Reshad Jones makes his move; Curran next?
(UPDATE: As expected, Reshad Jones formally announced this afternoon that he is leaving UGA early for the NFL draft. Click here for the full story from his press conference.)
Georgia junior safety Reshad Jones, who was on the verge of entering the NFL draft a year ago, will do so this time and forgo his senior season at UGA, he confirmed late Monday night.
Although he changed his mind on the draft decision a couple of times last year, he indicated he is firm in his choice this time.
“I know I’m ready,” he said.
He said he made the decision after consulting with his family.
Jones will formally announce his decision to enter the draft at a news conference in Athens this afternoon. UGA says to expect no word today from junior linebacker Rennie Curran, who is deciding whether to join Jones in the draft.
The NFL deadline for eligible underclassmen to enter the draft is Jan. 15, but Curran has indicated he might prefer to make an announcement before spring-semester classes begin at UGA. That is Thursday.
Factors believed to be steering Curran toward the draft are financial (he has a 1-year-old daughter) and the fact that the biggest knock against his NFL potential (his height) won’t change with another year of college.
Jones, from Atlanta, started all 13 games for Georgia this season, making 73 tackles and intercepting a team-high four passes. The highlight of his season was a superb performance in a 30-24 victory over Georgia Tech.
After drawing much criticism for his play against the Yellow Jackets in 2008, he made amends in 2009. His dazzling one-handed interception of a Tech pass at Georgia’s 43-yard line in the second quarter set up a UGA touchdown drive.
“This game was real personal for me,” Jones said afterward. “I wanted redemption. . . . This is as sweet as it gets.”
In Georgia’s Independence Bowl victory over Texas A&M, Jones had a 59-yard interception return to the Aggies 28-yard line late in the third quarter, leading to a touchdown. It was the 11th and final interception of Jones’ UGA career.
Changing topics: It’s Dogs vs. Jackets in hoops tonight at Stegeman Coliseum. Click here for a blog on that.
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181 comments Add your comment
BigMike Said...
January 5th, 2010
5:24 pm
2010, Let’s play Bulldog Ball! USC-UGA BCS Natinals next year!
Bulldog Mike
January 5th, 2010
5:25 pm
Ain’t gonna be Grantham, he runs a 3-4, UGA doesn’t have the personel to run that.
bham dawg
January 5th, 2010
5:49 pm
What happened to Greg Blue, I thought he was going to be great in the NFL
John
January 5th, 2010
6:34 pm
Everybody looooooves the players until they go early to the pros, then everybody thinks the players personally owe them something. Especially when AA kids go from broke to signing a contract more than you will ever make in your lifetime, it really ticks some of you off and brings out the worst of your christian morals. If Reshad is so bad for Georgia why not wish him well, unless you have other motives for your rants.
Big L
January 5th, 2010
6:39 pm
You people who are bangin on Reshad need to grow up. He is a kid who is trying to start his life. That’s why UHA fans get a bad name. Idiots who lack the ability to act lime a grown person. Talk about Sanders Commings, Bacari Rambo ( greatest football name ever) or Alec Ogletree. But leave him alone and focus on future, whixh is bery bright if Richt will find someone who can properly use the talent.
Big L
January 5th, 2010
6:40 pm
You people who are bangin on Reshad need to grow up. He is a kid who is trying to start his life. That’s why UGA fans get a bad name. Idiots who lack the ability to act like a grown person. Talk about Sanders Commings, Bacari Rambo ( greatest football name ever) or Alec Ogletree. But leave him alone and focus on future, which is very brite if Richt will find someone who can properly use the talent.
cullowheedawg
January 5th, 2010
6:53 pm
Reshad, even leaving early, YOU have a standing invitation to come to my tailgate at any time. We park at the Catholic Center and I will have some BQ pork shoulder or burgers, etc for you. By the way Rennie, we have enough for you also. Both of you are members of the DAWG NATION and we will always be proud of you, wishing the best for you.
Cullowheedawg
Pulaski Dawg
January 5th, 2010
7:25 pm
I pray that whatever decision Rennie Curran makes turns out to be the right one for him and his family. Of concern is that if the NFL does not work out, an additional year toward a degree would be huge in supporting his family. In returning there is the risk of injury. Tough decision.
icedawg
January 5th, 2010
7:33 pm
Good on him. Hope he gets in and can stay in it. For most of the guys it is the big money. The injury bug can come at anytime. The landscape has changed. Freshman used to not play much. It looks like now that a significant number of the good players play freshman-Jr. year and then bolt for the pros. Some guys are ready but quite a few (Matthew Stafford being one) would have benefited from playing their Sr. year.
Todd Grantham
January 5th, 2010
7:37 pm
Good luck Reshad, but you’re missing out because I’m going to be a heckuva a defensive coach at Georgia next year.
Fred Football
January 5th, 2010
7:57 pm
http://www.smartestbulldog.com. It just keeps getting better.
Big L
January 5th, 2010
7:59 pm
GT band was playing “In the Navy” . I swear to god.
TXDawg
January 5th, 2010
8:29 pm
Nice one Big L…..still laughing!!
Snoop Dawg
January 5th, 2010
8:50 pm
I say good riddance to that thug Rashad Jones. What a dud. We brought this doofus in as a 5-star recruit and he has never learned the basics of tackling. How many embarassments has he brought to the great UGA. That idiot will be lucky to get drafted at all. And he’s too dumb to get a degree. Look for this mug to be knocking on your door in about three years selling firewood or offering to get rid of that tree stump in your front yard.
Oh yeah, Rennie Curran might be energetic for his size, but he’s definitely not NFL material. He’ll get his neck broken for sure if he can scam his way on to a team. This rastaman fellow never really provided any leadership to the Dawg defense…
We’re better off with a clean slate of better characters…
ajc is slow
January 5th, 2010
9:23 pm
Rennie Curren has already announced he’s going to the NFL. Why hasn’t the AJC reported about it? THEY ARE SLOW…..or just too busy up Tech’s a$$ this evening.
BTW….congrats to the Dawgs for beating Tech in bb tonight!!!!!
john '90
January 5th, 2010
9:43 pm
Reshad: Wish you absolutely the best of luck in the NFL. Selfishly, I wish you had stayed one more year, but ultimately it’s your decision. From my observation, Jones made his most improvement this year. He definitely has the physique, speed and ability for Sunday ball. Thanks for all the hits, ball separations, pass break-ups and ball strips for the Dawgs. Once a Dawg, always a Dawg!
Tear up the NFL!
daddydog
January 5th, 2010
10:32 pm
Rennie, don’t impose a false deadline on yourself. You don’t have to make a decision by the start of classes. You can always withdraw if you decide later to apply for draft.
true UGA fan
January 6th, 2010
12:53 am
snoop dawg, STFU, no one wants to hear your cowardly remarks, just STFU, YOU ARE A REAL BIOOTCH
BuLLdawg
January 6th, 2010
1:05 am
73-66 UGA Bulldogs’ Men’s Basketball team, with a far better Academic Progress Rate APR than GA tek’s men’s basketball thugs, beat GA Tek tonight 73-66. GA tek suffers only a 914 APR, and Paul Hewitt who has a LOSING RECORD to UGA Bulldogs, has been put on NCAA PROBATION with only 11 Scholarships allowed. GA tek has not beat UGA in Athens since 1976. Who has the better coach ? Clearly, UGA’s new basketball coach Mark Fox, who does NOT have a LOSING RECORD to GA teak as GA tek’s coach Paul Hewitt always has bad against UGA Bulldogs both on the court and in the classroom. Our players are NOT thugs. This team still has a pretty high ceiling,” Paul Hewitt said. That is a POOR SPORT. He should congratulate UGA on a not so surprising victory at all. Paul Hewitt is now 4-6 vs. UGA. Paul Hewitt is a bad coach and would have been fired years ago at UGA. At GA tek, they try to cover up his NCAA PROBATION and NCAA limiting him to just 11 Scholarships.
56-50 Women’s Basketball UGA Lady Bulldogs also have a far higher Academic Progress Rate than the GA tek women’s basketball team. Also, UGA Lady Bulldogs have NEVER lost to GA tek in Athens in women’s basketball. The GA tek coach, after last year refusing to shake Andy Landers’ hand after he beat the crap out of her team, this year did. It resonated throughout the college sports what a horrible POOR SPORT MaChelle Joseph is as GA tek’s women’s basketball coach. The score this year was 56-50. The better coach ? Without any doubt Coach Andy Landers.
30-24 Forcing Paul Johnson to scrap his high school offense, GA tek Heisman hopeful Josh Nesbitt threw 4 incomplete passes as wounded ducks to end the game. It was a devastating loss, leaving Paul Johnson to tell the GA tek fans (both of them) to hit UGA fans in the face. This is a POOR SPORT. This, while, Coach Richt beat GA tek for the 8th time in 9 years of 90-27 football including 2 BCS Bowl Championship Game WINS. GA tek has not won a Major Bowl Game since 1955, a span now in excess of 55 years. It also marked the 60th defeat of GA tek football and coupled with their bowl loss to bring Paul Johnson to 0-2 in bowl games, while Coach Richt is 7-2, it is a bitter pill to swallow for a football team at GA tek under Paul Johnson who has a far worse Academic Progress Rate APR than Coach Richt’s football team’s APR. The better coach ? By far Coach Richt.
It has been a BAD YEAR for GA Tek. A complete clean sweep. In all major sports UGA has far exceeded the Academic Progress Rate of GA tek. And, oh yeah, while we are on the topic, we have BEAT GA tek for this year :
73-66 men’s basketball UGA wins over GA tek.
56-50 women’s basketball UGA wins over GA tek
30-24 football UGA wins over GA tek.
A day to go down in Infamy for GA tek. It could not have happened to a worse group of losers, thugs, college drop-outs and POOR SPORTS. Congratulations GA tek, a clean sweep, in every possible fashion.
DavidDawg86
January 6th, 2010
1:48 am
We Run This State …On and Off the Court!!
Go Dawgs!!
Cali Dawg
January 6th, 2010
1:52 am
Best of luck in the NFL. But, you will be learning a new defensive scheme next year. For the chance to move up to a first rounder, you may want to curb the talk about the difficulty to learn a new defensive scheme next year.
Coach Scott
January 6th, 2010
6:56 am
I was probably Rashad Jones biggest fan. I kept waiting for him to be the kind of “hitter” I expected him to be – the next Greg Blue or Thomas Davis. Alas, I never thought he reached the potential or the expectations I had for him. But, I do believe he gave us enough time, and wish him well in the NFL.
Best Wishes
January 6th, 2010
8:26 am
Best of luck to you in the NFL – glad to see so many GA players are NFL ready – you all will be missed and thanks for the time at GA – time for the young talent to step up for a great 2010!
Go Dawgs!
dap01
January 6th, 2010
9:08 am
Wow, did GA Tech get dominated physically by Iowa or what? If Tech plays outside of the ACC, they have been physically dominated in every aspect of the game. That offense is no longer a mystery, that defense is terrible and the kicking game is second rate at best.
Ha, Ha, it seems that CPJ did not invent football afterall!
flagboy?
January 6th, 2010
10:14 am
Steve
January 5th, 2010
10:52 am
“That being said, I and many others were obviously correct this year.”
“We didn’t just line up and force someone to stop the dive play. When we finally did, we found out teams couldn’t stop it, and we controlled the ball and most importantly the clock much better. ”
“Georgia was dead last in rushing attempts as a perecentage of offensive plays in the SEC until the Georgia (Tech?) game, and for some reason the light finally switched on”
“when Bobo started doing what the fans wanted we started to dominate.”
___________________________________________
First, when coaches start listening to what the fans want, we’re in for a world of trouble. Fans live with perception, not reality. Let’s all admit that Richt, Bobo, and Martinez have forgotten more about football than the rest of us know.
Second, running the ball against tech is a world different from running the football against Florida, LSU, and South Carolina. . .or Tenn for that matter. Losing your best offensive lineman in the first series of the year doesn’t help, and we tried desperately to hide one person on our offensive line ALL YEAR. I don’t think there is anyone out there that wouldn’t like to just line up and run it over and over and over and win. But we COULD NOT do that during most of the season.
To say we should of done all season what we did against tech is saying the SEC is on par with the ACC. And i’m not bashing tech/acc when i say that just isn’t the case.
flagboy?
January 6th, 2010
10:16 am
And R Jones, good luck in the NFL.
I, and i’m sure many Dawg fans will agree, appreciate your game against tech. . . that was a good one.
Bulldog Mike
January 6th, 2010
11:43 am
I’d be REAL surprise if Curran leaves UGA. Curran is a LOYAL dude. He loves Richt and UGA, and UGA loves him. He’s a VERY special guy. He really wants to be that guy that helps Richt get his 1st official Natl Champ. Curran’s family is fine for now. Curran can improve with more int’s, sacks, and tfl’s. Much more $$$ if he waits one more year. Richt ALWAYS follows a tough year with a great 11 or 13 win season. With a new DC, Curran could really have an All-American type season.
confusadude
January 7th, 2010
11:32 pm
Jones was the most overated dog. He has no chance in the NFL. His leaving opens spots for new recruits. Curran needs to stay, I wish we had 10 Currans. How about hiring Pollack as some kind of defensive coach.
weary-dog
January 7th, 2010
11:43 pm
Miller & Jones were below average defenders. Martinez sucked, but these two didn’t help. UGA’s zone defense was clueless. Defense should be better without the 3 slackateers. We need more Renne Curran character players. Forget 5-star ratings, go for character.
who's on 1st
January 7th, 2010
11:48 pm
Whatever happened to Jon Tenuda? Is he available? Kirby isn’t ready for this DC job.
Brent
January 10th, 2010
4:14 am
To you people saying that UGA needs a new head coach: grow up. While it’s true that Mark Richt hasn’t taken us to the promised land yet, let’s remember that this guy has the best winning percentage of any coach in UGA history, including Vince Dooley. Let’s also remember that it took various other legendary coaches, including Dooley, Tom Osborne and Bobby Bowden, longer than a decade before they earned their first title.
Richt won the SEC in two of his first five seasons, and finished ranked #2 in the nation in 2007. If you were to hop in a Delorian, go back to the 1990’s and talk to Dawg fans then, these type of accomplishments would have been grounds for sainthood in Dawg Nation.
I still have faith that Richt will win a national title at UGA. So he hasn’t been as successful as Urban Meyer or Nick Saban in the last couple of years…is that really a reason to fire somebody? Anybody who thinks we should fire Mark Richt is a moron.