Packers select Morgan Burnett
Morgan Burnett was selected by Green Bay in the third round of the NFL draft on Friday.
Burnett, a safety from Georgia Tech, was chosen 71st overall. The Packers traded up to slip in front of Buffalo, now led by the man who recruited Burnett to Tech, Chan Gailey, to get him.
After an All-American sophomore season when Burnett intercepted seven passes, he picked off four more as a junior. He finished his career at Tech with 14 interceptions and 235 tackles.
Charles Davis of the NFL Network said in January that Burnett’s size (6-1, 210 pounds) and ability to play safety or cornerback would enhance his appeal to NFL teams.
A native of College Park, Burnett was the third Georgia Tech player to be drafted, following Derrick Morgan going to Tennessee with the 16th pick and Demaryius Thomas to Denver with the 22nd pick.
He strained a hamstring just before the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in February and wasn’t able to work out for scouts. He recovered and seemed to impress scouts by running the 40 in 4.42 seconds a month later at Tech’s pro day. His time would have been the fastest for safeties at the combine.
Meanwhile, running back Jonathan Dwyer, at one time projected to be a first-round pick, hasn’t been selected. A toe injury sustained during the Orange Bowl hampered his training for the Combine, where he ran a relatively slow 40 time. But he bounced back at Tech’s pro day to run a 4.52, seven-thousandths faster than his time at the combine.
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159 comments Add your comment
Alabama Jack
April 23rd, 2010
11:27 pm
A note for all the illiterate irrelevant dawgs on this blog – Get someone to read you the AJC story on Bay Bay Thomas, then say all you want about that last pass he couldn’t pull in. He has already done more with his life than 90% of us – no matter what school we support.
atl xmen
April 23rd, 2010
11:37 pm
JD and all you tech fans can thank PJ for NFL teams keeping a way from him. PJ system let him down..no coaching up whats so ever. pretty sad..also the big time recruits are watching this and will for certain keep away from tech and their top high draft pick killing offense.. tech is in deep trouble..amd i love it
hiveredtech
April 23rd, 2010
11:38 pm
Lets face it
He showed up for the biggest couple of days in his football life with a sagging belly….ran a slow time…and had a poor lifting performance. If you are a 230+ pound power back and do less reps on the bench than the wideouts that is a problem…and it is not your toe’s fault. If you cannot run…stop eating…do a million sit-ups a day….and do not run the forty until your pro day.
JD is a super nice young man and a great back…but someone did not speak the necessary nasty truths to him the past few months and it cost him tons of money. BayBay goes out there and plays it right…and he gets mid-first round money as the first WR taken…and all from a run-first offense. First Calvin…then BayBay…next will be Stephen Hill.
atl xmen
April 23rd, 2010
11:40 pm
if bey bey went to any other school he would of been a top 5 pick easy..instead he dropped to 22
Delbert D.
April 23rd, 2010
11:54 pm
atl xmen knows everything! It’s amazing. How does he know stuff that didn’t happen?
Reality
April 24th, 2010
12:07 am
Worm and ‘atl xmen’
UGA didn’t have a player drafted until after the 3rd round. In the meantime, GA Tech had 3 drafted.
You guys have NO ROOM TO TALK at all. Your tongue wagging simply shows how stupid you guys really are!
AlabamaRamblinwreck
April 24th, 2010
1:13 am
atl xmen: If BeBe had attended another school, the competition for playing time would have been greater, and there is no surety that he would have even played regularly. Yes, even college coaches cannot see what they have sometimes. (i.e. Tom Brady at Michigan)
Tech Forever
April 24th, 2010
1:26 am
Let me clear, I don’t give a damn where Tech players get drafted or if they even get drafted at all. I want to win games…..and CPJ and his sytem win games. Period.
You Georgia fans are a joke. You laugh at Tech’s Triple Option and say “it’ll never work because you have to have a strong passing game with a proto-type QB ad excellent receivers at this level of college football. Run a REAL offense.” And then when Tech did run basically the same “real” pro-style offense as everyone else you said “why would any top QB or receiver go to Tech when they can go to Georgia or another SEC school. You’ll never get the talent to compete.” So which is it??? Should Tech run a prostyle offense that we could never gt the athletes for to be successful or should Tech run a high school offense that has no chance of producing NFL talent?
Again, I don’t care what Tech does….as long as it wins games.
Lame Pick
April 24th, 2010
1:27 am
Seems to me that Dwyer’s upcoming lawsuit probaly has gotten him blacklisted in NFL circles. He might have to return to Tech then go arena league…NFL will still pay him big time for that foul up tho.
Tech Forever
April 24th, 2010
1:30 am
What lawsuit?
GT3O
April 24th, 2010
2:05 am
HAHAHAHAHAHA….
ATLXMAN…really? BeBe was the fist WR in the draft period. Drafted over Dez Bryant. Doesn’t get much better when your the first drafted at your position. Idiot.
son_sir
April 24th, 2010
7:02 am
Something is costing Dwyer a lot of money, but he’ll get his chance to prove himself. My guess is, the fact that he has no pass receiving history is hurting his stock. The NFL is funny. High rounders turn into flops (see Ryan Leaf, Tony Mandarich, etc.) and low rounders sometimes turn into All-Pro’s. See Dorsey Levins, Terrell Davis, Joe Montana, etc., etc.
GT71
April 24th, 2010
7:42 am
I, too, don’t really give a rip about draft positions. All it means is the FIRST round of NFL money. If Dwyer gets in and makes it big, he’ll be rewarded big time when free agent time comes. If not, he is still a great kid, a great Tech RB…and that ain’t small potatoes.
YellowlineJacket
April 24th, 2010
7:56 am
JD will be okay. His experience in the draft will serve as a warning to underclassmen at Tech to stay in school and not leave early though. Big mistake for Jonathan but he’ll be fine.
Navigator
April 24th, 2010
8:08 am
JDwyer has found out what so many before him have learned. He isn’t going to be drafter high, and he left as a Junior, so two bad things have happened so far. However, if he puts his ego aside for a little while, he’ll notice that a lot of running backs haven’t been drafted so far, and if he get’s drafted, he will already have his humility. He should be a step ahead of some of the players picked earlier, that he will have to earn a spot on the roster, and maybe actually make a team. Tashard Choice went this route to Dallas, and now he’s an integral part of the team.
CJ
April 24th, 2010
8:24 am
1 dawg taken and it was the second to last pick in the 3rd round. lol. what talent they get there in athens year in year out! lol
UGA
April 24th, 2010
8:38 am
How is it three Yech’s went before any of my beloved Dawgs? Has Richt slipped that far? We had a terrific interior D line last year and yet neither of our DL seniors have been picked…What’s up with that NFL???
Okeefe/Bob
April 24th, 2010
8:45 am
Something is amiss here.We’re not hearing a word about Dwyer.Not a word.The 3rd round is over and still not a word.the commentators are not even saying anything.Is something wrong with him? This is really strange.We’ve not seen anything since the”non issue”regarding drugs.Is ther somethiong to it? I hope not.
Score Check
April 24th, 2010
8:48 am
Is there any “substance” to the rumor that Dyer’s drug test was not clean?
I’m just “sniffing” around….
GT87Mgt
April 24th, 2010
8:59 am
Yeah, something is up, being played as if its not news or old news, but I hadn’t heard anything about JD dropping and obviously others had not either. I kept expecting to see him show up on Mel’s best 10 available list, but knew something was up when I saw MB come up before him. Really, really wish there was some sort of news being reported – unless the ADD medication story has more to it. On the surface, that looks benign and perhaps explains a bit about his condition at the combine. Would be enough to scare off some for a whole round, maybe, but by top of the third and his name isn’t even being mentioned? Something is up.
"And the truth shall set you free...."
April 24th, 2010
9:00 am
FALCONS,,get Dwyer,,he is being delivered to you as a gift,,it could be Ryan and Dwyer for the next 5 to 8 years,,,
Gt4ever
April 24th, 2010
9:01 am
The fact that Dwyer has not been drafted has me miffed…… The running backs that have been taken so far are NOT in the same league with Dwyer. What a shame! It looks like he should have stayed in school….
hiveredtech
April 24th, 2010
9:08 am
Some of you are just not paying attention to everything leading up to the draft.
This is simply a poor combine showing…very poor…and combines can hurt more than help. It has zip to do with the NFL screwing up and putting him on the failed drug test list when they already knew prior that he takes an approved presecription med (since childhood).
If had stayed another year it would have helped him only if he came to the combine in shape…he already proved what he could do on the field…as did Derrick Morgan, BayBay Thomas, and Morgan Burnett…all successfully coming out early. Matter of fact, Morgan Burnett improved his stock over the past three months…as did BayBay Thomas who ultimately became the #1 WR taken.
He showed up for the biggest couple of days in his football life with a sagging belly….ran a slow time…and had a poor lifting performance. If you are a 230+ pound power back and do less reps on the bench than the wideouts that is a problem…and it is not your toe’s fault. If you cannot run…stop eating…do a million sit-ups a day….and do not run the forty until your pro day.
JD is a super nice young man and a great back…but someone did not speak the necessary nasty truths to him the past few months and it cost him tons of money. BayBay goes out there and plays it right…and he gets mid-first round money as the first WR taken…and all from a run-first offense. First Calvin…then BayBay…next will be Stephen Hill.
Gt4ever
April 24th, 2010
9:14 am
hiveredtech
Please, he is not the only RB that had a bad day at the combine………. I mean, Hardesty, you have to be kidding. Your spewing horseCRAP, something else is at work here.
Gt4ever
April 24th, 2010
9:19 am
I’ll say this and I am finished with this micky mouse blog. He is as good as any of the top picks! Period….. He is better than Gerhart, Hardesty on his WORST day….. You don’t have to have any football IQ to realize that…. It’s a real shame, but hey, Cleveland losses all the time for a reason, picking good football players is just ONE reason!
come on
April 24th, 2010
9:40 am
well atleast wr will come to tech. cause u don’t get picked out of ugay as a wide out. come to tech and be the first wide out taken
hiveredtech
April 24th, 2010
9:57 am
Gt4ever
I know what I am talking about…I already knew where he was falling to and why about two weeks ago…this is no surprise to anyone in the college/pro coaching community. His work ethic is the big question…and the only big question.
Dwyer getting job'd
April 24th, 2010
10:03 am
hiveredtech, you must be joking. I’ve been paying plenty of attention pre-draft and JD’s combine showing was said to have cost him in that he wouldn’t be GOING IN THE FIRST ROUND. No one, I mean no one, had him going any later than late 2nd round. He was also the 3rd or 4th best RB mentioned by all analysts pre-draft. So I’m not sure what you’ve been listening to that all of us haven’t. Its obvious he is getting shafted here.
Dwyer getting job'd
April 24th, 2010
10:07 am
hiveredtech, what about his pro day? My understanding is that he impressed everybody then.. And that he also had one of the best showings for RB’s in the cone drills at the combine. You know, the only drill that even remotely relates to actually playing the game? Funny we had never heard about JD’s work ethic while he was here in Atlanta for 3 years. Interesting that just pops up now out of the blue
Rodney Dangerfield
April 24th, 2010
10:12 am
Dexter McCluster before JD? Really? Something is amiss. He may have a saggy belly, a slow combine 40 time, and be on ADD meds but I never saw anyone catch him from behind in his whole college career.
Lt. Frank Dreben
April 24th, 2010
10:29 am
Good luck getting any blue chip running back prospects now Tech fans. Don’t think this won’t be used against you on the recruiting trail. A 1,000+ yard rusher and he’s still on the board? Embarrassing.
Personally I always thought Dwyer was overrated. He never did anything against a top level team and padded the stats against ACC creampuffs.
supersize that order, mutt
April 24th, 2010
10:31 am
There may be a lot to what hiver is saying. Don’t you guys remember last summer, when Dwyer showed up overweight and out of condition for preseason training? And his first few games of the year, though attributed to an ankle injury (I believe) were certainly not comparable to the previous season. I’m not saying that he does have a work ethic problem, but it is certainly possible that he does.
son_sir
April 24th, 2010
10:34 am
Something’s up, Last night JD was showing up on the “best available” lists but not this morning, Almost like there is some developing behind the scene situation that isn’t being reported.
supersize that order, mutt
April 24th, 2010
10:34 am
Lt. Frank, since you are undoubtedly a mutt, good luck keeping your players out of jail. Maybe the mutts should make attendance at AA meetings a requirment for all football players.
dawgfan
April 24th, 2010
10:39 am
Okay Techies, you have once again got me confused. When people have criticized Morgan and Thomas your retort has been “I think those NFL teams know what they are doing” picking them in the first round. But now Dwyer isn’t getting picked and its “these NFL teams are Clueless.”. Typical Techies talking out of both sides of your ignorant mouths.
And please for the love of God stop crying like little girls over Dwyer. You’re embarassing yourselves. Nobody respects you as fans to begin with. Don’t make it worse for youselves.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.......SUCKERS!
April 24th, 2010
10:40 am
Here’s a breakdown of SEC first-rounders over the past decade:
Georgia — 10
Tennessee — 10
Florida — 9
LSU — 9
Arkansas — 6
Auburn — 6
Ole Miss — 6
South Carolina — 4
Alabama — 3
Vanderbilt — 2
Kentucky — 1
supersize that order, mutt
April 24th, 2010
10:41 am
dawgfan, go back to licking you ass
I Hate UGAY
April 24th, 2010
11:08 am
I demand the State close UGA now, it is a waste of my tax money! Close it, close it, close it…
kshizzle
April 24th, 2010
11:10 am
Dwyer came out of High School 6′ and 200 lbs. running a 4.4 at least that is what was listed on his bio. He looked fast to me in game film and that’s all I need to see. He runs well in pads and that is more important then running well in shorts. He has been in college for 3 years at his still growing into his body, obviously with some struggles. He’s what 21 years old and people are worried about his weight? I would hope that an NFL Teams trainer/s would be able to help Dwyer reach and maintain his full physical potential. I believe Dwyer would will willing and able to put in the work to do this. If the Falcons haven’t picked yet and have a pick in the fourth round and JD is available I want the Falcons to take him. Dimitroff said he would be adding stuff on both sides of the ball to give Matt Ryan more weapons. An OG from Alabama is not what I call an offensive weapon. Neither are the 2 other Defensive players he drafted. What offensive weapons that can help Matt Ryan exist past round 3? Hard to believe but I know of one and that is JD.
Lt. Frank Dreben
April 24th, 2010
11:12 am
All those players in jail and you STILL can’t beat Georgia. Even more embarassing.
One victory in 9 years and Tech fans think they have something to say to Georgia. I thought you people were smart?
Stinger
April 24th, 2010
11:15 am
The Broncos can now cut NOSHOW since they will have the Tebow to Bay Bay connection.
shane
April 24th, 2010
11:15 am
Yeah. Tech fans get excited about getting a few players drafted. You just lost what little talent you did have.
And for the moron who said UGA doesnt produce NFL ready WR’s. I think AJ Green will go plenty high when the time comes.
Also gotta wonder about the Broncos. A QB who cant throw and a WR who cant catch. WOW.
Stinger
April 24th, 2010
11:16 am
Amen brother, UGA sucks the big one. LMAO. Curran is a midget and will never make it in the NFL. If I saw him get run over once, I saw him get run over 1000 times. His head is still spinning where Dryer ran over him.
shane
April 24th, 2010
11:17 am
The Broncos can now cut NOSHOW since they will have the Tebow to Bay Bay connection.
After a rookie season of almost a thousand yard and 7 td’s that would be a dumb football move. But your a Tech fan. Wouldnt expect you to know much about football.
Stinger
April 24th, 2010
11:17 am
Your talent has no choice. It is either stay and play @ UGAY or go to jail.
GTSteve
April 24th, 2010
11:18 am
I hope Jimmy Clausen is such a bust that ESPN fires Mel Kiper
shane
April 24th, 2010
11:18 am
Amen brother, UGA sucks the big one.
And yet we beat you every year. How is that?
Reality
April 24th, 2010
11:19 am
Facts (things that make you go hummmmmmm):
1. Curran was uga’s most valuable player last year. He was known as the “tackling machine.”
2. Curran was the SEC’s player with the most tackles last year.
3. Curran was taken during the supplemental draft after 3rd round.
4. Three GA Tech players were taken ahead of Curran.
5. UGA regularly has top 10 recruiting classes. GA Tech’s recruiting classes are usually top 50.
So, what do these facts lead YOU to conclude? Which school coaches will coach players up? Which school coaches players down?
You be the judge.
shane
April 24th, 2010
11:20 am
Your talent has no choice
Just like Stafford had no choice. LOL. Top QB in the draft. 60 million dollars.
ATLBadger
April 24th, 2010
11:20 am
As a Packers and Tech fan, I’m happy about the Burnett pickup.