Recruiting rewind: NFL draftees
April, 26, 2012
4/26/12
1:14
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By RecruitingNation Staff | ESPN.com
Recruiting Rewind
: Looking back at the top prospects in the NFL draft, including UGA's Cordy Glenn, reveals how far former top-notch recruits have come -- as well as how different college football could have been had some recruiting battles gone another way.
While Kentucky and Florida State lead the way as top seeds, Georgia looks to be heading to the Chapel Hill regional.
The offers continue to roll in for Toby Johnson (College Park, Ga./Hutchinson CC), as the standout junior college defensive tackle picked up offers from Oklahoma and Missouri early Thursday evening.
A 6-foot-4, 290-pound tackle, Johnson now has 18 offers. Among those are USC, Arkansas, Georgia, Nebraska, Tennessee and Kansas State. Johnson played his high school ball at Banneker High School in College Park, Ga.
“I feel great,” Johnson said about the offers from Oklahoma and Missouri. “They just made my decision even harder.”
Johnson helped Hutchinson finish 9-3 in 2011, and the team was ranked No. 9 in the final NJCAA poll. He finished the season with 44 tackles, five pass breakups and two sacks.
A 6-foot-4, 290-pound tackle, Johnson now has 18 offers. Among those are USC, Arkansas, Georgia, Nebraska, Tennessee and Kansas State. Johnson played his high school ball at Banneker High School in College Park, Ga.
“I feel great,” Johnson said about the offers from Oklahoma and Missouri. “They just made my decision even harder.”
Johnson helped Hutchinson finish 9-3 in 2011, and the team was ranked No. 9 in the final NJCAA poll. He finished the season with 44 tackles, five pass breakups and two sacks.
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ESPN's Todd McShay will have a final update on the first round Thursday morning in the hours leading up to the first overall pick, but here's a match-up of prospects to team needs up and down the board, which includes Georgia's Cordy Glenn going to Cleveland in the first round and Orson Charles heading just down the road to the Falcons in the third round.Kessler, UGA legacy, saves dad some grief 
April, 25, 2012
4/25/12
4:09
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By
Radi Nabulsi | ESPN.com
Chad Kessler breathed a big sigh of relief this morning. Not because his son Houston Kessler (Fairburn, Ga./Landmark Christian) signed his letter of intent to play for the Bulldogs, thus following in his father’s footsteps and those of his famous uncle, Alec Kessler. No, Chad Kessler is relieved today that he won’t have to wear orange.
“When Houston went up to Clemson right before he decided he wanted to go to Georgia, they grilled him about Georgia,” Kessler said. “They asked him, ‘Are you a Georgia guy? Are you a red and black guy? Are you going to bleed orange when you come here?’ It is so ingrained in him and his family that they know it is hard to get that out of there. And I am thrilled he doesn’t have to get Georgia out of his system.
“I didn’t want to have to buy a new wardrobe. I would have had to clean out my closet -- all my hats and everything would have had to change and I didn’t want to do that. So it worked out for the best.”
“When Houston went up to Clemson right before he decided he wanted to go to Georgia, they grilled him about Georgia,” Kessler said. “They asked him, ‘Are you a Georgia guy? Are you a red and black guy? Are you going to bleed orange when you come here?’ It is so ingrained in him and his family that they know it is hard to get that out of there. And I am thrilled he doesn’t have to get Georgia out of his system.
“I didn’t want to have to buy a new wardrobe. I would have had to clean out my closet -- all my hats and everything would have had to change and I didn’t want to do that. So it worked out for the best.”
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Scouts Inc.'s NFL draft cheat sheets
April, 25, 2012
4/25/12
2:18
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By DawgNation Staff | ESPN.com
Scouts Inc. breaks down the 2012 class in each position group, including the top prospects in each of the position-specific categories Scouts uses in evaluations, along with a listing of all draft-ready prospects, four-year combine averages, picks in Rounds 1-2, and three-year market trends for each position.
Offense
Quarterback
Running back
Wide receiver
Tight end
Offensive lineman
Defense
Defensive lineman
Linebacker
Defensive back
Offense
Quarterback
Running back
Wide receiver
Tight end
Offensive lineman
Defense
Defensive lineman
Linebacker
Defensive back
Following the decision of McDonald’s All-American Tony Parker to sign with UCLA over UGA and Ohio State, the University of Georgia men’s basketball team still added a fourth in-state member to the 2012 signing class this week, with a legacy post player signing his letter of intent Wednesday night and submitting it Thursday morning.
According to Landmark Christian boys’ basketball coach Chip McAllister, Houston Kessler has been on the Bulldogs’ radar for over two years now.
“They had been watching him since his sophomore year, and they really liked the way he shot the ball,” McAllister said. “He had a really good season for us this year, and about two weeks ago they said if you can wait it out you have an offer.”
According to Landmark Christian boys’ basketball coach Chip McAllister, Houston Kessler has been on the Bulldogs’ radar for over two years now.
“They had been watching him since his sophomore year, and they really liked the way he shot the ball,” McAllister said. “He had a really good season for us this year, and about two weeks ago they said if you can wait it out you have an offer.”
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Dogs' struggles with men on base continue
April, 24, 2012
4/24/12
11:08
PM ET
By
David Ching | ESPN.com
ATLANTA -- Both Georgia and Georgia Tech try to use the No. 9 batter in the lineup to spark rallies by getting on base with the top of the batting order on deck.
Georgia Tech’s Mott Hyde and Georgia’s Curt Powell fulfilled their end of the bargain in Tuesday’s game at Turner Field, but Hyde’s Yellow Jacket teammates did a better job by driving him in three times in a 4-3 victory.
Hyde provided one of the game's biggest hits himself with a two-run home run in the seventh inning. He also singled with two outs in the top of the ninth, stole second base and scored the game-winning run on Kyle Wren’s RBI single to right field.
Georgia Tech’s Mott Hyde and Georgia’s Curt Powell fulfilled their end of the bargain in Tuesday’s game at Turner Field, but Hyde’s Yellow Jacket teammates did a better job by driving him in three times in a 4-3 victory.
Hyde provided one of the game's biggest hits himself with a two-run home run in the seventh inning. He also singled with two outs in the top of the ninth, stole second base and scored the game-winning run on Kyle Wren’s RBI single to right field.
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Coming out of California's Simi Valley High School, Beau Sandland (Woodland Hills, Calif./Pierce CC) was a 6-foot-4, 215-pound non-qualifier with no offers, so the tight end enrolled at Pierce Community College. The school has a reputation for getting guys to the next level.
Obviously the hard work has paid off.
After making 20 catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns, Sandland, having grown to almost 6-6 and 250 pounds, received his first offer from Utah on Feb. 22. Two months later, offer No. 10 arrived from Georgia.
Obviously the hard work has paid off.
After making 20 catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns, Sandland, having grown to almost 6-6 and 250 pounds, received his first offer from Utah on Feb. 22. Two months later, offer No. 10 arrived from Georgia.
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DawgNation’s Radi Nabulsi was on ESPN’s Athens affiliate, 960 The Ref, this morning talking Georgia football, basketball, baseball and recruiting. Some of the questions on the show revolved around the following:
- What was behind star basketball player Tony Parker’s decision to pick UCLA over Georgia?
- Who could step up in the secondary if needed?
- To what can Georgia attribute its early recruiting success?
- How did this weekend’s baseball series affect the Georgia baseball team?
UGA target Laremy Tunsil names top five
April, 24, 2012
4/24/12
11:46
AM ET
By
Corey Long | ESPN.com
One of the most anticipated arrivals for Sunday's NFTC was that of the nation's top-rated offensive lineman, Laremy Tunsil (Lake City, Fla./Columbia).
Tunsil, the No. 3 overall prospect in the ESPN 150, has kept his recruitment close to the vest but was willing to reveal his top five Sunday.
"My top five as it stands is Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, LSU and Alabama," Tunsil said. "I like their playbooks, the offense will allow me to pull and have my hand in the ground.
Tunsil, the No. 3 overall prospect in the ESPN 150, has kept his recruitment close to the vest but was willing to reveal his top five Sunday.
"My top five as it stands is Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, LSU and Alabama," Tunsil said. "I like their playbooks, the offense will allow me to pull and have my hand in the ground.
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Laremy Tunsil (Lake City, Fla./Columbia), the top-rated offensive lineman and the No. 3 overall recruit in the ESPN 150, talks with RecruitingNation's Jamie Newberg at the Orlando Nike Football Training Camp.
Last weekend saw defensive lineman Antonio Riles (Lawrenceville, Ga./Archer) make his second visit to Knoxville this spring, taking in the Volunteers’ spring scrimmage. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound prospect has also checked out Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia and Kentucky. Two programs stand out at the top right now for the Bainbridge native.
“Georgia and Florida are at the top, followed by Clemson,” Riles said. “I have been watching Georgia and Clemson since I was a little kid, and I actually hated Florida growing up, but when I went down there I found out the coaches and environment are really cool.”
Riles spoke well of each of his top three.
“Georgia and Florida are at the top, followed by Clemson,” Riles said. “I have been watching Georgia and Clemson since I was a little kid, and I actually hated Florida growing up, but when I went down there I found out the coaches and environment are really cool.”
Riles spoke well of each of his top three.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
David Ching
David Ching came to ESPN.com in 2011 after six years covering UGA for the Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer and Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald. He lives in Athens. Email him at davidchingespn@gmail.com.
Radi Nabulsi
Radi Nabulsi joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the University of Georgia for Rivals.com for four years and for the UGA Athletic Association since 1993. Nabulsi is a graduate of the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and lives in Athens. He can be reached at radinabulsiespn@gmail.com.
Kipp Adams
Kipp Adams joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering University of Georgia football and basketball recruiting for five years at Rivals.com. He lives in Sandy Springs, Ga., and enjoys spending time with his two sons. He can be reached at kippadamsespn@gmail.com.