Bark and Bite?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There is a lot of hype surrounding the 2021 University of Georgia football team; five straight years of top five recruiting classes, close calls with Alabama on the national stage and other heartbreaks.
The big question is this team ready to break through and win that first national title since Jimmy Carter was President of the United States?
Many say it’s now or never for UGA, but I don’t agree with that mentality. UGA, under Kirby Smart, has established itself as an annual contender for SEC Championships. SEC Champions typically get a bid to the College Football Playoff.
The news out of Athens, other than the George Pickens injury, has been positive this spring.
JT Daniels has developed into a leader both on and off the field.
With the loss of Pickens, the WR room is still very talented.
The defense could be the best in the country, and Georgia’s 2022 recruiting class is currently ranked in the top three in the nation.
A lot of things have to break your way to have a national championship season and that starts with a schedule that you can navigate through. Let’s rank UGA’s 2021 opponents from 12 to 1.
12.Charleston Southern: The Buccaneers roll into Athens late in the season sandwiched in between Tennessee and Georgia Tech. This one will be over before the coin flip.
11.Vanderbilt: Vandy will be in total rebuild mode with a new head coach and a roster that needs major upgrades. Vanderbilt bailed out of the UGA game in 2020, even after the game was rescheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Georgia will want to make them pay for that decision.
10.South Carolina: The Gamecocks are starting over with a new head coach also, but ruined UGA’s regular season in 2019 with an upset win.
Carolina spoiled UGA seasons in 2000, 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2019. UGA better be prepared.
9.UAB: UAB went 6-3 last season, and was invited to a bowl game before it got canceled.
8.@ Georgia Tech: UGA and Tech did not play in 2020, and the pandemic cost UGA a home game in the series.
Tech is improving fast and this game starts moving back up high in the opponent rankings in 2022 and beyond.
7.@ Tennessee: The Tennessee program is in maybe the worse shape at any point in the history of the program.
The NCAA is about to drop the hammer on major recruiting violations, and it make take a while for this program to recover.
6.Kentucky: At home in October the Dawgs will handle The Cats.
5.Arkansas: The Razorbacks travel to Athens on 10/2, and this will not be an easy game for UGA. We all watched the first half last year at Arkansas.
4.Missouri: Another program that is improving fast, and UGA better be ready to play the Tigers coming off the Florida game the previous week.
3.@ Auburn: New coach at Auburn, but look at Auburn’s history some of their best seasons ever have come with first year coaches in 1993 and 2013. This team has talent and this will be a war. This game has now been moved to October permanently.
2.Florida in Jacksonville: The SEC East will be on the line Halloween weekend. UF beat UGA 44-28 in 2020, won the East and ruined UGA’s season. Enough said.
1.Clemson in Charlotte: UGA opens the season on 9/4 with the Tigers and we will know right away if this UGA team is ready for primetime.
Clemson is as talented as anyone and is in the College Football Playoff annually.
The 2021 UGA schedule sets up nicely for a title run.
Let The Kids Play
By: Buck Blanz
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
After watching the Braves vs. Nationals, I began to think about the same debate that has gone on since the two made their Major League Debut in 2018.
Who would you prefer as a centerpiece for your baseball franchise, Ronald Acuná Jr. or Juan Soto?
Juan Soto hit a walkoff single to win the Season Opener for the Washington Nationals and extend the Braves losing streak to four games.
In that same game Acuña hit two solo shot homers off of Max Scherzer and one of those being the first pitch of the ball game.
Acuña has played a pivotal role in the Braves three consecutive division championships, whereas Juan Soto was a key contributor for the Nationals World Series victory over the Houston Astros in 2019.
Juan Soto is just about 10-months younger than Ronald Acuña Jr. and both have had an immense impact on their teams, as well as sending ripples throughout the MLB with their top-tier talent displayed on the field.
Their MLB debuts were both within a month of one another and neither of the two have looked back since… so why not take a look and see how they stack up against one another at the beginning of their fourth season.
Ronald Acuña Jr.: Career Stats: .281 AVG/.371 OBP/.911 OPS, 83 Home Runs, 61 Doubles, 198 RBI’s, with 63 Stolen Bases.
Throughout Acuna’s time in Atlanta, he is probably most known for his spark and swagger while he plays the game.
As a result, the Braves coaching staff decided to insert Ronald at the top of the batting lineup in order to ‘get the ball rolling’ and it’s fair to say it works more often than not.
Ronald gets a lot of respect at the plate but that often results in the fans overlooking what he is capable of in the outfield. With his terrific speed and a cannon for an arm, Acuña is consistently a threat to throw anyone out from his position in right field.
Which is just further proof of why Acuña is consistently in the mix for a National League MVP, along with his teammate Freedie Freeman the 2020 National League MVP.
There is no doubt about the electricity Ronald provides Braves Country but the downside for Acuña would be that his arrogance gets the best of the 23-year-old at times.
Most say that will come with time as he will mature throughout his career in Atlanta.
However, Acuña has already acquired outstanding awards such as the NL Rookie of the Year in 2018 as well as the Silver Slugger Award in 2019 and 2020.
Juan Soto: Career Stats: .285 AVG/.416 OBP/.971 OPS, 69 Home Runs, 71 Doubles, 218 RBI’s, with just 24 Stolen Bases.
After being a runner-up to Acuna’s rookie of the year honors in 2018, Soto has been one of the most dependable guys on a daily basis in all of baseball.
He put his name on the map with his performances throughout the 2019 postseason, where the Nationals won their first and only World Series Title with the help of Soto’s clutch performances.
Soto delivered again and again for Washington in that playoff run and continues to play well under the spotlight.
Soto is much better at waiting for his pitch than Acuña is, helping him to his impressive on base percentage at .416 through his career thus far.
However, the biggest difference between these two players would be speed.
Soto is just not able to match the speed and strength that Acuna brings to the table each night.
At the same time, Soto’s poise on the big stage, as well as his calm demeanor is what seems to make him slightly more attractive to some people than Acuña.
Safe to say that both these outstanding outfielders are two of the best in the game, but who would you rather build your baseball club around, Acuña or Soto?
The Disruptive Types
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Since 2013, at least one pass rusher has been drafted in the top five each year. However, that eight-year run will assuredly end this year. This year Rush End is loaded in terms of depth between picks 20-150.
There is tremendous talent available but many of the top prospects are young and not as proven as many of the prospects we have seen in the prior years like Myles Garrett, Chase Young, and the Bosa brothers.
Teams will be hesitant and cautious when looking at this area on the football field. Azeez Ojulari is my top defensive end available but there is currently no clear-cut number two.
1.Azeez Ojulari, 6-2, 241, Georgia: Ojulari was the best pass rusher in the SEC in 2020 while leading the conference in sacks, tackles for loss and forced fumbles.
He is a dangerous edge rusher with elite quickness and puts good pressure on the quarterback.
Ojulari uses his burst and bend to attack the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle while establishing the corner and detaches from blockers with violent hands. Ojulari lacks elite size and length but that shouldn’t limit his NFL ceiling.
- Gregory Rousseau, 6-7, 265, Miami:Rousseau has been the consensus top defensive end prospect for the 2021 NFL Draft, but most of his college production came from rushing in the A Gap.
He is an intelligent player when it comes to breaking down pass rush execution. Rousseau is not a fast, explosive pass rusher and is not overly physical, but he is a faith-based prospect with the length, frame and athleticism that leave defensive coordinators drooling.
- Kwity Paye, 6-3, 271, Michigan: Paye has size, speed, athleticism and improving technique. He looks like a player with big upside for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Paye has rare lower body twitch and fluidity for his size and uses his physical hands to attack the point of attack.
Paye’s pass rushing toolbox isn’t very deep right now, but he is a compact, explosive athlete with menacing energy. He showed improving pass rushing moves and toughness versus the run in his final college season.
- Jaelan Phillips, 6-5, 265, Miami: Phillips has first round talent with his body type, twitchy athleticism and a nose for the football, but unfortunately the medical feedback will ultimately decide his NFL Draft grade.
He is very smooth in his upfield attack and redirects blockers naturally. He uses his hands as weapons and rushes with his curls on fire. Phillips has a good skill set with strength to shed blocks and hold the edge in run defense.
- Carlos Basham, 6-3, 281, Wake Forest:Basham is rarely controlled due to his active play style, power, and hustle, which directly leads to his production.
He has shown the skills to be able to rush from the edge and tackle in sub packages.
His hands have a lot of pop, but his stiff hips off the ball show when he’s trying to bend the corner.
Basham needs to improve his pass rush creativity; but his size, explosiveness and effort make him a safe pick to become a solid starter in the NFL.
- Jayson Oweh, 6-5, 255, Penn State: Oweh is super explosive with his first two steps, making him consistently disruptive and affecting the backfield’s action.
He was not productive in college, notching just four sacks over his last 18 games, but he has a projectable body and moves differently than most athletes his size, but his pro-level instincts are lacking.
The 6 foot 5, 255 pounder is a workout warrior with shocking speed. He is a high risk, high reward pass rush prospect. Don’t let activity outshine production.
- Joe Tryon, 6-4, 263, Washington; 8. Joseph Ossai, 6-3, 255, Texas; 9. Payton Turner, 6-5, 270, Houston; 10. Ronnie Perkins, 6-3, 248, Oklahoma.
This isn’t a great draft for high end, eye popping talent at the defensive line. There is talent, no doubt or disrespect to any of these athletes and their ability, but there’s not a Chase Young or Aaron Donald type that jumps off the page as top 10 future highlight-making picks.
This year, there are players with high ceilings, and low floors who are physically gifted.
Strategize
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As society in general strives to return to some type of normalcy, the sports world does the same.
We’ve finished an NFL season many people never thought would happen (or never hoped would happen if you’re a Jags fan), the MLB season has started (now with non-cardboard fans!), and the return of what was the first major casualty of the 2020 COVID shutdown – the NCAA Tournament.
Yes, March Madness is back (offer may not be valid in parts of Virginia, Florida, and North Carolina, see your respective alumni association for details).
Full disclosure; I don’t really care for college basketball, but I love March Madness.
Like Mike Golic, back when ESPN Radio had a listenable morning show, I fill out one “sheet of integrity” every year. One sheet only, and I do zero research. None whatsoever.
In fact, every year it surprises me when the tournament even begins.
I wait to hear from that one friend. I think we all have that one friend that has always been the basketball guru of your social circle.
Maybe it’s you in yours, but in mine, it’s the father of two softball obsessed girls and current owner of three out of the last four championships in our fantasy football league.
A fraternity brother I shall refer to as “Hola Pablo.” Every year he sends out the invitations to the bracket pool, and every year I make my selections as blind as an ACC referee working an Alabama championship game.
That doesn’t mean I don’t have a strategy. I have several actually, and they all came into play in this year’s brackets.
1.Find a team that’s just fun to say. That’s why I always go a little farther than I should with Gonzaga. Accentuate the middle syllable. Gon-ZAAAAAG-uh. Fun! I picked them to win it all this year.
2.Be a homer, but not too much of a homer. As a Dawg, this one’s tough.
Kind of hard to root for the home team when they’ve only made the tourney 12 times total.
So instead, I went big on SEC teams, having Arkansas, Alabama, and LSU all winning their first round at least.
Not Tennessee, though. Never pick the Vols to win anything. Or Florida for that matter. I have standards.
3.If it reminds you of an ex or makes you nostalgic for the ‘80s, pick ‘em. Kansas? Check. UNC & Georgetown? Well, there’s no Duke this year, so go for it. Oral Roberts? Weird flex, but okay…
4.Remember the Dirty Dozens. I read somewhere years ago that there’s always at least one 12 seed that beats the 5 seed. It’s happened every year since UCLA was still buying championships, so I always go heavy on the 12s. Three out of four this year.
5.If God is on their side, you should be on their side. If there’s a “Saint” or “Holy” or “Christian” in their school name, or if they have an adorable nun that suspiciously knows a little too much about hoops without an assist from the almighty, you best hedge your bets.
Best not to prime yourself for awkward questions from St. Peter.
6.Avoid family squabbles. Yyyyeah, not this year. Remember Hola Pablo? He’s a Wolverine, his wife is a Seminole.
I had them going face to face in the Sweet 16, and I didn’t want to be the one to pick the Noles to make the Final Four…but I did, and hoped he didn’t notice. Which brings us to…
7.For the love of Pete, DON’T TALK SMACK. Unless of course you wind up winning the thing…which occasionally happens, broken clock being right twice a day & all that.
Not often though, so don’t go all big & bad in the comments unless you enjoy backpedaling like a South Georgia high school football coach caught on tape with a booster.
So how did I do this year? Not good. True, I did go 2-2 on the “12s over 5s” rule, I picked Oral Roberts to go just as far as they did & no further, and my national championship pick is still in the running, but I dropped a final four team in each of the first three rounds (Purdue, Illinois, FSU).
I’m in 6th place out of 7, and the best I can do is finish 4th.
Oh well, maybe next year. At least I have the MLB All Star game in Atlanta to look forward to…wait. Nevermind.
Predictions
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
April is a pretty good sports month on the calendar. Opening day for MLB, final four in college basketball, Masters, NFL draft.
It is an action-packed month on the sports landscape.
Here are some of my predictions for the month of April, and notice that I put my predictions in writing, which is much different than some guy I do a Saturday morning radio show with.
1.The Atlanta Braves will win the NL East, but they will not be leading the division at the end of April.
It may take a few weeks for the Braves bats to heat up if Spring Training was any indication.
The pitching staff will keep this team in games until the bats come around.
Ronald Acuna Jr. will hit 10 home runs during the month of April. Acuna will be the one hot bat in the lineup until the others follow suit.
2.The Baylor Bears will win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship by beating Gonzaga in the championship game. This Baylor team is complete and will show that to the nation this weekend.
3.With the Roy Williams retirement look for North Carolina to lure a big-name coach from another program.
Mark Few of Gonzaga or Jay Wright of Villanova will be the next head basketball coach at UNC.
Carolina has struggled lately on the hardcourt. Tony Bennett of Virginia is a name to watch as well for this opening if the two above balk.
4.Jon Rahm will win The Masters. Rahm finished 4th in 2018, and has top 4 finishes in the US Open and PGA Championship since 2018.
Rahm is due to win a major and his game is just too good not to have a Green Jacket.
5.The Jacksonville Jaguars will select Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence with the first overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. This has been a lock since last Christmas.
6.The Atlanta Falcons trade the 4th overall selection to the Denver Broncos and get out of the QB sweepstakes and take Oregon OL Penei Sewell with the 9th selection in the first round and gain draft capital from Denver by trading down and take the best offensive lineman in the draft to protect Matt Ryan in the twilight of his career.
7.With 5 QB’s being taken in the first 8 selections possibly it means some terrific players slide down the first-round draft board.
8.The Jaguars, who also select at pick 2,5 have LB Azeez Ojulari of UGA fall right into their lap to pump some life into a pass rush that only registered 18 sacks in 2020.
This would be a dream scenario for Jacksonville.
9.By the end of April former Glynn Academy two sport star Randon Jernigan settles into a starting slot in UGA outfield in time to make an impact as Georgia improves down the stretch in the 2021 season.
Currently batting .261, Jernigan boosts his batting average to around .300 going into the SEC tournament and will lead the Bulldogs in stolen bases.
10.Mike Soroka finishes his rehab assignment and is activated by the Braves by the end of April. Soroka will go on and have a great year for Atlanta.
Bonus Pick: The Glynn Academy Red Terror baseball team will win Region 2-AAAAAA and will be the number one seed from this region in the State playoffs.
There you have it folks. If you have some extra cash floating around then I have given you sure bets to fatten your wallet.
Bring The Beef
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2021 NFL Draft’s offensive line class has depth and volume at the position.
The O-line class’s first three rounds are even better than the studs from a year ago.
All the players below are expected to be Top-50 picks, they include both tackles and interior blockers. Protecting franchise quarterbacks from harm is worth these big guy’s weight in gold.
This class features several first round prospects that are versatile enough to play as interior or bookend protectors in the NFL.
1.Penei Sewell, OT, 6-6, 325, Oregon; Sewell opted out the shortened Pac-12 season and is a better prospect than the four tackles who were high first rounders last April (2020 NFL Draft – Andrew Thomas, Jerdick Willis, Mekhi Becton and Tristian Wirfs).
Sewell is an excellent athlete with real quickness on the edge. He pops out of his stance, gets his hands into the chest of defenders and has quick feet for speedy end or LB blitzes.
He is dangerous when he slips to the second level and gets nasty with bullying linebackers and defensive backs. Top 10 selection easily.
- Rashawn Slater, OT/G/C, 6-3, 306 Northwestern; Slater is a quick and agile athlete.
Given his lack of height and length, he might be a better fit on the inside line at guard or center. Watching the 2019 tape versus Ohio State’s Chase Young (NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year), Slater did not give up a sack, a quarterback hit, or even a hurry. Top 15 selection
- Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT/G, 6-4, 315, USC; Vera-Tucker has versatility playing to left guard in 2019 and left tackle in 2020.
Vera Tucker is an easy mover with athleticism, quickness and agility. He can glide next to speed rushers with ease.
He is a natural knee bender, who maintains great leverage while avoiding bending at the waist. He does a nice job of scrapping and keeping his hands fighting to sustain blocks. Top 20 selection
- Christian Darrisaw, OT, 6-5, 314, Virginia Tech; Darrisaw has good size that fits his mean streak well.
He shows efficient slide quickness in pass protection as well as being a bulldozer in the run game. While he shows the ability to manhandle defenders, he tends to take plays off.
Darrisaw needs to become a more consistent and disciplined finisher and improve his hand engagement. Mid to late 1st round
- Teven Jenkins, OT, 6-6, 320, Oklahoma State; Jenkins opted out in late November after suffering a lower back injury.
His Pro Day physical will be important for his draft position. Jenkins is a big edge protector who is extremely strong at the point of contact.
He doesn’t relinquish any engaged block until he either pancakes his opponent or removes them completely from the play. He has a nice, fluid, side to side kick slide and easily mirror’s edge rushers. Mid to late 1st
- Liam Eichenberg, OT, 6-5, 305, Notre Dame; Eichenberg is not viewed as the same caliber of athlete as the top 5 on my list, but he has NFL measurables and impeccable fundamental blocking skills make him a solid bookend offensive tackle.
Eichenberg has to expand his use of angles to defend speed rushers. He has accurate hand strikes and a demeanor to offset his lack of lateral mobility. Late 1st early 2nd,
- Sam Cosmi, OT, 6-6, 295, Texas; Cosmi is raw undisciplined talent that needs development, but athletically he is a freak, about on par with our top 5s ability.
Cosmi blocks with quickness and urgency in pass protection, usually marrying his eyes with his hands and maintaining a square base. Cosmi needs to get bigger and stronger to compete at the next level. Late 1st early 2nd
The 2021 NFL offensive line draft class has impact players at guard, tackle and center; the offensive line is one of the positions that stand out as a strength in this year’s draft.
Red Terrors’ Devlin
By: Buck Blanz
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The last few years the Glynn Academy Terrors have had successful seasons, but often ending just short of their goals in the GHSA Playoffs.
Rocky Hidalgo and his staff are hoping to continue the regular season success and make a deep playoff push. They will put their best foot forward heading into the 2021 season with a new name under center.
A season ago the Terrors were able to win a share of the region championship and are only looking to build on that success with rising Junior, Tyler Devlin at the helm of the Glynn Academy offense.
Rocky Hidalgo and his coaching staff are looking forward to seeing how exactly Tyler’s game can help propel the Terrors into a state title contender.
Devlin began his high school career at the GISA-AAA School, Frederica Academy, starting as a freshman before deciding to transfer out and attend the much larger Glynn Academy.
Devlin said “he just felt like it was the right time” when asked why he decided to transfer and has done considerably well with all of the different hats he’s had to wear since arriving last fall.
Outside of his baseball season, which he is currently in the middle of, Devlin played JV for Glynn Academy a season ago while also being the backup for the Terrors Varsity team at Quarterback.
Devlin split time with the JV and Varsity team, which had to be difficult while learning a new system but he never shied away from doing what was asked.
Devlin played both safety and wide receiver for the Terrors, while also learning a brand new playbook, further demonstrating to his teammates and coaches that no task is too big for the talented young athlete.
In just a few months, Devlin has created an outstanding reputation within his coaching staff labeling him as a ‘competitor’, as well as gaining the trust of each one of his teammates. This has earned him the opportunity to lead the Terrors out onto the field on Friday nights.
Hidalgo said “he reminds me a lot of Randon Jernigan with how he carries himself and is able to make his teammates around him better”.
Once again demonstrating Devlin’s will to win, but in the right way. Hidalgo also mentioned that while Tyler is not the most outspoken player, he is highly respected due to the fact that when he speaks his teammates listen.
With such high praise from his head coach, Tyler is hoping to make waves throughout the State with his innate leadership skills and how he demands the best from his teammates every day in practice.
In previous years under coach Hidalgo the Terrors have been known for their offensive attack through the speed option, but look for Glynn Academy to have a few new tricks up their sleeves in the upcoming season.
With an elusive man behind center like Devlin, who likes to think of himself as a Johnny Manziel-Esque’ style quarterback, it allows the play calling to be much more creative.
Fortunately for Tyler. these plays will allow him to get outside the pocket often and showcase his skills with his speed and elusive nature.
Although Devlin is a young quarterback, he has a considerable amount of experience in big games. From starting as a freshman at Frederica Academy to seeing some action late last season in the playoffs, Devlin is looking to put his best foot forward heading into his junior season.
Devlin and his coaches have already begun working on his footwork as well as taking the time to sit down and dissect some film to help slow the game down for a talented young man like Tyler.
After the Terrors finished 8-4 a season ago and lost to Langston Hughes in the second round of the Playoffs, Tyler Devlin still has a bad taste in his mouth and has his sights set on something much bigger for next season.
The Green Jacket
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
My wife and I were riding around town last week and we commented on a blooming Dogwood tree we drove by.
I said its Masters time baby. We get an unexpected treat in a couple of weeks and that is we will enjoy our second Masters Tournament in 5 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2020 Masters was played last November with Dustin Johnson claiming his first Green Jacket.
The Favorites:
Dustin Johnson: Johnson is the betting favorite to win back-to-back in Augusta.
Johnson has the ability to overpower a golf course, and if the putter is clicking then he will be in the mix.
Johnson has been playing well and we will see if everything comes together again. Johnson is a player that plays well in major championships. Johnson is also the 2016 US Open champion.
Justin Thomas: Thomas just won The Players Championship, so his game is peaking going into Augusta.
Thomas may be the best player in the world at the moment, and a Green Jacket in 2021 could be the first of many. This is a guy to keep a close eye on.
Thomas finished 4th in the 2020 Masters. Thomas won the 2017 PGA Championship.
Rory McIlroy: Rory needs the Masters to cap off the career grand slam. His best finish at Augusta is 4th back in 2015. Rory is searching for his game right now.
He just brought in a new swing coach and trying to find your game right before coming to Augusta National is like trying to mix oil and water.
Could it all come together for Rory in a couple of weeks? At 31 years of age there is plenty of time to get that elusive Green Jacket.
Jon Rahm: Currently ranked 3rd in the World Golf Rankings Rahm is due to win a major championship.
His best finish at Augusta is 4th and he has top 5 finishes in the US Open and PGA Championship.
Have you ever known a Spanish golfer that doesn’t have a great short game? Rahm will be the next major champion from Spain.
Brooks Koepka: This guy just plays well in the major championships. He has a couple of US Open’s and PGAs to his name. He finished in a tie for 2nd in the 2019 Masters.
He will be near the top of the leaderboard and will be a factor on Sunday. His game is rounding into form currently.
Bryson DeChambeau: The current US Open champion has not played well at Augusta. His best finish is 21st in 2016.
Will he try to overpower the golf course? The answer is yes and will that risk/reward style be successful for him in 2021. He has something to prove at Augusta.
Sleepers:
Rickie Fowler: I’m a huge Rickie Fowler fan.
He has top 3 finishes in all 4 major championships and finished 2nd in 3 of the 4. At 32 years of age, he is due.
He has the game to win at Augusta with a runner-up finish in 2018. If Fowler is in contention on Sunday, I will not leave my couch that day.
He will win a major in his career. Why not the 2021 Masters? Come on Rickie get it done.
Patrick Cantlay: Not many are talking about this guy, but he is that good. Every time I tune into golf on TV he is on the leaderboard. Don’t sleep on this guy folks.
Prediction: My head says Brooks Koepka and my heart says Rickie Fowler.
A Tradition Unlike Any Other takes place in just a couple of weeks.
Top Tight Ends
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There is debate at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and every defensive position on which NFL Draft prospect would be the top player at the position, but there is no question at tight end.
Florida’s Kyle Pitts is a special talent and will be an immediate weapon for the team that drafts him in the top 10.
After Pitts, there are three to four prospects who should be drafted on Day 2 followed by a handful of tight ends who will be targets in the mid to late rounds.
1.Kyle Pitts, Florida, 6-6, 246: On my draft board, Pitts is the second-best player in the 2021 NFL Draft and the rarest prospect after Trevor Lawrence.
Some scouts think Pitts could move to wide receiver and be a Calvin Johnson style player.
Pitts was dominant in 2020, showing superb speed, hands, leaping ability, route running, and dynamic mismatch potential for the NFL.
Every opponent was incapable of covering Pitts, including future first and second rounders in the Alabama and Georgia secondary. Some scouts say Pitts is the best receiving weapon in the draft and is a more dynamic mismatch than Chase, Smith and Waddle.
- Pat Freiermuth, Penn State, 6-5, 256: Freiermuth was solid in 2020 before going down with a season ending injury that required surgery.
Medicals will be extremely important for Freiermuth. As a receiver, Freiermuth has the potential to be a contributor to a team’s passing attack, but lacks separating speed and elite athleticism.
Freiermuth’s most distinctive positive trait is his physicality as a runner and blocker. NFL coaching will help him get a better technique and a more aggressive demeanor. Late round 2 – early round 3
- Brevin Jordan, Miami, 6-3, 244: Jordan is a smooth route runner with the quickness to separate.
He glides through the secondary and is able to use his athleticism with speed to get open.
Along with good route running, Jordan has very reliable hands that give him the ability to control the ball with his hands.
As a blocker, Jordan shows the willingness to block but he lacks size to take on NFL defensive ends and linebackers. Early round 3
- Hunter Long, Boston College, 6-5, 253: Long has good size and does an excellent job of winning contested catches.
He uses his build to shield off defenders with skilled body control and awareness to put himself in between the ball and coverage.
Long is a solid blocker but the skill set is not there for him to develop into an effective NFL blocker. He has the potential, but he needs to get stronger to pack more punch and sustain his blocks after point if contact. Late round 3 – early round 4.
- Tommy Tremble, Notre Dame, 6-4, 252: Tremble displays the competitiveness to be a bulldozer as a run blocker and ties up defenders in pass protection.
Although his production was lacking at Notre Dame, his tape is enough to get scouts excited.
Tremble was an underutilized receiver in college and therefore unrefined in route running.
He flashed the athleticism and body control to work pass underneath defenders and make himself a large target. He is projected to be a better pro than college player as he continues to develop. Round 4-5.
- Tre’ McKitty, Georgia, 6-5, 245:McKitty only made six receptions during the 2020 season with the Bulldogs. He had better receiving production in 2018 and 2019 when playing for Florida State.
McKitty is a good athlete with a nice burst of speed out of his breaks to create space from defenders early on and challenge defenses vertically.
Scouts are concerned with his blocking and non-existent production in 2020.
Other players to look out for: Quintin Morris, Bowling Green; Nick Eubanks Michigan; Kenny Yeboah, Ole Miss; Pro Wells, TCU; Tony Poljan, Virginia.
There is a clear delineation between the haves and the have nots at tight end in the NFL nowadays and this year’s draft is the same. There is Kyle Pitts and everyone else
Loading The Gun
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2021 NFL free agency free-for-all began on March 17, and it’s still up in the air whether or not the Jacksonville jaguars found a pot of gold.
The Jags started the league year with over $80 million in salary cap space, and found a couple of gems right off the bat.
The most noteworthy acquisition so far is, arguably, former Seattle Seahawks CB Shaquill Griffin. The four-year veteran out of UCF had a solid 2020 campaign, posting 63 tackles, 12 coverage breakups, and three interceptions over 12 games.
His deal with Jacksonville is a 3-year, $44.5 million contract with $29 million guaranteed. It is expected that he will move immediately into a starting role opposite 2020 first-round pick C.J. Henderson.
This, combined with the re-signing of Sidney Jones, most likely means that last year’s injury-riddled season will be D.J. Harris’ last in teal & black.
Another defensive position getting some much-needed attention is Safety.
Former Charger Rayshawn Jenkins signed a 4-year, $35 million deal with $16 million guaranteed.
Another Safety, Auburn alum Rudy Ford, arrives from Philly, joining the team with a 2-year, $4.2 million contract. These two alone should provide some consistency for a wildly inconsistent defensive backfield.
Via trade, first year Head Coach Urban Meyer gets some help in the middle in the form of former Saints DT Malcom Brown.
A salary cap casualty for New Orleans, Brown joins DT Roy Robertson-Harris (CHI) and DE Jihad Ward (BAL) as the first pieces of a reworked defensive line that can easily improve on last years’ 30th ranked effort against the run.
Additionally, DT Tyson Alualu, the No. 10 overall selection by the Jaguars in 2010, returns after four years in Pittsburgh.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Jags signed two receivers off the Detroit Lions; ten-year veteran Marvin Jones Jr, and return specialist Jamal Agnew.
Jones should be a reliable target for assumed first overall pick Trevor Lawrence, and will help draw some double coverage away from DJ Chark.
Agnew is another player who will bring some consistency to their position (the Jaguars had six different kick returners last season), but whether or not his breakaway speed will be enough to earn him a WR3 slot on the offense over fellow free-agent acquisition Phillip Dorsett will be one of the more interesting stories to follow in training camp.
Regardless, the addition of this trio will help ease the sting of the pending shakeup in the Duval receivers corps.
While Keelan Cole has already signed with the Jets, the free-agent fates of former Bulldog Chris Conley and former Sooner Dede Westbrook have yet to be determined.
Another player re-joining the Jaguars is RB Carlos Hyde. Hyde played under former HC Doug Marrone in the massively under-performing 2018 season before being traded to the Browns. Hyde played college ball at Ohio State under Urban Meyer, so his familiarity with the system should make him a solid change-of-pace for second year back James Robinson.
At the Tight End position, the Jaguars have added former Panther Chris Manhertz, and have re-signed James O’Shaughnessy.
The team declined the option on former Bengal Tyler Eifert, and his status remains uncertain.
This position could be considered one of the few disappointments of the free-agent period so far, with the top two available TEs (Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith) both signing with the New England Patriots.
While these moves addressed some glaring needs on both sides of the ball, the Offensive Line still needs to be addressed, as does the elephant in the QB room – Gardner Minshew II.
With the departure of journeyman Mike Glennon to the Giants, the question remains who will be the backup to Trevor Lawrence when the draft makes his arrival in Duval official.
While Coach Meyer has said this week that they have no plans to trade Minshew “for now,” the lack of another veteran signal caller could be a final area to be addressed.
Alex Smith continues to be a name mentioned to fill that role, but if the Joe Flacco to San Francisco rumors prove false, Jacksonville could also be a good fit for the 2013 Super Bowl MVP.
