Georgia’s Pro Day attracts NFL Who’s Who
Editor’s Note: Chip Towers provided updates throughout UGA’s Pro Day and all of them are listed below. Some of the notables: RB Knowshon Moreno turned in a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash while DB Asher Allen turned in a blazing 4.33. QB Matthew Stafford ended the day with several impressive throws. DB C.J. Byrd, LB Dannell Ellerbe and WR Mohamed Massaqoui helped themselves with fast times in the 40.
Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno will be on the field again for Georgia today. Check that: They’ll be on Georgia’s fields but it will be for themselves.
Representatives of all 32 NFL teams — and in some cases three or four from each team — will be on hand as the Bulldogs’ two offensive stars from this past season, along with 12 other UGA players, show off their wares for NFL scouts.
Georgia coach Mark Richt said it may be the Bulldogs’ biggest Pro Day since he and his staff came to Athens. Strength and conditioning director Dave Van Halanger, who organizes and oversees the event, wasn’t so sure. He remembers the first year, when Georgia had Richard Seymour and Marcus Stroud and Kendrell Bell, as being a well-attended event. And certainly there was a lot of buzz when David Pollack and David Greene and Thomas Davis came out in 2004.
But in Stafford and Moreno the Bulldogs have produced two players that could be early first-round picks. And in the case of Stafford, VERY early. Some have projected him as the No. 1 overall pick.
The main reason for the incredible turnout is Stafford chose not to throw at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last month. He chose to throw to his own recivers — Mohamed Massaquoi, Demiko Goodman and Kenneth Harris — on his own fields. And the beneficiaries of that decision, including Stafford and Moreno, are Georgia and the 12 other players hoping to get their name called during the NFL draft.
“Matthew’s decision to throw here and not there, that was up to him. . . . I don’t get into the middle of that decision,” coach Mark Richt said. “But the fact that Matthew is doing it here is a big deal because he will attract a big crowd. Even if those guys weren’t here we’d have a solid Pro Day. But with both those guys being here it’s going to be a bigger crowd than we normally get.”
Because Stafford is being considered for the top spot, more actual NFL coaches and executives are expected to be in town rather than just scouts.
Said Richt: “I can’t predict who’s coming but I’m sure there are going to be some big-name coaches, head coaches and position coaches. I would think GMs will be here. I think you’ll see a great representation of the NFL coming to our campus, which is super.”
Richt is encouraging the current Bulldogs to come out and watch their former teammates for motivation if nothing else.
“It’s a job interview for the dream of their lifetime,” Richt said. “So I told our guys to come watch their teammates interview for a job in the NFL. I want that to motivate them. I them to be excited about it.”
Other UGA players showing off for the scouts Thursday: Receivers Mohamed Massaquoi, Kenneth Harris and Demiko Goodman; cornerbacks Asher Allen and Ramarcus Brown; fullback Brannan Southerland; linebacker Dannell Ellerbe; defensive tackle Corvey Irvin; defensive ends Jeremy Lomax and Jarius Wynn; safety CJ Byrd; and punter Brian Mimbs.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
292 comments Add your comment
d
March 19th, 2009
1:42 pm
where are the updates?
WePeeYello2
March 19th, 2009
1:43 pm
Can you imagine what the insect pro day will be like? Probably like a home game; empty stadium, with a few people milling around, LOL.
I also have to wonder if recruits from GA that went to other schools are reading this blog and thinking; oh god, I should have gone to UGA. Not to mention current recruits, who are just drooling at the opportunity to showcase there talent at an event like this; lets see if I were a WR would want Logan Grey, Aaron Murray or Zach Mettenberger throwing me the ball in front of NFL GM’s and coaches or Calvin Booker, Doc Coppage, Bryce Dykes, Josh Nesbitt or Jaybo Shaw? I think the team that throws the ball half the time has better QB’s, what do you think?
j
March 19th, 2009
1:43 pm
Incredible work Chip. Great job! Could not have done better!
DawgGirl32
March 19th, 2009
1:46 pm
Chip- I love your enthusiasm today. Thanks for keeping the updates coming all day. It’s great to be a Georgia Bulldawg!
mdawg
March 19th, 2009
1:48 pm
thanks for the great reporting! much better than the other sites!
BlackSmoke
March 19th, 2009
1:48 pm
Great job reporting Chip. Wish we could’ve had some live video….but your play by play on the passing drills was spot on!
Andy in Ohio
March 19th, 2009
1:50 pm
Great job, Chip.
Huh?
March 19th, 2009
1:50 pm
Georgia Tech has already had their pro day. I think some Falcons reps stopped by on their lunch break and a few Arena League teams were represented. There was electricity in the air.
uga_b
March 19th, 2009
1:53 pm
MadDawg,
La Tech
UT Chattanooga
UAB
San Diego St
TCU
Love that trivia!
SilverBritches
March 19th, 2009
1:54 pm
Chip…Great job of reporting. Sounds like UGA did a great job of showcasing its talented players.
how2fish
March 19th, 2009
1:54 pm
Chip thanks for the reports, good luck to all the fomer Bulldogs!
hem o'roid
March 19th, 2009
1:58 pm
Where’s the blog about preacher richt yanking the scholly of the kid from ECI, and ruining the rest of his career?? Duhhh-pot calls kettle black. What a joke cause rev. knew about the “altercation” months ago and so did everyone else. Just like the ajc.
lakerat
March 19th, 2009
2:01 pm
Asher can run, but he won’t be able to hide! IF he gets a chance those pro WRs will make him look even sillier than those weak college WRs!
gdawginkalamazoo
March 19th, 2009
2:09 pm
Hey, I tried to forget Mitchell’s name much less where he came from. Congrats to Stafford and the receivers hope it was a good show. To say that Detroit needs to wait till next year to get the QB is crazy. They have two picks this year in round one. Get the QB with the first then the OL with the next.
BC, every single player out there is a potential bust, Stafford included. IMO if Stafford had come back for his senior year he would still be in the same position he is today. Bradford and McCoy would be close behind. The people questioning his mental ability to adapt to the pro level haven’t watched a lot of Georgia football the past three years. Stafford is dedicated. He is a hard worker, he is more a student of the game than people give him credit for.
justdamn
March 19th, 2009
2:12 pm
Chip Towers makes the day – excellent job for those of us stuck in an office. I agree with other posters, hopefully this will end up on tv tonight.
Sounds like a great day for the Red and Black. This should really help Garner’s recruiting efforts….Do you think they could get this kind of NFL presence down at North Ave Trade School???
Boston Williams
March 19th, 2009
2:12 pm
Moreno just stepped in it. UGA fans pretended they didn’t smell it.
VDAWG
March 19th, 2009
2:14 pm
Chip – That was awesome. Fantastic Job!!
Match
March 19th, 2009
2:15 pm
So, Stafford is actually kinda short, huh?
crichar
March 19th, 2009
2:16 pm
Too bad Knowshon doesn’t have that CJ Spiller speed or he might have been a top 5 pick.
Clemson Tigers forever
Manny
March 19th, 2009
2:17 pm
Here’s the upside on Knowshon. He has great footwork and can change direction on a dime. Plus, he doesn’t get hurt often. He’s not beat up.
The downside is he can get sucked up once he breaks through. He’s just not that fast. But someon said something about Emmitt Smith, and I agree. He can get a lot of carries and keep going like Emmitt. But he’s going to have to mature like Emmitt.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 19th, 2009
2:18 pm
Huh? That electricity was from the downed powerline wasn’t it?
Chip Towers
March 19th, 2009
2:20 pm
One last thing, since everybody’s asking, all the feedback that I got after the workouts was that Stafford did really well and helped himself today. Bobo said he had only two misses. He threw 50 passes in 10 minutes.
SH
March 19th, 2009
2:22 pm
Great job Chip! Any idea when the final stats will be posted and where?
Baba O'Riley
March 19th, 2009
2:27 pm
Any quotes from scouts? We know Bobo will give the most positive slant
Pepe
March 19th, 2009
2:30 pm
Thanks for the updates. I’m looking forward to seeing the national perspective this evening (NFL Network and ESPN). Good day for the Bulldogs!!!
matt
March 19th, 2009
2:33 pm
If you’ve ever watched Knowshon run then you know he has talent. If you don’t think so you don’t know football. Who do you think all of those teams were there to watch??? Stafford isn’t going out of the top 8 so why were the other 24 teams there???? Answer: To see Knowshon and a few of the others. Knowshon has been projected as a mid to late pick. That’s appx 15 teams he could possibly go to. Make no mistake. 32 teams didn’t show up to see Stafford!!!
Ben Johnson
March 19th, 2009
2:37 pm
Thanks Chip. Good Stuff.
matt
March 19th, 2009
2:38 pm
Too bad CJ Spiller doesn’t have Knowshon’s talent, he might’ve been a top 5 pick.
Clemson Tigers- bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
gdawginkalamazoo
March 19th, 2009
2:40 pm
Thanks for the hardwork there Chip. It is greatly appreciated.
Bulldawg
March 19th, 2009
2:41 pm
Chip,
Just wanted to say thank you for your hard work and great up-to-date reporting. Oh, and i suppose i should thank the AJC too (but i won’t…hehe).
dawgwatcher
March 19th, 2009
2:42 pm
uga_b,
Jerry Rice was not a 4.7 guy. He was in the 4.3s. Don’t know where you got that info but it is dead wrong.
Baba O'Riley
March 19th, 2009
2:42 pm
I think all those scouts were there to see how UGA could possibly lose those 3 games with all the talent they have on campus.
IntheD
March 19th, 2009
2:44 pm
Lions are nuts if they go Stafford @ #1. But, they’re known for screwing up the draft.
ATAlien
March 19th, 2009
2:45 pm
Someone give this guy a hand. He needs help getting out of Moreno and Stafford’s hankies…
UGA VI
March 19th, 2009
2:47 pm
sorry dawgwatcher, you are incorrect:
Rice’s 1984 record-breaking season at Mississippi Valley caught the attention of many NFL scouts, but his speed (reportedly only 4.71 in the 40-yard dash) kept most wary, although there were apparently at least two exceptions: the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers.
how2fish
March 19th, 2009
2:49 pm
Baba…you sheep lover…its the SEC stupid ! No one no even the Gators would have lost only 1 game with the number of injuries Georgia had…now go back to Trade School…
PM
March 19th, 2009
2:50 pm
HEADLINE….
“How fast did Knowshon Moreno (above) ran the 40-yard dash?”
Another one of the AJC’s finest and their writing skills…probably a UGA grad.
just me
March 19th, 2009
2:51 pm
Has Fulton ever heard of Terrell Davis, Garrison Hearst, Patrick Pass, Randall Godfrey, Marcus Stroud, David Pollack, Champ Bailey, Hines Ward, etc.? What college has more NFL players than UGA?
Dawg Lover
March 19th, 2009
2:52 pm
Great job, CHIP! Thanks for the updates!
tedd
March 19th, 2009
2:53 pm
Hey intheD,
You are an idiot who know cheet about football.Stafford is another Cutler in the making.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 19th, 2009
2:53 pm
Baba, LMAO! That was funny.
Sheryl
March 19th, 2009
2:55 pm
Am I the only one who clicked on Knowshon’s picture because he looks good with his shirt off?
IntheD
March 19th, 2009
2:57 pm
Hey Tedd,
Stafford is perfect for the loser Lions with no OLine and no D and with all the weaknesses he’s got in his game, they’re a perfect match. I hope the Lions take him, you deserve to keep losing. Cutler in the making? At least Cutler kept his $hitty team in games unlike the underachieving Stafford.
tedd
March 19th, 2009
2:58 pm
Anyone want a laugh?..Go to the mlive.com,{Lions forum}and flood the mnessage board with positive Stafford posts…The majority are borderline retards,who want the Lions to pick a LB (Curry) or a LT with the first pick…Most hate Stafford for some odd reason…It’s simply amazing how clueless they are about football.
Gen Neyland
March 19th, 2009
3:01 pm
Sheryl : No, Barney Frank did too…
Chip : Good job and I’m not even one of ‘them’, or am I..? As hard as you worked today I gotta think you needed to carb up after it was over.
IntheD
March 19th, 2009
3:03 pm
Lions have so many holes, Stafford would fail for sure there. You guys need to build a Defense and Oline before you get a QB. Sounds like you don’t have a clue about football. Stafford isn’t going to help you next year or the year after. If he plays, he’ll get killed.
tedd
March 19th, 2009
3:04 pm
Hey IntheD
The Lions are in the beginning stages of a massive rebuild…Stafford will be redshirted his first year and developed much like Rivers and Carson Palmer did…They have plenty of time to build the Offensive line.
Stafford helped Georgia win THREE bowl games in three years….BTW he is still only 20 years old and has every bit as much talent as Cutler did coming out of college..Get a clue.
CalDogg
March 19th, 2009
3:07 pm
Some more on Herschel just for fun:
Knowshon’s a great guy and a terrific running back but the HW comparisons just don’t make sense. They’re two very different people, physically, and very different runners. Knowshon’s a shifty guy, not a speed guy (as he’s showed today). Ask Gayle Sayers, Barry Sanders, et al. if shifty is a good thing.
HW was more of a straight away runner with exceptional strength who hit a hole and was impossible to catch when in space. Impossible. And for his size, HW was simply a freak of nature. He remains the 8th leading all-purpose yardage gainer in NFL history even today, despite having spent his first 3 years in the USFL.
In 2002 Herschel Walker was voted into the Collegiate Football Hall of Fame, and was selected as the second greatest player in college football history, behind only the legendary Red Grange. That’s opinion, sure, but from football people, not the blogsphere.
But, back to times.
HW was 6-2 and somewhere between 222-225 lbs. He ran a 9.9 100 yards dash as a junior in high school and went on to become a world class sprinter even while playing football. He was a two-time All American in TRACK (outdoor 4×100 relay and indoor 60) at UGA. There is legend that he beat Daryl Green in a footrace but I don’t know anybody who can confirm that. Let’s just say he was damned fast. People like to remember his running over people but did you ever see him caught from behind, ever, even with an angle? No. He blew through the angle. The rules just didn’t apply to a man that size going that fast.
And, in track, they time you officially, folks. So, the “He was probably a 4.xx man” conjecture is simply foolishness. Based on nothing, except maybe wishful (negative) thinking.
HW ran track at UGA with Mel Lattany, one of UGA’s fastest sprinters ever (the first collegian to ever win the same event (the 100) four times at the Drake Relays, for example). Mel was quoted as saying that if Herschel trained solely in track, he thought HW would beat him. At 222 lbs.
That’s just flat fast.
He was also the valedictorian of his high school with a straight-A average and led his team to state championships in football and track. Why some people still seem intent on smacking this guy down is beyond me. Simply silly and tells you much more about them than about him.
But, as for football, you simply had to see him in the open field to truly appreciate him.
I believe Knowshon will go on to have a wonderful NFL career. But, as for speed alone, I expect HW might outrun him even today. BTW, HW still does his 2,500 situps and 1,500 pushups every morning.
IntheD
March 19th, 2009
3:11 pm
I’m sure Lions fans will be fired up to know that the #1 pick will sit with all the needs they have. Stafford beat Hawaii and MSU in 2 of those bowls, hardly impressive wins. He wasn’t even the best QB in the SEC. Nor did he lead his teams to any championships. Chronic underacheiver and doesn’t have prototypical NFL size either. Hey, you guys might be dumb enough to take him. You guys should at least try to become competative next year and take a QB next year. Sounds like what you guys always do though, go for the position instead of building a team. How many first round defensive players did you guys take in the Millen era? 1 maybe? You guys are brainwashed by your ownership and Millen.
Wildgator
March 19th, 2009
3:14 pm
CalDogg,
I am a GATOR FAN but, I have to give it to you, that was a pretty good writeup on Knowshon vs HW!! uga fans get mad at me when I say basically the things you said. Knowshon was pretty good for uga, but again, he wasn’t/isn’t a HW!