Ray Drew trying to play his way into Bulldogs’ plans

Ray Drew is still Ray Drew. He’s still quick to make a joke or share a witty remark. Asked recently which position he hoped to man on Georgia’s defense this season, he laughed and said, “on the field.”

But there is a seriousness about the senior defensive lineman that hasn’t been as evident in years past. As the Bulldogs headed into their first game-simulation scrimmage of the preseason Saturday, it was clear that Drew is still trying to figure out how he fits into Georgia’s plans.

Drew, who led the Bulldogs’ linemen with six sacks last season, has been lining up primarily with Georgia’s third group in preseason practices. A seven-game starter at defensive end last season, it’s something about which he’s somewhat defensive.

“There’s no set depth chart right now,” Drew said. “Everybody’s getting the same amount of reps; everybody’s doing the same exact things. In all honesty, that’s what (defensive coordinator Jeremy) Pruitt tells us every day: ‘There’s no set depth chart and no need to worry about it. Just do what you’re coached to do.’ At the end of the day it will all work out.”

In all likelihood, Drew will be a big part of Georgia’s plans. It has tended to work out each of the past two seasons as the Bulldogs wrestled with how to utilize his talents.

• Drew came to Georgia as a heavily recruited 6-foot-5, 240-pound outside linebacker. He played in seven games as a freshman and earned SEC co-freshman of the week honors after logging three tackles for loss and recovering a fumble in a win over Vanderbilt.
• But Drew quickly grew out of the linebacker position, and the Bulldogs moved him to defensive end as a sophomore. Again, it took a while, but he started to show great promise late in the season. He played in all but one game and had a career-high eight tackles in a win over Georgia Tech.
• In the 2013 season, Drew proved to be a force in the Bulldogs' pass rush. His six sacks tied teammate Garrison Smith for most on the defensive front. He also made 43 tackles and played in every game.

Enter 2014 and Drew finds himself playing for his third position coach in as many years. Rodney Garner moved to Auburn after the 2012 season and Chris Wilson left for USC after the 2013 season. Former Auburn and NFL star defensive lineman Tracy Rocker took over in January.

With each change came subtle changes in technique, in terminology, in expectations. Through it all, Drew has worked hard to give them what they want.

“With coach Rock coming in, he does a lot more coaching,” Drew said. “I know that sounds crazy, but he’s teaches us more moves and trying to get us out of the norm and things of that nature. … He’s trying to individualize it and figure out who does what best and on what side. If a situation comes up in a game, he’ll know who to place where.”

Based on the trajectory of his career to this point, Drew would figure to be in line for a starting job in his senior season. But, for the moment at least, that doesn’t appear to be the case. In daily drills at least, juniors Sterling Bailey and Josh Dawson have been lining up ahead of him.

“Ray’s doing good,” Rocker said. “I’m not worried about where they are now. … It’s not where you’re located, it’s what you’re doing to make us say, ‘OK, we’re getting better.’ But we don’t get caught up on where you are on the depth chart. There’s plenty of guys in NFL camps at the bottom of the depth chart. What are they doing? Working. That’s what we’re doing here.”

And Drew said that’s what he’s doing. With only nine players overall working on the line, Drew figures there will be plenty of playing time for everybody.