UGA blog finds new home
Morning all. As I’ve said a couple of times this week, we’re converting this blog over to a WordPress platform and it will be a permanent move the first of next week.
Those of you who are regulars probably know that I’m not what you’d call techno-wizard when it comes to these things. But from what I understand the technology offered in this new format should make the blogging and commenting experience better for all. Of course, I’ll be learning as we go along, too. But I’m hoping to provide more pictures and video and things like that which should bring the blog more to life.
Of course, this blog is nothing without all you guys so I want to heartily invite (read: beg) you to come over to the new site by CLICKING HERE ON THE NEW ADDRESS and save it in your browsers. As of Monday, Feb. 23rd, this will be the permanent home of the UGA blog you so love or, in the case of some of you, love to loathe. If you’d prefer to copy and paste or just memorize, the new address is: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/.
See at the new place!
AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2008 > August > 21
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Southerland a flawed NFL prospect?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t know if you’ve had a chance to check out the newly formatted daily online paper the Sporting News is producing but it’s definitely worth a glimpse if you get a chance. Our former college editor Jeff D’Alessio is running the show over there now and it really is a neat concept.
That said, I’m not sure I’ve ever read more horse-patooie than I did when I perused Russ Lande’s draft projection on Georgia fullback Brannan Southerland. Lande projects Southerland as a fifth-round pick and I have no qualms with that. That’s probably a reasonable slot for a fullback as far as I know but I have never been able to figure out what in the world NFL scouts are thinking and I’m not going to try now.
What I disagree with is most of what Lande writes under “weaknesses” for Southerland. This is a subscription deal so I don’t know if y’all will able to follow the link so here’s what Lande wrote under that heading:
“Weaknesses: Is not a premier athlete. Struggles to bend knees for low lead blocks, limiting movement. Tends to stop moving his feet after initial blow and will fall off the block. Shows stiff hip movements, struggling to block moving targets in the open field. Is not a strong and powerful runner inside - gets tripped up by low arm tackles.”
I have to assume this guy Lande has seen Southerland play in person or at least on video because how else could he possibly write authoritatively on this subject if he didn’t spend time doing that. But “struggles to bend knees for low lead blocks, limiting movement? and “shows stiff hip movements?” Are you joking?
Tell that to Auburn linebacker Tray Blackmon as he’s knocked out of the play on this long run by Thomas Brown. Perhaps Lande should consult the two Yellow Jackets taken out by Southerland on this TD run last fall.
And maybe Southerland is not the greatest runner in the world but Georgia doesn’t ask him to do it much other than around the goal line. That’s where most of his 21 career TDs have come from, five of them on receptions. Last time I checked NFL teams are drafting tailbacks to do the running and fullbacks to do the blocking.
These draft “experts” crack me up with their references to “hip movements” and “knee bend.” It’s like they all go to Mel Kiper Jargon School to learn how to verbalize the tiny flaws only they can see. Never mind that Southerland is a little over 6-feet tall, weighs 248 pounds, runs a 4.6 40-yard dash and is the third-strongest player on Georgia’s team, linemen included. Never mind that he’s a model student. Never mind that he’s the consummate football player.
NFL GMs be warned: Southerland has stiff hips!
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