Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins first-round NFL draft picks?
How much did former UGA defensive tackles Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens help themselves at the Senior Bowl?
So much that they possibly could become late first-round picks in this year’s NFL draft, according to Russ Lande, a former NFL scout who evaluates players for Sporting News.
Both Owens and Atkins were identified by Lande “and his team of former NFL scouts” among seven players who helped their draft stock at the Senior Bowl.
Writing in today’s edition of Sporting News Today, Lande said Atkins’ strong performance will move him into the second round of the draft and, if sustained in spring workouts, could get him into the bottom of the first round. Owens, Lande writes, was considered “a likely third- or fourth-round pick” before the Senior Bowl practices and game but is now seen “as a definite second-rounder, with a good chance to move into the first round.”
It was a week of good reviews for Atkins and Owens in Mobile. A few days ago, Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano — coach of the South squad for the Senior Bowl — was quoted in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on the UGA DT tandem: “They’re both certainly high-energy guys that play with great fundamentals. Really are fundamentally very, very good. Do a super job that way. I enjoy watching those kind of guys play that play with that kind of energy, run around pretty well, give you fits up front offensively, show good strength at the point of attack, those type of things. They’re a handful for some of those linemen. They’ve done a nice job this week so far.”
Here’s the full analysis on Atkins from Sporting News’ Lande:
Atkins (6-1, 286) came to Mobile viewed as an undersized lineman who would struggle matching up against much bigger NFL guards. But after an excellent week of practice and a strong showing in the game, we are confident he has eliminated those doubts.
He consistently showed the rare quickness and explosiveness to shoot gaps and blow up plays in the backfield. As a smaller tackle, he shocked many NFL people with his strength against much bigger blockers. Atkins’ strong Senior Bowl will move him into the second round. If he can sustain his performance in spring workouts, he could move into the bottom of the first round.
And on Owens:
Owens did not have a dominant college season in his return from a season-ending knee injury in 2008. As a result, NFL people wondered if he would ever get back to being the player he was before the injury. Owens erased many of those concerns by shining at Mobile.
He dominated at the point of attack with strength, hand use and the explosiveness to jolt blockers. But what grabbed the NFL’s attention most was Owens’ ability to beat one-on-one pass blocks with very quick pass-rush moves. Before the Senior Bowl, Owens was considered a likely third- or fourth-round pick. Now, he is viewed as a definite second-rounder, with a good chance to move into the first round.
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133 comments Add your comment
dawg nation
January 31st, 2010
5:46 pm
Guess that eliminates the preception that UGA players are weak huh?!!!
Dawggone
January 31st, 2010
5:47 pm
Further proof of the underachievement fostered by Richt, Martinez, and Bobo during the season. When money and their own selfish interests are on the line, these Dawgs finally shine in the Senior Bowl. Funny how they couldn’t bring themselves and their teammates up higher during the season. That’s coaching, pure and simple.
Dawggone
January 31st, 2010
5:49 pm
They may have been fundamentally sound, but they didn’t play on gamedays to their potential. They didn’t do it for their school, their team, their fans, and certainly not for their coaches. They did it for the money, folks, and the potential to make lots of it when the scouts were watching.
Dawggone
January 31st, 2010
5:51 pm
We owe Richt a lot, and we’ve paid him a lot over the years, it’s time to send him on his way and go to the next step.
Tailback U
January 31st, 2010
5:52 pm
Attitude and Desire
I saw the senior bowl and I bet Tebow’s agent crapped his pants
after that showing.
Florida QB’s always bomb in the NFL but this crash could make a
lot of noise for future Florida QB recruits hoping to make it to
the NFL. That being said I wouldn’t bet against some level of
success just yet if a team happens to draft him with the right QB
sitauation and extreme patience. But as far as becoming a top
rated guy after a few years at the position two words come to
mind, no way.
don't be delusional
January 31st, 2010
5:54 pm
louie you cant talk. come beat us twice in a decade then you can start to speak.
Louie
January 31st, 2010
5:54 pm
biggast dog-
FYI , I was named after my grandfather, a very intelligent officer with the Atlanta Police Dept.
I presently attend Georgia Tech (and am proud of it I might add) about to finish the next semester.
So I ask, WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL and did you make it PAST the third grade?
Louie
January 31st, 2010
5:57 pm
To don’t be-
Evidently I can talk, and you listen.
Watch how the worm turns THIS YEAR.
Your first sign is your recruit bailouts.
Watch that happen in the next week.
STILL L M F A O
Louie
January 31st, 2010
6:06 pm
Later ……………
STILL….
CANINE NONSENSE
January 31st, 2010
6:07 pm
AND THE BEAT GOES ON!!!!!
Too bad they couldn't play Safety at UGA
January 31st, 2010
6:08 pm
I guess it is tough for a defensive tackle to stop a Tennessee bootleg, or Riley Cooper on a go pattern, or perhaps any of the TOP NOTCH TALENT from UK. Good luck in the NFL boys.
1eyedJack
January 31st, 2010
6:11 pm
At least this proves Rodney can coach ( Weston too) and now will coach up the DEs.
GT=Best Buy / Geek Squad Employee
January 31st, 2010
6:12 pm
I wonder how high in the pick the potential NFL drafts from Tech will go? Probably, not too high because there seems to be nothing on the Tech blog about them. Where’s Louie? On the UGA blog talking smack because he is a loser trying bring UGA fans to his weasel level.
Louie. Go play World of Warcraft. Our worst beat your best..
January 31st, 2010
6:14 pm
Georgia Tech; Educating China’s best and brightest engineers. I guess they do need to accept some caucasian students now and again.
Louie
January 31st, 2010
6:15 pm
Oh I knew your vomit would come out sooner or later.
STILL STILL STILL STILL
TampaGator
January 31st, 2010
6:15 pm
Hey…UGA NFL Pipeline…and those former Georgia players in the NFL helped Georgia go 3 – 17 against the Gators in the last 20 years. I am glad you are excited about all those players. We Gators get excited about beating Georgia, winning the SEC, and winning National Championships…and don’t really care what former Gators are in the NFL. Who cares about the NFL? I wish Tebow luck (and he is going to need it) in the NFL, but he is a former Gator now. I only care about how good Brantley is going to be next year for the Gators…oh, he is going to be very, very good!!!
TampaGator
January 31st, 2010
6:17 pm
Tailback U….and…Moreno and Stafford really turned the NFL upside down last year didn’ they. If you didn’t notice, the guy all Georgia fans were ripping at draft time last year…and drafted below your beloved Mareno and Stafford…won the NFL Rookie of the Year award. You might remember his name….Percy Harvin. And his team almost went to the Super Bowl. As with current Gators, former Gators are all about winning and playing for championships.
1eyedJack
January 31st, 2010
6:18 pm
Our best player in history can beat up your best player in history.
TampaGator
January 31st, 2010
6:19 pm
Plus…I bet you our greatest player in history will not embarrass himself when his playing days are over….he will instead be off somewhere working to make the world a better place for all of us to live. Not trying to make money by beating someone chumps brains in.
Louie
January 31st, 2010
6:19 pm
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEHHEHEHEHE !!!!!!!!!!!!!
LATER gt/geek, world of whatever.
Catch you tomorrow, mutt.
1eyedJack
January 31st, 2010
6:23 pm
He may be able to get started as early as next year.
redandblack80
January 31st, 2010
6:24 pm
Bama knws it all-STFU-lil boy.This here MARINE IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A BIG DOTHAN Ala. BIOTCH SLAP.Half my family/cousins has gone to UGA the other half to BAMA.My family & cousins “LOVE BOTH TEAMS”.WE DESPISE Florida FU.Only one Uncle went to Auburn.We suported BAMA when they lost “THE BEAR” & through the gloomy years up to this year.I expect nothing less from BAMA fans while we go though our gloomy years.GO DAWGS/GO MARINES.AARRRRTTTTTTTTTT.
Whatever, dude!
January 31st, 2010
6:32 pm
TampaGator: Who cares what you think about UGA football? We don’t! Why don;t you head to the GatorZone.com and you can write heart out about how great UF is? Or are you here just to stir up trouble? Is that how you operate in life…kind of how you get your kicks?
redandblack80
January 31st, 2010
6:35 pm
Tampagaterd-Seems a “BULLDOG” JON STINCHCOMB is on the New Orleans team headed to MIAMI-YOU KNOW THATS WHERE THE SUPER BOWL IS THIS YEAR.CHAMP BAILEY VOTED NFL PLAYER OF THE DECADE.HINES WARD MVP IN 2006 SUPER BOWL and was there in 2008.Tarrel Davis MVP SUPER BOWL in 98.JAKE SCOTT WAS ON THE UNDEFEATED 72 DOLPHINS TEAM.Another great “BULLDOG WAS MVP IN 96.Only your CHUMP Emmitt Smith was in a Super Bowl.FOR THE MOST PART MOST OF YOUR FU PLAYERS SUCK AND SWALLOW IN THE NFL…..P.S.HERSCHEL WALKER 5th MOST PRODUCTIVE RUNNING BACK W/14,000 YRD’S,IN THE NFL.
GT=Best Buy / Geek Squad Employee
January 31st, 2010
6:36 pm
Louie
January 31st, 2010
6:15 pm
Oh I knew your vomit would come out sooner or later.
Ummmm, you are the Techtard that is talking smack on a UGA blog. Man! You are REALLY stupid! What’s your IQ Louie? Are you one of those “special accepts” at GT that we hear so much about? So heart warming, Louie.
redandblack80
January 31st, 2010
6:42 pm
tampa gaterd-FOR 100 YRS FU DID NOTHING,ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING.EVEN BLIND SQUIRRELS FIND A NUT IN LESS THAN 1 yr.,definetely SEVERAL TIMES IN 100 yrs.FU-sucks and swallows.After Emmitt FU “NEVER” put another high caliber player in the NFL.
1eyedJack
January 31st, 2010
6:43 pm
What’s going to be interesting is to see which DTs Grantham will turn into DE’s and which DEs he will switch to LBs. Got a feeling we will see a lot of position changes over the next 7 months.
redandblack80
January 31st, 2010
6:46 pm
HERSCHEL WALKER IS NOW A FRESHMAN IN THE MARTIAL ARTS and “WON” last nite in his “FIRST” TELEVISED MATCH.
redandblack80
January 31st, 2010
6:46 pm
Tampa gaterd-I now live off I-4 in lakeland want to meet up to see “WHO IS THE BEST” lil boy.
1eyedJack
January 31st, 2010
6:48 pm
Dominated him like he was Bill Bates.
OoltewahDawg
January 31st, 2010
6:55 pm
To allthis – go buy a new keyboard, that will fix your problem, and they are cheap.
To TampaGator – FYI, Hershel is giving his winnings to charity, and not just last night’s winnings. He said that is what he’ll do as long as he’s competing.in the sport.
Tailback U
January 31st, 2010
7:17 pm
TampaGator
Your post is irrelevant to my point which was about Tebow.
I am not arguing the the Gators don’t put fine players in the NFL
But a reality which it seems you have a real problem is that the
system that the Gators run is a wastlend for QB’s who want to be
developed by the NFL. This will eventually come back to bite the
Gators in their big green arse. Georgia has not produced NFL QB’s
either in recent years up to this point but until Stafford CMR did
not have NFL quality talent to work with. But look at Richt’s history
as a whole and he has pretty well getting QB’s ready for the NFL.
The same cannot be said of Urban Meyer. One last thing if you think
that the Lions are not elated to have Stafford as their QB you are
even more delusional than I think. But that’s alright you just keep
thinking that Tebow’s flopping won’t have an impact on future
recruiting at that position.
harold
January 31st, 2010
7:24 pm
No. But Tennessee’s Eric Berry will be a first rounder!
Mike S
January 31st, 2010
7:32 pm
“They’re both certainly high-energy guys that play with great fundamentals. Really are fundamentally very, very good. Do a super job that way.”
This is great praise for Rodney Garner, and why I am so happy the Dawgs retained him as DL coach. There are quite a few players in the NFL right now that have Garner to thank for that.
col fot
January 31st, 2010
7:36 pm
it’s pretty sad knowing that bunch in atlanta called the falcons will not go after those two super players from UGA, Atkins and Owens. Of course if they did they would probably trade them like they did to Brett Favre..the best quaterback who ever play pro football…bar none. That is why the lowly falcons will forever be labeled as losers!!!
Ben Hill Griffin
January 31st, 2010
7:38 pm
No first round for these boys, the first round will be a Gator party.
Eat and Tweet
January 31st, 2010
7:39 pm
Owensjeff @ 7:29 pm going by the store to get some frozen pita pockets for tomorrow. Im so bloated right now and need some sweet tea. DaRick is a vol tonite.
Hey you
January 31st, 2010
7:43 pm
Suckers are first, and suck the most. HA HA!
Dawg 3/20
January 31st, 2010
7:44 pm
Red and Black 80 – We care about college football, not the NFL and our boys have brought home 3 National Titles since 96′. You probably weren’t alive in 1980 and if you were even better, the last 20 years have been agony for you. 30 Years And Counting………………………………….
Hey you
January 31st, 2010
7:45 pm
TampaGaytor must be a douch.
SOUTHGADAWG88
January 31st, 2010
7:59 pm
Pro scouts always love UGA DT’s …Rodney Garner is an excellent recruiter and position coach.
UF Edu.
January 31st, 2010
8:07 pm
Dawg 3/20 – You mean the year ‘96 not 96′ (feet?)?
Jethro
January 31st, 2010
8:17 pm
What Dawg alumni paid for Hutson Mason to be on the Parade All American Team?
ESPN150 – no Hutson
Rivals 100 – no Hutson
Rivals 250 – no Hutson
Scout – the #53 QB prospect in the nation
Average Star ranking – 3 Stars
redandblack80
January 31st, 2010
8:49 pm
dawg 3/20-I graduated in 1980.What about the other 100 years of NOT DOING NOTHING?NOT BEING RANKED 1904-1954.GEORGIA HAD A NT in 1927,42,46(SHUT OUT FU 75-0)68,&80.12 sec titles>amounts to one SEC TITLE every 10 yrs or 1.2.FU’s record .5 or one every 20 yrs.15 shutouts for 492 points to FU’s 5 shutouts for 112 points.You(FU)were GEORGIA/BAMA’s NEGRO’s for 100 yrs.IF I WERE A FU FAN ID TRY TO FORGET THE FIRST 100 YRS TOO.
hind tit
January 31st, 2010
8:55 pm
this should put to rest of what kind of d line coach rodney garner is. not only is he a good judge of horse flesh and recriuter, but the job he does coaching these young men to a higher level is proof of what kind of coach he is. but the best part is he’s a good man and it shows in how well these young men respect him. he did his job as good as any d line coach in college football.
Ginger
January 31st, 2010
8:55 pm
Go Dawgs !!
redandblack80
January 31st, 2010
8:58 pm
OH YEAH-FU FANS YOUR URBAN CRYER HAS PARKENSINS DISEASE,20 YRS FROM NOW UM WILL CROAK FROM IT.KARMA BABY-FU PLAYERS TRYING TO POKE OUT GA PLAYERS EYES AND NCAA VIOLATIONS-LIKE GIVING RECRUITS G.FRIENDS SCHOLORSHIPS to get them to play at FU.
patrick
January 31st, 2010
9:17 pm
UNDER Richt
Vs. SEC foes: 43-22
.
Vs. Top 25 foes: 29-18
.
Vs. Top 25 foes away from home: 18-12
.
Vs. Top 10 foes: 8-6
.
In postseason games (bowls and championships): 9-3
.
In games decided by a touchdown or less: 34-14
.
Record at home: 47-9
.
Record on the road: 27-6
.
Losses to unranked teams: 6
.
Top 25 finishes: 8
.
Top 10 finishes: 6
.
Fact:………UGA was 12-1 in 2002 (prior to bowl selections)
.
Fact ………Fla was 12-1 in 2006 (prior to bowl selections)
.
Fact ………Not UGAs fault there were 2 unbeatens that year. “unlucky”
.
Fact……….Not Flas credit that there was only one unbeaten in 2006. “Lucky”
.
Fact:………Luck not merit had more to do with Fla getting invited to the BCS than whether Fla was more deserving to go to a NC with identical records.
.
Fact:………No SEC team has ever lost a NC game and if UGA would have been invited nothing indicates that it would have been different
.
Fact……….UGA has 2 SEC titles..same as Fla in last 9 years and equal amount of total wins over all.
.
Fact……….UGA has been ranked more times top ten in last 9 years than any SEC team.
.
Fact……….UGA 90 wins in 9 years no other SEC team has more.
.
Fact………..UGA has 2 SEC titles…same as Fla
.
Fact………..UGA has won 4 str8 bowls….more than any other SEC team.
.
Fact……..UGA has won 11 of last 13 bowls…more than any team tied with LSU and more than FLA
.
Fact…… UGA has won 8 or more games in last 13 years…more than any other team.
.
Fact…… UGA has been ranked more times in top ten than any SEC team over last 9 years.
.
Fact…….UGA is clearly as good or better than any SEC team over last 9 years. Only a fool or a fan of the mythical BCSNC selection process (non playoff) would think otherwise.
.
Fact…….Coach Mark Richt in 9 seasons at UGA:
.
Fact…….UGA had same record when they won the SEC title in 2002 as Fla did in 2006/8 when they won the SEC title. But UGA had the misfortune (luck) to have that record in a year that had 2 other teams with undefeated records.
Hardly an indictment on UGA but rather on the NC selection process.
6 times finished in the top 10
2 times finished in the top 3
3 SEC Championship Appearances
2 SEC Titles
3 BCS Bowls
2 Sugar Bowl wins
90-27 record over 8 seasons – 79% winning percentage (one of only 7 in the history of college ball to have ever accomplished this)
4 str8 bowl wins
7-2 in bowls (big games)
Mark Richt coached QB coach for Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke = 2 Heismans; Head Coach for David Greene = all time winningest college QB until Colt McCoy this year); and coached Matthew Stafford = very rich #1 draft pick)
No Probations
He has my respect.
Period.
Dunkley
January 31st, 2010
9:21 pm
Red and black 80 won’t see another Dawg National Title in his lifetime.
Andre
January 31st, 2010
9:26 pm
“UNDER Richt”
0 National titles, 0 National Title Appearances. 2-7 vs. Florida, Finish The Drill