The Voyage Begins
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Sean Pender is excited about his 2021 football team this fall. “We are a talented football team, and we as coaches are excited to see how the talent develops. We have the potential to be a very good football team this fall”.
The head Pirate does have to replace 14 starters off of an 8-4 team from 2020 that won a share of the region championship, and a state playoff game. “We do have some holes to fill this year, but we played a lot of young kids last year that will move into starter slots this fall, but I love the work ethic of this football team. This team wants to be very good, and they are putting in the work to support that statement.”
Let’s take a look at position groups:
QB: Senior Jeffery Waye and Junior Jayden Drayton are locked into a battle at the QB position.
Pender says “if the season started tomorrow both would see playing time at the position”.
Waye was the back-up QB in 2020 and his coach says he has been very impressed with how he is progressing at the position.
Drayton, who transferred over from Glynn Academy, has put on almost 10 pounds of muscle in the winter conditioning program and is learning the new system at BHS.
His coach says “This kid will be recruited as an athlete and he will wear a lot of hats for us this fall. He will play some QB, WR, DB, and he will return kicks for us”.
OL: Kanaya Charlton will move to LT this fall and Pender says “Kanaya Charlton is as good as we’ve had here and that says a lot”.
Charlton at 6’7 and 330 pounds can play anywhere he wants at the next level. Offers are pouring in.
Jaquan Gibson returns as a starter at guard. Jamal Meriweather, AJ Anderson, Eli Smith, Lester Clark, Matthew Moore, William McDonald, Chris Wineski, and Jonathan Welson will battle for playing time, but depth at the position group is great.
WR: The position is very deep in talent, Kevin Thomas and Pat Leggett are playmakers. J ’Maun Weldon, Zeb Jackson, Terry Mitchell, Na’verious Williams, TJ Smith, Trey Elvine, and Jayden Drayton will all see targets in 2021. “We are deep and talented and will cause issues in space with this group” says Pender.
DL: Kayshawn Thomas will be back for his junior season with an SEC offer from South Carolina.
Thomas will lead a group that consists of River Creel, Jordan Jimerson, Jameer Lang, Jamal Meriweather, Anthony Bautista, and Matthew Moore. Pender says “#99 Thomas can be as good as he wants to be and will be a force in the middle”
LB: Pirates must replace 4 starters from last fall, but were 7 deep at the position last year.
Staffon Stanley, Adam Mweemba, and Lionel Twiity all started games last year at the position.
A name to watch could be Gerald Quick, who has the frame to be outstanding player at the position.
DB: Pender says “We are stacked 8-9 deep at DB”.
Jayden Drayton was All-Region in 2020. Derrick Smith and Keon Leggett were big contributors last fall. Ivan Johnson returns at safety. Na’verious Williams was a starter at Glynn last fall before transferring.
Other names to watch JaShawn Wilson, Tyler Sams, and Zeb Jackson, and Gerald Quick.
Anthony Elvine returns as punter, and McClain Fineran will handle PAT/FG’s.
Finally, the “Wolfpack” also known as the RB group.
Ree Simmons and Kobe Hill have both had seasons with over 1,000 yards rushing.
Hill in 2019, and Simmons in 2020. Barring injury this duo will finish their Pirate careers with over 5000 combined rushing yards.
Pender says “These guys are leaders and hate to lose and that mentality has taken root on this football team”.
Leon Charlton returns, Taivon Gadson, and Neshiek Cohen add depth. Embarrassment of riches at this position.
Spring Practice starts on May 4th and ends with the Blue and Gold Spring game on May 20th.
2021 could be special on Altama Avenue. #AllAboutTheFamily at BHS.
On The Block
By: Buck Blanz
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
To begin the Month of March, the Atlanta Hawks were sitting at a 14-20 overall record. That record would’ve left them out of the playoffs for the fourth straight season if the season ended at the All-Star break.
Atlanta had one of the most aggressive free agencies of the offseason throughout the NBA, by signing guys like Dalino Gallanari and Bogdan Bogdanovic. However, the Hawks have not seen all that much improvement from a statistical standpoint.
Atlanta Hawks General Manager Travis Schlenk has made it clear to the fans that the organization is craving a playoff push throughout the second half of the season.
Beginning with the firing of former Head Coach Lloyd Pierce, who had a record of 63-120 during his tenure in Atlanta.
The Hawks have now appointed an established coach throughout the league in Nate McMillan, who led the injury riddled Pacers to playoff appearances each of the past two seasons without their star players.
Since the Hawks have named McMillan the interim Head Coach of the Basketball club, he has posted a 6-0 record giving Atlanta their longest win streak since the 2016-17 season as well as catapulting them into the seventh spot in the East.
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, (March 25th at 3:00 ET) look for Atlanta to continue to be aggressive with trades as they try to solidify a much-needed playoff appearance for the organization.
The biggest name that has been floating around the rumor mill from Atlanta is the fourth year forward, John Collins out of Wake Forest.
This upcoming offseason Collins will be a restricted free agent due to the fact Collins rejected the $90 million contract extension from the Hawks last offseason.
However, by not signing that extension with the Hawks, Collins has put himself in a great position for a much larger contract opportunity this upcoming offseason with his production of the floor this season.
NBA experts currently have Minnesota and Boston as the frontrunners to land Collins, but the Hawks are hungry for more talent in return that will help them win now.
As much as the Hawks executives would love to be able to flip John Collins’ contract into more young talent, the $4.1 million contract that Collins currently has doesn’t make a lot of options for the Hawks to add another established player to their roster.
Also, I think it’s safe to say that Atlanta would not match offers exceeding $100 million for Collins this offseason with the pool of talented bigs they already have.
Another name that could be added to the trading block for Atlanta would be the young shooting guard, Kevin Huerter. Huerter is a proven shooter, while also a defensive liability for the Hawks. In today’s NBA there are a number of guys who can fill that role.
The Hawks, who are currently 10th in the league in offensive efficiency and 22nd in defensive, would like to be inside the top 15 in both of those areas to put themselves in the best position moving forward.
However, Kris Dunn who has yet to see action this season as well as Deandre Hunter returning from injury by the beginning of April, Atlanta will regain their defensive anchors on that end of the floor.
Although there is no clear picture of how the hawks will attack the trade deadline, it is sure to be an entertaining week as they will explore each and every option possible.
Wide Open
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Starting with Wide Receiver 1, there won’t be a consensus on this group from team to team or scout to scout. The amount of talent at receiver rivals last year’s class, which set a record with 13 drafted in the first two rounds.
I don’t think this class will break that record but I believe this class will have 15 plus receivers drafted in the top three rounds. For me, ranking the top receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft class has been a head scratching exercise.
1.Jaylen Waddle, Alabama, 5-10, 182: Waddle showed signs of becoming a more refined receiver before an ankle injury caused him to miss most of the year.
Waddle has dangerous speed and is a scoring threat anytime he touches the ball. Waddle’s speed and game changing ability has him as my number one receiver. I believe Waddle will be selected in the top 10.
- Ja’Marr Chase, LSU, 6-1, 200:Chase decided to skip the 2020 season and prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. I think it was a wise choice to protect his draft stock because he could not get any higher in the rankings.
Chase was the best receiver in college football in 2019, averaging 21.2 yards per catch with 84 catches for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns. Chase is another top 10 pick.
- DeVonta Smith, Alabama, 6-1, 165: Smith dominated college football in 2020, showing he is a true wide receiver who does everything well.
If Smith was 20 pounds heavier, he would be top 3 in the draft. He is a touch receiver who has demonstrated quality, but not elite speed, excellent route running and superb ball skills. Smith is the final top 10 pick from the ranking.
- Kadarius Toney, Florida, 5-11, 189: Toney is a loose, elastic athlete that routinely makes the first man miss with special start and stop abilities that create explosive plays.
Toney improved his route running and remains a work in progress. I think Toney belongs in the second round but he is a dangerous weapon as a receiver and punt returner.
I see Toney going in the late first round, but not top 10.
- Rashod Bateman, Minnesota, 6-2, 210: Bateman opted back in after the Big Ten decided to bring back football, then played in five games before opting out the remainder of the season.
Bateman is a natural hand catcher with length and excellent route execution. He lacks the explosive burst that the top four displays, so he is a late first early second round pick in my prediction.
- Terrace Marshall Jr, LSU, 6-4, 200: Marshall played well in 2020 before opting out of the last part of the season. He had good size, length, speed and mismatch ability. Marshall is a vertical threat, but lacks explosion and first step quickness.
He is a day two selection late second or early third round pick.
- Rondale Moore, Purdue, 5-9, 180:Moore feasted on jet sweeps and quick game targets. While short, Moore plays stout with a fluid ease of movement and instant acceleration to force miss tackles.
He has elite speed and is an explosive playmaker with the ability to score on any touch. Moore is a day two pick mid second early third pick.
- Dyami Brown, North Carolina, 6-1, 195: Brown has excellent one cut acceleration and separation quickness. He is highly skilled at the double move (head fakes, quick settling of his feet, ect..), and he plays with strength to make a living on the outside versus corners.
Brown is another day two pick.
Here are the other receivers I think will go in the first three rounds: Elijah Moore, Ole Miss; Amari Rodgers, Clemson; Tutu Atwell, Louisville; D’Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan; Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State; Amon-Ra St Brown, USC; Cade Johnson, South Dakota State.
If your favorite pro team needs a receiver, this is the year to grab one in the first three rounds, but then again, there is talent in day three of the draft: with the deepest group in this year’s class.
Fixed Wreck
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
This has been a surprisingly good season for Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets have made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010.
Head coach Josh Pastner has not had much success prior to this season.
He was hired in 2016 and that was his best season. Tech was 21 – 16 in 2016-17 and he was named ACC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year.
He has had two losing seasons after that. In September 2019 the NCAA banned Tech from postseason play and put them on four years of probation.
The sanctions include a reduction in scholarships, limits on recruiting and a fine of $5,000 plus 2% of the program’s budget.
This was the result of major recruiting violations by Pastner’s former assistant coach and an ex-friend.
The Ramblin’ Wreck were 17 – 14 last season. Because of the global pandemic all postseason tournaments were cancelled.
On the surface the record was not impressive but there was one impressive takeaway. He had his first winning conference record in Atlanta, going 11 – 9 in the ACC.
Based on that we should have seen this season coming. Georgia Tech went 17 – 8, 11 – 6 in conference play. They were the fourth seed in the ACC Tournament.
They beat Miami in their first game. The next opponent was the No. 1 seed Virginia, but that game was cancelled due to a positive COVID-19 test within their program.
The Yellow Jackets advanced to the championship game against No. 2 seed and 15th ranked Florida State. They beat the Seminoles 80 – 75 and won the first ACC title since 1993. They shot 52% in the second half.
“First off, just want to give an incredible shout-out to our young men to get this from where we started, not only how it started this year, how it started five years ago,” Pastner said. “Holy Toledo, goodness gracious. Thank the good Lord. God bless everybody for sticking with us. And these young men, to do what we’ve done, to do this is just darned special, to put Georgia Tech back in the forefront of the ACC.”
Tech has the AP ACC Player of the Year, Moses Wright. The 6’9 senior forward was the only unanimous first-team pick on the AP’s All-ACC teams. He averages 18 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game. During a six-game winning streak he shot 65.6% and averaged 23.5 ppg and 10 rpg.
Tech is led by upper classmen. Senior guard Jose Alvarado is the second leading scorer with 15.3 ppg and 4.1 assists per game. Junior guard Michael Devoe averages 15.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 3.3 apg.
Even after winning the ACC Tournament and clinching an automatic birth to the NCAA Tournament they aren’t getting much respect. The Yellow Jackets are the No. 9 seed in the Midwest region. They play No. 8 Loyola Chicago (24 – 4) Friday March 19th at Hinkle Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, IN) at 4:00.
They should be a higher seed but I think they have a serious chance to make the Sweet Sixteen.
4-Peat?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NL East is the best overall division in Major League Baseball.
The Braves, Mets, and Nationals could all finish over .500 on the season. In 2019 the last full season before the pandemic four teams finished at .500 or better in this stacked division.
Let take a look at each team:
Miami Marlins: The Marlins made the playoffs in the pandemic shortened season of 2020, and eliminated the Chicago Cubs in the playoffs before the Braves ended their season.
This team has one of the top farm systems in baseball and just continues to produce talent.
Sixto Sanchez is one of the best young pitchers in baseball. Starling Marte is an All-Star and Gold Glove winner in the outfield and will be surrounded by all of that younger talent. This team will continue to improve.
Washington Nationals: The Nationals won the World Series in 201, and finished last in the division in 2020.
They still have Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin in this rotation, so they will be in just about every game.
Juan Soto is a superstar and they have Kyle Schwarber and Josh Bell potentially surrounding him in the line-up. How will this bullpen perform in 2021? That is the question surrounding this team.
Philadelphia Phillies: This team has spent a lot of money on free agents over the past couple of seasons but still floats around the .500 mark in the standings.
Bryce Harper is only 28 years old and will probably have a monster season and you have J.T. Realmuto and Didi Gregorius.
The core is there, but will this pitching staff hold up? Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler have to have great seasons for this team to contend.
NY Mets: The Mets have become the trendy pick by most everyone to win the NL East.
Can this team be consistent enough to win the division? That is a huge question mark in my mind.
Pete Alonzo will probably hit 40+ HR’s, and the Francisco Lindor trade was huge offensively and defensively.
Jacob deGrom, Carlos Carrasco, and Marcus Stroman will lead this pitching staff. This team has good pitching and will hit a lot of HR’s.
Something to watch down the stretch is can Noah Syndergaard return this summer from his Tommy John surgery? If he does and is effective then this could tilt the NL East in the Mets favor.
Atlanta Braves: We all know the Braves are one of the best teams in baseball. Freddie Freeman is the reigning MVP and Ronald Acuna Jr. is a young superstar.
The Braves resigned Marcell Ozuna. The Braves signed Charlie Morton and Drew Smyly to beef up the starting rotation.
How quickly can Mike Soroka regain form in 2021 after recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon last season?
Can Kyle Wright be the starter the Braves envisioned when they drafted him?
The everyday line-up is the best in the division if the Braves play Cristian Pache in CF.
Who will grab the closer job?
My NL East Predictions:
Atlanta Braves: 93-69
NY Mets: 91-71
Washington Nationals: 88-74
Miami Marlins: 78-84
Philadelphia Phillies: 75-87
I see the Braves winning the NL East in the last weekend of the regular season.
Running Wild
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As your teams prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft, I will take a look at the top running backs in this year’s draft class.
This year’s running back class isn’t as top heavy as last year’s, which had seven running backs drafted in the top 70 picks.
I think there will be three or four running backs drafted in the top 60, followed by a handful of backs who will be targeted in the top 200 picks.
Which backs will have a chance to make an immediate impact?
1.Travis Etienne, Clemson, 5’10, 200lbs: Etienne ran really well in 2020, showing a dynamic burst, improved strength and the ability to pick up yards after contact. He is also a dangerous receiving weapon out of the backfield.
Etienne could be a three down starter and inject speed and explosiveness into a team’s ground game. On top of being very fast, Etienne demonstrates very good running fundamentals; like the patience to let the hole develop, the vision to see lanes and the posture to run behind his pads.
Etienne is not the biggest back, but he runs hard and will be the first running back selected.
- Najee Harris, Alabama, 6’2, 230lbs: Harris has the quick, graceful feet of a much smaller back to elude pursuit, showing improved decision making and on field maturity as a senior in Tuscaloosa.
There is no doubt Harris has the ability and skill to be an impactful NFL three down running back.
Aside from his size and speed, Harris is a natural runner with good instincts. He shows excellent vision, patience and anticipation to follow his line before busting downhill.
Harris is not a proven threat in the pros yet, but his reliable skills set as a rusher, receiver and blocker makes him the second back off the board.
- Javonte Williams, North Carolina, 5’10, 220lbs: Williams was a load for the Tar Heels in 2020, showing both power and quickness as a runner. He may have three down starting potential for the NFL. Some NFL experts think Williams could end up being the first running back drafted in April.
Williams is a physical bell cow back who can be the engine of a tough rushing attack. He is a downhill runner who can impose his will through sheer strength.
Williams’ strong build, knee bend and ability to run behind his pads let him break a lot of tackles and pick up yards after contact. However, Williams will need some work as a blocker and identifying blitzing defenders.
- Kenny Gainwell, Memphis, 5’11, 191lbs: Gainwell decided to sit out in 2020 due to losing four family members to COVID-19.
Gainwell is a fast and explosive back, as well as a threat to rip off chunk plays on any touch. He also is a superb receiver out of the backfield with 51 receptions for 610 yards and three touchdowns in 2019.
Gainwell lacks ideal size and power, which leads to durability and usage concerns.
He is a versatile rushing and receiving threat with instinctive playmaking ability, projecting as a scheme-specific offensive weapon.
- Kylin Hill, Mississippi State, 5’11, 215lbs: Hill was phenomenal in the 2020 season opener, showing serious receiving ability to help lead a crucial upset over LSU. On top of making some huge catches, Hill did well as a pocket protector.
Hill was suspended over a locker room incident, and decided to sit out the rest of the season. He has a good skill set and could become a starter in the NFL.
NFL teams have said that Hill jumped out to them and became impossible to ignore.
Future Faces
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL Draft always has one guarantee; hope.
It’s the one time of the year where every fanbase can at least start the day with hope for the future and speculation runs rampant.
This year is no different…well, at least after the first pick, that is.
Trevor Lawrence headed to the Jaguars with the first overall pick is as close to a lock as you’re going to get.
Granted there is a small but noisy contingent of JagNation that is trying to sway public opinion towards picking Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith instead of T-Law 2.0, and an even smaller contingent trying to convince Shad Khan to go for Gator QB Kyle Trask in a Tebow-esque reach with the first pick. We have names for those people, and they are “misguided” and “delirious,” respectively.
No, Trevor Lawrence is coming to Duval, you can bank on that one.
Whether he starts immediately or not will be largely determined by whether or not the Jaguars use a slice of their $85mil+ of cap space to bring in a journeyman quarterback to ease the transition (Alex Smith seems to be the speculation du jour).
After the first pick, however, this year’s draft could turn into a lesson in controlled chaos.
First round trades have been on the decline over the last few years, but I think (hope?) that this year will be different.
The crop of quarterbacks alone looks to rival that of the fabled 1983 draft, and there are more than a handful of franchises with question marks behind center. With most mock drafts having the first four picks selecting QBs, if two more signal callers get the first-round nod, that would tie the record for most quarterbacks in the first round.
That outcome might not be outside of the realm of possibility. I think it’s safe to say that the top four in some order will read Trevor Lawrence, Zack Wilson, Justin Fields, and Trey Lance (at least that’s the way I see them going), but there are several more that are worthy of first round consideration if the franchise fit is right.
Mac Jones, Alabama – Mac had a solid post-Tua career in Tuscaloosa. Draft prognosticators have him as a pretty solid first round candidate, more than likely headed to San Francisco or New Orleans.
Kellen Mond, Texas A&M – I’ll be honest, I always felt nervous when the Dawgs had to go up against him. There were times he looked like a Patrick Mahomes clone, and he had developed into a solid pocket passer with a refined touch pass already.
I don’t see why he couldn’t go late first round, especially last. I haven’t seen any speculation to back this up, but imagine him getting a year or two learning under Tom Brady. Scary. And speaking of scary…
Feleipe Franks, Arkansas – He’s a 6’ 6”, 234lb monster of a player with an attitude to match. If not for his consistency concerns, he’d be a first rounder easily. Regardless, there is a lot of potential there, and it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility that a GM somewhere develops a serious man crush and takes a big reach on the big slinger (lookin’ at you, Denver…)
Jamie Newman, Wake Forest – I don’t care what CKS says, I will never consider Newman a Dawg, and I will never forgive him for leaving UGA in a pickle at the last minute in 2020.
That being said, he’s a solid, albeit rusty, pro-style passer that could be seen as a safe option for a team that gets nervous after a run on quarterbacks in the draft.
Kyle Trask – Just kidding. He’s got “third round” written all over him. But hey, stranger things have happened, and he’s been mentioned as an Indianapolis target. In short, who knows?
Will 2021 be a first-round record-setter? I think that will be largely determined by who blinks in the Deshaun/Texans standoff, whether someone tries to milk one more season out of FitzMagic, and if Drew Brees finally makes his retirement official.
We’ll find out soon enough.
The Rookies
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Let’s take a look at a couple of young Atlanta Braves that could be depended on heavily to get the Braves back to the NLCS and perhaps further.
Other than Max Fried in 2020 the only other consistent starter in the Braves rotation was Ian Anderson.
Anderson came up late in the season and was amazing in the playoffs. In his six regular season starts Anderson posted an ERA of 1.95. He has good stuff; a fastball in the mid 90’s, a curve in the 87-88 mph range, and a change that has been improving.
Anderson is projected to be in the starting rotation for the Braves along with Charlie Morton, Drew Smyly, Mike Soroka, and Max Fried.
That rotation on paper is in much better shape than the 2020 rotation. Soroka got hurt early in the season and Cole Hamels, well don’t get me started there.
While the 2021 Braves will be in better shape in the starting rotation than the previous season. how will that rotation stack up against the Dodgers, Padres, and even maybe the Mets?
Back to Anderson, what does he have to improve upon?
He must continue to develop his change-up as a valid out pitch to keep hitters off balance. He must also throw more strikes. Anderson can pile up some pitch counts, and he needs to stay in games longer. Actually, the entire staff needs to stay in games longer due to some questions surrounding the bullpen with the departure of Mark Melancon and the status of Shane Greene.
Braves starters must start consistently pitch into the 6th or 7th innings in games or I think the team could struggle this year.
If Anderson can stay healthy, he has a decent shot at winning 14-17 games this season and maybe Rookie Of The Year.
Another contender for Rookie Of The Year is outfielder Cristian Pache.
Pache was called up by the Braves in last August and was added to the playoff roster and hit his first MLB homerun in game 3 of the NLCS.
At only 22 years of age Pache had only four regular season at bats for the Braves, but shined in the spotlight of the NLCS, as he started six games after Adam Duvall was injured.
Going into 2021, it looks like Marcell Ozuna in LF, Ronald Acuna Jr. in RF, and either Pache or Ender Inciarte in CF.
Inciarte was left off of the Braves 2020 playoff roster and that opens the door for the 22-year Pache to take over in CF for Atlanta.
Pache is already the best defensive outfielder on the team, he is fast, and his power as a hitter is developing. Pache is still developing as an overall player, but needs to be in the line-up every day to take advantage of his potential.
The outfield combo of Acuna and Pache could be a special one to watch over the next decade in Atlanta.
If I had to choose from the two above give me Anderson, because the Braves seem to have this fascination with Ender Inciarte that could limit Pache’s development.
Anderson was 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA in the postseason. He should get a full season of starts in to be in contention for the NL ROY.
Fountain Of Youth
By: Buck Blanz
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
After three straight NL East Titles, The Atlanta Braves are looking to make it a fourth as long as they can keep a healthy lineup heading into the 2021 season.
A season ago the Braves were just one game away from a trip to the World Series and showing the world of baseball how good this young Atlanta team is, but Mookie Betts and company stood in the way.
Atlanta’s Bullpen fizzled out late in the NLCS against the Dodgers and ultimately turned out to be the breaking point for the Braves.
However, Atlanta was unable to showcase all of their talent last season due to injury. Mike Soroka was an All-Star for the Braves in the 2019 season going 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA, before tearing his achilles tendon just three starts into the 2020 season.
In the absence of Soroka, the Atlanta bullpen leaned on Max Fried, who had a record of 7-0 and a 2.25 ERA last season.
Alongside Fried was the Braves pitching standout throughout the playoffs and into October, Ian Anderson.
Anderson played great in his rookie season and even better throughout his first playoff appearances. Anderson won all three Game 2’s against the Reds, Marlins, and Dodgers before coming up short in Game 7 against the Dodgers.
Hoping these three starters stay healthy for Atlanta, the Braves returning pitchers are a force to be reckoned with.
Atlanta went out and signed Charlie Morton to add to the rotation. Morton is back where his MLB Career began 12 years ago. Morton signed a one-year deal with the Braves to add yet another strong arm to an already loaded starting staff. \
Much like Ian Anderson, the Braves had another young star show flashes of great potential throughout the NLCS against the Dodgers. Christian Pache did much more than what he needed to do when he was thrown onto the field in the NLCS after an Adam Duvall injury.
Since then, the 21-year-old hasn’t flinched and is drawing comparisons from teammates to Braves great, Andruw Jones.
Over this three to four year stint of Braves NL East titles it seems that they have a never ending pool of youth to pull from. It seems like yesterday that Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies had taken the Braves fan base by storm.
Yet, here we are again with another great addition to the team so early in his career. Not to mention, Atlanta is also returning the 2020 NL MVP in first baseman Freddie Freeman, who has been nothing but great for the Braves since he arrived in 2009.
As they should, Braves executives have awarded their Manager Brian Snitker to a contract through the 2023 season for his success since 2016.
Snitker knows the Braves organization inside and out, from the minors to the majors, being around for 45 years gives you that privilege.
However, still on Snitker’s agenda is to bring a World Series trophy back to Atlanta for the first time since 1995.
QB1
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I’m starting off the positional ranks for the 2021 NFL Draft with the strongest positional groups in the class.
Quarterback prospects light the fires of fans and general managers more than any other position. This is especially true this year with six quarterbacks with first round potential, including four in the top 10.
Over the next eight weeks, workouts and the interview process will give teams a better idea of physical and mental development of these soon-to-be rookie quarterbacks. Whether it’s top end talent or depth, 2021 signal callers class stacks up favorably against any class this decade.
1.Trevor Lawrence, Clemson: The number one quarterback, the number one prospect and soon to be the number one pick.
As a three-year starter at Clemson, Lawrence has full command of the offense, setting the protection and running the show. He went 34-2 as a starter for the Tigers, including three straight playoff appearances and the 2018 National Title.
Lawrence stands six foot six inches, and weighs 213 pounds. I think Lawrence is a generational talent with size, athleticism, arm talent, processing speed, and intangibles.
- Zach Wilson, BYU: A three-year starter at BYU, Wilson was a productive starter doing a little bit of everything, including traditional, five wide and option plays.
Although the competition was underwhelming, he produced dynamically; setting records for single season completion percentage, and accounting for 43 total touchdowns.
Wilson doesn’t have an ideal NFL body, but his natural accuracy, off platform skills and ability to make spontaneous decisions translate to NFL talent.
- Justin Fields, Ohio State: A two-year starter at Ohio State, Fields was one of the top college football players the last two seasons.
With Jake Fromm blocking him at Georgia, Fields transferred to Columbus in 2019 and needed only 21 games to get number two in Ohio State’s career passing touchdown record book.
Fields is arguably the most accurate quarterback in the draft class. He is a legitimate threat as a runner and has the arm strength to flip a ball 60 plus yards without a slow wind up.
- Trey Lance, North Dakota State: A one year starter at North Dakota State, Lance is a dual threat quarterback, who is following in the footsteps of Carson Wentz.
Lance has a prodigious physical skill set. The ball shoots out of his hand differently than anyone else in this class. His accuracy is the lowest of any quarterback in this top ten by nearly 10 percent. When you have his level tools, that’s a project worth developing.
- Mac Jones, Alabama: A one year starter at Alabama, Jones was a prolific passer and set an NCAA single season record for completion percentage (77.4) and the first player in Alabama history to throw for 4,500 passing yards in a single season.
The tools are average at best. Jones will be the ultimate debate at the position on performance versus physical ability.
That being said, he was never a detriment to the offense.
- Kyle Trask, Florida: A two-year starter at Florida, Trask lit up the scoreboard this past season to 43 touchdowns in 13 SEC games.
He has ideal size at 6 foot 5, 240 pounds and NFL arm talent, but not quite on the level of the guys at the top of the class.
Trask understands where to go with the football and is at his best when he can loft throws into the window. However, his accuracy can’t be described as pinpoint, his lack of mobility troubles him against pressure and there is a noticeable lack of zip on his throws.
7-10: Davis Mills, Stanford, Ian Book, Notre Dame, Kellen Mond, Texas A&M, and Jamie Newman, Wake Forest/Georgia.
As recent history has proven, players don’t have to be drafted in the first round to be an NFL starting quarterback (Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson, and THE GOAT Tom Brady).
