring drills due to surgery per report
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Marvin Jones Jr. to miss spring drills due to surgery per report
One of Georgia’s top 2022 signees will not be able to practice with the team this spring as he recovers from shoulder surgery. Marvin Jones Jr. is expected to miss all of spring drills after having surgery, according to a report from Jake Rowe of DawgsHQ.
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Could we see Xavier Sorey get practice and playing time with a shift to outside? We overly rich at ILB but painfully sparse at OLB.
Coming out of HS, Sorey looked like he could go either way. He certainly seems to have the physical gifts. We haven't seen much of him. Wondering why not.
Darn it. Hopefully the surgery will go well and he'll be ready to go forfall camp.
I have no idea if the roster data is correct on Sorey. But he is listed at 218 lb. ILB's have to run sideline to sideline and also be able to cover TE's and RB's. ILB's need speed, agility and athleticism. OLB, in the UGA scheme, are pass rushers going head to head with massive OT's. OLB's need power, strength and some "junk in the trunk".
Sorey just seems too light to play OLB. He hasn't played much anywhere. That is surprising. He may hit the TP after spring if he gets passed by the freshmen. At 218 lbs he is closer to the size of a S than an OLB.
The extra spring reps will help the 3 new OLB's. MJJr can get fully healthy and be ready to go for fall. He'll be needed.
Gosh I hate this for Marvin, but better to go ahead and get it done and come back for fall. He’s a very promising young player !!
@UGADad20 Hey I’m Not disagreeing with your take as it seems to me to be very reasonable. But there can be exceptions right ? I might have the wrong guy here, but wasn’t Nakobie Dean considered sort of light for his position ? Again not really disagreeing, just wondering if being light can be offset to some degree by pure muscular strength and speed ?
With all due respect to the upperclassmen, gotta get the talented redshirt and true freshmen as many snaps as possible throughout the spring and early/light schedule. Go Dawgs!
OK @UGADad20 To sort of answer my own question 😀. Your right as rain, don’t know what he was at UGA, but he’s now 231 lbs. so IF he weighed anywhere close to that at UGA and IF he was considered light at that time, Sorey would be Ultra light at 218. So I guess Sorey would have to have Phenomenal Strength to make up for that weight difference. OK I get you !! I was just curious.
Nolan Smith was an "undersized" Edge... he did just fine at UGA and is a top-round projection in the draft. Go Dawgs!
My brother had shoulder surgery...tricky rehab. Hope Marvin heals by fall. It takes months. He played all season ...limited...with a shoulder brace....and an ankle injury that kept him out of the LSU game. Kid is banged up.
Nakobe Dean played inside (as @khummel pointed out). So did Roquan, who was also undersized. Both those guys are around 6-feet tall. If I'm not mistaken, they played in the 220s at Georgia, although they're both now listed in the 230s. Maybe, you meant to write "Nolan Smith?" He was listed as 6-3/235 this season.
I guess @UGADad20 is right: If Sorey were to play outside and go downhill against tackles, he would need to be stouter. At 6-3, he has the kind of rangy body and (I'm guessing) long arms that can reach the QB and close off outside running lanes. It's also the kind of body that seems like it could handle more weight. But as best I can tell, he hasn't put on many pounds, while on campus.
I brought up Sorey because he was mentioned as a potential OLB when he was recruited. Also, there are lots of very fine OLBs around his current weight and even smaller. For example, nine of the 10 best college OLB's heading into the 2022 season were between 200 and 225 lbs, according to this list: https://arkansas.rivals.com/news/top-10-linebackers-in-college-football-entering-2022-season.
But maybe those other schools use their OLB's differently. UGADad's point is well taken that we demand a lot Edge-style rushing rushing from our OLBs. Marvin Jones and Chaz Chambliss check in at 250 (almost Mykel Williams size!), although Jalon Walker is only listed at 225.
Nolan Smith was an undersized OLB at 235 lbs. It is hard to believe Sorey is 218 lbs but there has to be a reason he isn't getting on the field much at all.
IF he is not physical enough to play ILB he certainly isn't physical enough to play OLB at 218 lbs.
Nolan Smith did okay as an OLB at UGA. Considering he was the #1 rated recruit his 12.5 sacks over 38 games would have to be considered disappointing. Had he been bigger and more powerful he would have been a better pass rusher. Pass rusher is the UGA OLB primary responsibility. Smith is bigger and more powerful than Sorey and he needed more bulk.
Good stuff. You are right that Sorey was mentioned as an ILB/OLB prospect.
The article you included shows the prospects weights from their high school Rivals profiles. Some as old as 2016. Doubtful those players are still at those weights.
JWalker played OLB out of desperation and mostly on passing downs when he didn't have EDGE responsibilities. He would need bulk to play there on a regular basis.
Same with Sorey. IF he is or could get to 6'4" 238 lbs he could play OLB with some success without getting beat down. Strength (and bulk) seems to be the one thing keeping him off the field.
I don't know how a guy can be in the UGA program for 3(?) yrs and NOT put on 20-30 lbs of muscle.
So just asking, strength and bulk in the UGA OLB are more so what they look for over speed and agility ? NOT that speed and agility aren’t important I know. Hey guys I learn something new from Yall all the time and I appreciate it !! I’m sort of embarrassed to admit this, but I kind of thought the reverse of that, that the ILB would need more strength and bulk over speed and agility. Been watching for years and years, and speaking For Me, never to old to learn something new !! Thx to all of Y’all for the info. !! Last question though, I wonder IF and where will Sorey fit in ??
UGA seems to have a "template"/physical profile for most positions. OL greater than 6'5" w/frame to bulk up to over 300 lb (320 lbs for OG). CB's greater than 6'1" preferred. OLB greater than 6'3" 235 lbs. Most of the WR's signed by CKS have been over 6'1". ILB has a profile too. FAST with a thump when they arrive.
Players come to mind who were pretty highly ranked and wanted to come to UGA but weren't pursued heavily. Jamyest Williams '17 DB from Grayson. #13 player from GA (Top 150 player) went to SC. No place at UGA for a 5'9" CB. Madden Sanker '23 OG from Douglasville is another. Top 200 player Top 20 player from GA rated higher than both OG UGA signed but "too small" topped out at 6'4" 299 lb.
OLB are basically light defensive ends and ILB are basically heavy strong safeties in Georgia's defense.
OLB rush the passer/run block eaters. ILB are in pass coverage (TE, RB, WR, screens), blitzing, run stoppers. Because of this, OLB need strength, ILB need speed.
Good analogy. Very similar to what I said below at 10:34 am. All I was trying to say is that UGA seems to look for a certain/typical/ preferred physical "form factor" to provide the skillset you mentioned.
Thx Bro. !! This great info. !! And the template is certainly working for Kirby !! That’s Why he won’t necessarily pursue Some 5 stars that other schools are hot after but he will take Some 3 star guys that he sees will help the Dawgs. Even if it might take a little more time to reap the investment. This is on the Offensive side of the ball but look at Ladd McConkey. The big Power 5 schools were by passing him. But Kirby had the vision to see what he Could do. Now what with Kirby being a top defensive mind we know he can look at guys tape and in person and get a great feel of whether they meet or even exceed the template you referenced. This might sound silly and I assure you I’m not trying to be, but I like your use of the word “template”. It fits the old adage of If it ain’t broke don’t fix it !! Kirby has established a template as you said that he strives to adhere to, and Obviously it’s working !! Thx again !! I’m learning !!
There are definitely guys on the UGA team that don't fit the "template" to a T. McConkey is one that comes to mind and of course SBIV. Though QB is a little different and McConkey (recruited for the slot) is listed at 6' . Slot wr's are typically smaller, quicker guys.
The physical template is an important piece of player selection (w/the NFL as well). But other characteristics factor into player selection. Temperament, character, willingness to work, intelligence (student athletes), skills and ability to develop. UGA is and can afford to be more selective than most other schools.
UGA passed on the #1 RB in '20 Zach Evans for character issues. At FU, Mullen took any guy he thought would help him catch UGA and was out 2 (?) yrs after winning the SECE.
Yes sir !! Exactly. Kirby and his staff have done an Excellent job getting guys that fit the template. In some Very rare cases they Might have missed on character. And I stress very rare, and might. But I imagine that that is probably the hardest part of evaluating a guy. Because some guys will Act the proper role but then when they actually get on campus and have a Responsibility to conduct themselves in a proper way, due to immaturity or what ever, they Don’t. To get a True insight of a guy’s Real character might be the toughest thing to evaluate. Like me for example, my parents Absolutely raised me the right way, they didn’t fail, but I’m ashamed to admit I was quite the hellion in my roughly 18-23 years. NOT proud of that At All. If a person went by my parents and my environment they’d have probably thought this kid will be OK. With me I was an ole country boy with Very little exposure to the world outside of my little country bubble. When I got out on my own, I made some very poor choices and decisions. But I put them behind me and went on to become a mature and responsible citizen. I didn’t commit any felonies, back then, I was just a party animal. I worked very hard. But in my off time I partied hard. Wine, women, and song as the old saying goes. Thank God He loves idiots to !! It’s actually pretty amazing when we think about it that Kirby and staff haven’t missed on Character more often, as people can be deceptive to get what they want. So when we consider All the many variables, it’s Wow he and staff have done a Phenomenal job !!
"I don't know how a guy can be in the UGA program for 3(?) yrs and NOT put on 20-30 lbs of muscle."
Agreed. Makes me wonder if the 214 lbs or 218 lbs are outdated. Most of the weights on the official roster seem to be what they were as recruits on 247.
So maybe, Sorey has put on some points. But it's academic, because he doesn't seem to be talked about as a potential OLB (i.e. I agree with your original point). Jalon or one of those three good-looking freshmen is likely to start with Chambliss, with the other three out of that group providing the depth.