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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Green and Houston talk a bit more about their futures

Here’s some more NFL talk for you, starting with the biggest name.

No, A.J. Green didn’t declare for the draft. Though he did slightly amend his statement from last week, saying Tuesday that he would make a decision “possibly” after the bowl game. He has said he would wait to announce until the season was over.

Green did have a funny story about his teammates constantly asking about his pro plans:

“We had somebody talking to the team, and they had the seniors stand up. They were like, A.J. why aren’t you standing up? This is your last game!”

(A little aside: While every other Bulldog gives quick non-answers when asked about the NFL, Green will sit there and patiently answer every question about it. He was the same way about jersey-gate. Just based on what I’ve seen the past few months, and from covering him in high school, it seems Green will handle the NFL media madness pretty well, whenever he gets there.)

- Incidentally, Green, who grew up in Summerville, S.C., said he always attended South Carolina-Clemson fans growing up, and didn’t shrink when asked who he rooted for.

“Always Clemson,” he said. “Because I just don’t like South Carolina. I just don’t. I don’t know why.”

- Justin Houston is the other Georgia junior who is being scouted as a possible first-round pick. He held a firm line when asked if this could be his final game at Sanford Stadium.

“It may or it may not. I won’t know until the time gets (here),” he said. “I’ll make that decision at the last minute. That’s something I’m not – I’m worried about this week. We’ve got Georgia Tech this week, and hopefully after that we’re worrying about the bowl game.”

Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, with his NFL background, said he’s spoken to Houston “a little bit” about the pros, but plans to sit down with Houston next week.

“He’s worked hard for me. He’s taken to coaching. He’s been a good player for us. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens,” Grantham said. “I just think that’s a situation you address with each player, because each player’s different with what they should do. I’m glad he’s here, and I think he helped us. We’ll just address that after the season.”

Grantham, who has been in many an NFL team’s draft war room, had an interesting point about Houston: He thinks Houston has been helped by showing he could play the outside linebacker role in both a 3-4 and 4-3.

“What happens is, the reason the guys drop in the draft is the guy making the call cannot visualize what the guy can do for them. But if you watch our tape, they can see him doing everything they need to see him do,” Grantham said.

- Grantham went into NFL scout mode when asked about Akeem Dent. The inside linebacker is a senior.

“He has a nose for the ball. He has good strength. He has enough range that he can play in the alley,” Grantham said. “He can play with his hands and get off blocks, and sometimes when he’s engaged on a guy he can separate and get to the ball. He can find ways to get off a block. So I don’t think there’s any question he can play up there. I think as he moves forward in his career that’ll be shown.”

11 comments:

Willb said...

Seth I just read your other article that list all the underclassmen that could declare. Good article.

I wasn't aware that Glenn was rated so highly. I still think that only two should enter the draft. Green and Houston. The others would be better off playing there senior seasons.

Imagine if Green and Houston stayed! Imagine if all these players the past few years that left early stayed! Stafford, Moreno, Jones, Curran, Allen. You can't say that the Ga coaches didn't recruit a team good enough to win these last few years it's just a few key pieces decided to leave early. If these players stayed or only a couple of them stayed things would of been a lot different! Stafford and Moreno on last years team! Moreno on this years team with Curran on defense! We would of won the east this year with Moreno.

Unknown said...

I was watching ESPN recently, and an NLFPA insider said he is 99% sure there will be a lockout. Could be good news for us, but that might mean Cam comes back too... Right?

Anonymous said...

I like Paterno and Coach Richt kinda reminds me of a young Paterno but if you're too old to stand on the sideline,it's time to hang it up.

Anonymous said...

I think we're going to miss Dent next year more than we realize. He's been pretty solid and I'm not sure we have anyone with that kind of size and speed to play in the middle next year.

King Jericho said...

@Anon 9:47

Well, Samuel would be an heir apparent as well as Dowtin in the inside. Then you've got Jarvis Jones most likely taking over for Houston if he leaves. We've got a lot of stud linebackers. One of the few defensive positions I'm not worried about.

Anonymous said...

King Jericho -

You may be right, but I feel like we've had a line of linebackers the past 5 years or so who looked good getting off the bus but didn't do anything (Gamble and Brandon Miller come to mind). Now, that may have been Jancek's fault...

King Jericho said...

Very true. I look at what Belin and Grantham have done over their careers and I have to really like what I see. Between Demarcus Ware in the NFL and all the great MLBs that Belin has produced from almost scraps, I think we've got a great talent development team on that side of the ball now.

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving Seth

ChrisDawg said...

Just got done listening to the Dawg Cast and I was wondering if most fans agree with them. I used to like listening to the show more and find I don't agree with that many things they say lately.

The biggest thing I didn't agree with in there last show was there not caring what so ever if we got to a bowl. This is nothing new to them as they view every bowl outside of the BCS bowls as nothing important. I can see there point of view but don't agree myself and I believe they underestimate the importance of a bowl.

So I was wondering do most of you guys not care if we go to a bowl? I know it's not gonna be a good bowl if we do go to one but it's still a Ga game which is always important to me . It's also another game for the Ga seniors that have gave everything to this program for 4-5 years. It's another game for Aaron Murray to get ready for next year. We get to play an opponent we normally would never get to play.

I'm just trying to gauge the interest of a bowl at this time for most Dawg fans.

Anonymous said...

Getting to a bowl game is absolutely vital because of the additional practice time the team would not otherwise be allowed under NCAA rules. Anyone who ignores or discounts the importance of the bowl practices is just wrong.

Willb said...

Anybody else seeing this Ohio st president saying Boise or TCU aren't worthy of playing in the BCS championship game? I won't even get into the Ohio St doesn't deserve to ever get to another championship game cause they get blown out every time argument.

I love where the Boise St president says that the elite schools don't have the balls to schedule Boise unless it's on there home field. He says he has phone records to back up that he has tried.

Makes me feel kinda proud to be a Dawg fan! Were not afraid of scheduling Boise!