Sony Michel
Super Running Back U
By: Kipp Branch
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
When the Patriots selected Sony Michel in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft you just knew he would come in and have a great year with the franchise of the century.
Michel along with Nick Chubb had great rookie seasons in the league which is no surprise as the both came from the University of Georgia or better known as Running Back U.
Now, you have a marquee matchup with Running Back U legends in Super Bowl LIII in Sony and Running Back U legend Todd Gurley or TG3 as superstars have their own tag line.
Other than Herschel, I have never seen a more talented back at UGA than Gurley. He has the size, speed, and vision that is makes him a generational running back.
TG3 is currently the best running back in the NFL, which makes him the best running back in football period.
TG3 just has a knack for scoring touchdowns. Gurley has been a major factor in the resurgence of the Los Angeles Rams as they make their first Super Bowl appearance in 18 years.
Sony Michel is a beloved player in UGA circles. The Rose Bowl performance against Oklahoma makes him an all-time great with just that game alone. Sony always had a knack for making big plays a key time in big games during his UGA career.
My wife has his #1 UGA jersey hanging in the closet and puts it on every Saturday for UGA games. Sony is not big, sneaky fast, but has great vision and just seems to always make someone miss and he just makes plays.
Now the two RBU legends face each other in the Super Bowl next week. TG3 had a huge 100-yard performance against a Dallas Cowboy run defense that looked like Swiss Cheese in the divisional series, which sent the Cowboy nation back into their 23-year annual hibernation.
That alone makes him a hero in my book. He didn’t play much due to being banged up in the NFC title games against the Saints, but he will be ready in the Super Bowl. Look for him and the high-powered Rams offense to have a good day.
Sony, in my opinion is the biggest reason why the Patriots are back this year. Sony has been a steady threat in the run game and teams can’t just focus on stopping Tom Brady they now have to stop a balanced offense. That makes New England ever more dangerous as the Chargers and Chiefs just found out. Sony ran wild against the Chargers and Chiefs with back to back 100-yard games.
Running Back U will be on full display in Super Bowl LIII with Gurley and Michel. Any high-profile high school running back looking for a place to get ready for the NFL, look no further than the University of Georgia. RBU puts backs in the league.
I don’t really care who wins Super Bowl LIII, so I will be pulling for Running Back U to have huge games. Wouldn’t it be great if UGA produced another Super Bowl MVP?
What college has produced more Super Bowl MVP’s than UGA? Gator and Auburn fans look that up and let me know.
Tailback U
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
A lot has been written about Georgia’s success when it comes to recruiting quarterbacks over the last few years. Signing 5-star QB’s in three straight classes tends to lend itself to those accolades.
One position I expect to see the Bulldogs copy that type of success with is in the backfield; partially because of the accomplishments their running backs are seeing on the collegiate level, but mainly because of what is starting to transpire among their backs in the NFL.
Outside of Herschel Walker, Georgia has always had good, but not great running backs in the NFL. Guys like Garrison Hearst and Knowshon Moreno certainly had respectable careers, but I’m not sure too many 17-18 year olds have any idea who they are.
However, they do know the name Todd Gurley, and more than likely at least familiar with Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.
Gurley’s accomplishments are obvious, and even though Kirby Smart didn’t technically coach him at Georgia, that’s still a heck a name drop he can use in recruiting.
Chubb and Michel are just beginning their careers, but both are in good situations. Chubb is the featured back in Cleveland and has a great opportunity to solidify that position for years to come.
I do realize saying a player can be successful in Cleveland carries about as much weight as saying Dwight Schrute is the best beer farmer in Scranton, Pennsylvania, but along with Baker Mayfield, Chubb can play a huge part in turning the franchise around.
As for Michel, as long as he can stay healthy, being in New England will give him plenty of notoriety and he’ll be learning from the best in the business, Bill Belichick.
Even if neither of those two become upper echelon running backs, as long as they turn into consistent starters that will give Georgia three starting NFL running backs, and another talking point for Smart on the recruiting trail.
It’s not as if Georgia isn’t already bringing some heat from the tailback position, especially with D’Andre Swift. A consensus top five recruit at his position, Swift has really been a spark for the Bulldogs over the last month.
Although he’s just a sophomore, Swift has proven to be not only an effective runner but also capable of catching the ball out the backfield; something that will help his transition into the NFL.
Along with junior running back Elijah Holyfield, Georgia boasts one of the best backfields in college football. Like I said, it’s not as though Georgia is hurting in the tailback department.
Over the course of college football there have a been a plethora of teams given the moniker “Quarterback U”, used to display a particular dominance that program has shown over the years at the quarterback position. In most instances it revolves around the quarterback’s success at the professional level as opposed to college
Technically there isn’t a “Tailback U”, although Southern California was humble enough to give themselves that nickname a few years back.
Georgia still has a little ways to go before their name is added to that particular conversation, but they are on the right path. When you look at what they’re achieving at the collegiate level, along with how former players are performing in the NFL, the Bulldogs are beginning to show signs of being a prime destination for tailbacks.
As if Kirby Smart needs any more assistance when he walks into a recruit’s living room.
Top Dawgs
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Yes, it has almost been a month now since the most heartbreaking loss in UGA football history in the National Title game to Alabama. The pain for die hard UGA fans may never go away, but honestly the Dawgnation did not honestly expect to be in this position in year two of the Kirby Smart era.
Most insiders around Athens are saying the 2017 Dawgs are just the tip of the iceberg as the talented roster continues to grow with 6 Five Star prospects alone coming into the program.
Looking back on a fantastic 2017 season the SEC and Rose Bowl Champion Bulldogs had some talented players that will earn many pay days in the NFL.
Let’s take a look at some draft prospects for a few of those players.
Roquan Smith: Simply put Smith is the best linebacker to ever roam the sidelines in Athens. He is fast and his football instincts are off the chart.
Plug in the Georgia Tech tape from last season and you will see how one man can stop the triple option and how you run sideline to sideline, which will have NFL scouts camping out in Athens until draft day.
Smith is a special talent and should go as a top ten pick in the first round of the upcoming draft. I have Smith going at #10 to the Oakland Raiders who will be moving to Vegas soon.
A lot of Roquan Smith jerseys will be purchased by Raider Nation. In my opinion the only player from last year’s team that is irreplaceable in Athens. Smith was a generational talent.
Nick Chubb: Chubb will always be a favorite in Athens because of the way he overcame that horrific knee injury in 2015 and battled back and became the SEC’s second leading rusher of all time behind the GOAT whose name I won’t mention in this article but he wore #34 in Athens.
Chubb will impress at the combine with his strength and will be a solid NFL running back. I expect Nick to go in the second or third round to a team like the Lions that need a solid back who can run between the tackles.
Sony Michel: The versatility is what makes Sony special. Dawgnation would be wearing Natty shirts right now if Sony would have been used more in the second half of the title game.
Michel can catch the football and at 215 pounds can run inside or outside. Sony will be a fantastic pro. I think Michel goes in the second round to a team like Packers, Bears, or Bucs that need infusions of talent at the RB position.
Lorenzo Carter: Who doesn’t need an edge rusher in the NFL? Carter is long and fast and will carve out a fine NFL career. His speed will shock people at the combine and he has first round talent and could move up high on many teams draft boards.
Carter will probably go in the second round. Carter came back for his senior season and the blocked Rose Bowl FG in OT puts Carter in the all-time UGA highlight reel.
