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
Iraq Dawg... Hooah
January 31st, 2010
9:36 pm
Louie,
You are a complete idiot guy. You obviously dont have anything better to do then come on here and piss us Dawgs off. Remember what goes around comes around. We will make a run one of these days and begin dominating again. You commiting to many hate crimes right now dude.
Flo-Ri-Duh!
January 31st, 2010
9:44 pm
Rodney Garner coaches the d-tackles and this shows why he was not let go by UGA….. he is a top notch d-line coach and recruiter. Whitaker And Thornton should give a lot of thought of going to UGA if they want to be coached by the best and be high draft choices in the NFL>
FL Dawg
January 31st, 2010
10:24 pm
These guys were well coached by Garner. For those looking for sacks, I don’t know many DTs that have large numbers of sacks. They are there to eat up the middle and stuff the run. DEs and LBs are should be getting the sacks and large numbers of tackles. The DTs push the middle of the line back and change the line of scrimmage. O and A will do fine in the NFL.
Pitbull
January 31st, 2010
10:38 pm
HELLO RECRUITS; YOU WANT TO PLAY IN THE NFL. GA IS THE PLACE TO BE!! The NFL knows Ga can pickem and coachem up. Any NFL scout will tell you that. No Bragg, just Fact.
The Truth will reveal itself
January 31st, 2010
11:37 pm
Keep it simple dawg fans. We want to win and win bad, compete again for the SEC east, the SEC title and the big dance. It has to happen with personnel and recruiting first. Believe we have our man on the defensive side, now we have to fix the offense. Especially the make shift O-Line UGA has been putting together the past few years. I know we have had injuries, but the depth chart has been lean, very lean. I thought Stacy Searels was supposed to address and fix that? Look at Bama’s and Florida’s depth chart. We are behind. Next year will be a rebuilding year, last year was a demo year. Maybe Richt will call the play.
redandblack80
January 31st, 2010
11:52 pm
Dunkley-short for Dumbley-COACH STEVE SPURRIOR TOLD AN ESPN ANALYIST THAT MARK RITCH CAN GET THE JOB DONE,The ESPN SPOKESMAN AGREED.STEVE S.ALSO SAID IN TIMES WHERE WINS VS LOSES CAN GET A HIGH PAID COACH FIRED FOR A LACK OF WINS-MARK RITCH WILL BE AT GEORGIA,WHEN OTHER COACHES WOULD BE GONE.STEVE S.SAID CMR IS A HIGH CALIBER COACH.
redandblack80
January 31st, 2010
11:57 pm
PITBULL-THE NFL KNOWS GEORGIA IS THE PLACE TO SHOP FOR CORNERBACKS,KICKERS,AND RUNNINGBACKS.CHAMP BAILEY NFL PLAYER OF THE DECADE.HINES WARD 2 SUPERBOWLS,JON STINCHCOMB-HEADED TO MIAMI FEB 7,JAKE SCOTT ‘72 MIAMI TEAM-WENT UNDEFEATED.Tarrel Davis 98 SUPER BOWL MVP-ETC & ETC
Nick
February 1st, 2010
12:00 am
Amazing what can happen to talented players when there’s not a big thumb stuck on their backs.
Monday Links 01Feb « Leather Helmet Blog
February 1st, 2010
4:02 am
[...] Links 01Feb Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens certainly improved their draft status at the Senior Bowl, just how much t… Writing in today’s edition of Sporting News Today, Lande said Atkins’ strong performance will [...]
MESSENGER
February 1st, 2010
4:35 am
We squander a lot of talent in the Coach Richt Era on both sides of the ball.
patrick says that UGA has been better in the Coach Richt Era than the Florida Gators.
I am still a little sketchy on how patrick comes to that conclusion.
2-7 Coach Richt against Florida on the field.
2 National Championships Florida & LSU, 0 Coach Richt.
1 National Championship Alabama, 0 Coach Richt.
3 times top-ranked SEC team Final AP Poll Top 25 Florida.
3 times top-ranked SEC team Final AP Poll Top 25 LSU.
1 time top-ranked SEC team Final AP Poll Top 25 Coach Richt.
Top 10 Final AP Poll SEC Teams Coach Richt Era :
2001 LOST 10-24 to Florida.
2001 WON 26-24 over vols.
2003 LOST 10-17 to LSU.
2003 LOST 13-34 to LSU.
2004 LOST 6-24 to Auburn.
2005 WON 34-14 over LSU.
2006 LOST 14-21 to Florida.
2006 WON 37-15 over Auburn.
2008 LOST 10-49 to Florida.
2008 LOST 30-41 to Alabama.
2009 LOST 17-41 to Florida.
Our Record in Coach Richt Era is 3-8 vs Top 10 Final AP Poll SEC teams.
3-8 vs Top 10 Final AP Poll SEC teams Coach Richt Era.
Does not look the best to me, patrick.
mike
February 1st, 2010
6:27 am
My question is who will become the dominant nose guard for Coach Grantham 3-4 defense? Who will be that dominat player?
Yellow Fuzz
February 1st, 2010
8:27 am
Two words to all the high school recruits out there considering georgia
SHREVE
PORT
redandblack80
February 1st, 2010
9:06 am
yellow fuzz-30-24 ring a bell?Ga 8>GT 1. IN 9 YRS GT HAS FAILED TO PRODUCE,but once,then it was only 3 points.
Tailback U
February 1st, 2010
9:09 am
Two words to all the high school recruits considering GT
Yellow Fuzz That’s a potrait of the Tech fan base
nuff said
redandblack80
February 1st, 2010
9:25 am
Messenger-.S.T.F.U. lil boy-You aint one of us,if you did you’d have a DAWG title when you posted.GA FINISHED in the TOP 10 SIX TIMES.Coach Ritch has 90 wins in 9 yrs.4 straight bowl wins,2 Sugar Bowl wins,7-2 in bowl games,3 BCS Bowls,2 SEC TITLES,2 Times in the TOP 3…………………………COACH RITCH WAS AN ASSISTANT BEFORE BEING THE DAWGS COACH…………………Meyer/Saban WERE ALLREADY COACHES BEFORE THEY TOOK THE HELM AT FU & BAMA.I’d Wager money that Meyer/Saban didnt start out any better their first few years………………….Meyer started coaching in a candy azz league anyway,the results would have been worse if he had.”LOOK AT THE MONEY’ put into the pot just to get those results.GA opperates at half the budget FU/BAMA does and get 80% of the same results.
Rome Dawg
February 1st, 2010
9:31 am
I especially noticed the comments about Ownes and Atkins’ fundamentals. That says that these guys were well-groomed by Coach Garner. Alternatively, I heard lots of knocks on the fundamentals of Jerry, the Falcons 1st round DT pick from a year ago out of Ole Miss. All this leads me to believe that it was our system and not the play of individuals (tackling troubles aside) that was the real culprit in our recent defensive woes.
UGA' 91
February 1st, 2010
9:45 am
Hey TampaGator, Arguably your best former player was qb John Reeves, what’s he doing now? About 5 to 10?
Flozer
February 1st, 2010
9:53 am
Reminds me of the Stroud and Seymour days – wasted talent.
NFL Draft News: Post-Senior Bowl Update | rumorsandreports.com
February 1st, 2010
10:04 am
[...] Continuing the parade of defensive tackles today, did Georgia’s pair of tackles, Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins, play well enough in the Senior Bowl to move into the first round. Some think so. Read it. [...]
DogFan
February 1st, 2010
10:10 am
Oledawg (3:51), it didn’t take much time for championships to be “attained” at UF and Bama. Just saying …
Jax Dawg
February 1st, 2010
10:24 am
Tampa Gator. What will UF do next year when it’s 3rd down and 5?
BigMike Said...
February 1st, 2010
10:39 am
As a Dawg Fan(for life) even though I played my college ball in the BIG TEN(born and raised in Athens), it puzzles me and bothers me that so much talent on this team continues to make the jumps through the pro ranks with success, but it hasn’t been put together in Athens. The hiring of Gratham, the new DC better bring huge dividends, because with Fla, Lsu, now Ala on the seen now winning nat’l championships, DAWG NATION and the Big Money is getting a little impatient. With Atkins, Owens, Rennie Curran, and Rashad Jones all possibly going in the first three rounds, the people are gonna start asking why is all this talent making it to the NFL, but can’t put it all together here. Last year alone three guys off this Defense made it on NFL Rosters(Irwin,Wynn, Allen), now we are looking at four more guys on the same defense. Dawg nation even you must admit that something has to be fixed. Jusat like the top schools in the BIG TEN, PATIENCE IS LACKING when it comes to winning. UGA, Get er Done!
DawgBite
February 1st, 2010
10:46 am
Just goes to prove the talent has always been in Athens but the COACHING has been somewhere else! And defense is not the only excuse! I am sick of watching us struggle offensively each year against Florida. Penalties show lack of discipline….and that is entirely on the coaching staff and can’t be explained away by firing Martinez! Should have ran the entire staff out of town! Well….except our great recruiter.
SEC East Headlines – 2/1/10 | MrSEC.com
February 1st, 2010
10:52 am
[...] Willie Martinez has decided to take a job at Oklahoma rather than Stanford.6. Former Dawgs Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens looked so good at the Senior Bowl that they might have climbed into the NFL draft’s first round.7. Add [...]
BigMike Said...
February 1st, 2010
11:01 am
DawgBite, I didn’t even want to mention the fact’s of Stafford, Moreno, and Massaqoui, along with the facts of knowing A.J.Green is sure to be a first rounder(barring injury) maybe a top five pick. Bobo better believe that his behind is close to the fire this year. If CMR can let his close frind go, then you best believe Mike knows he’s one bad season away! As much as I hate to say it CPJ up at that other school sent a message loud and clear when he fired his DC this year!
Bryan
February 1st, 2010
11:49 am
Which Schools have the most (on active Roster) NFL players
[Improve]
2008:
CBS Sportsline Alumni Tracker
http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/alumni-tracker#A
Miami – 55
Georgia – 54
LSU – 50
Michigan – 50
Ohio State – 47
Florida – 43
USC – 42
FSU – 42
Bryan
February 1st, 2010
11:53 am
Hard to argue with that math! GO DAWGS!!!
SOOHSO
February 1st, 2010
11:58 am
128rd
Bryan
February 1st, 2010
12:00 pm
I didn’t want to comment on the fact that all three major FL teams are in the top 8…..ouch! Ga/Fla pump out the most talent to the NFL….PERIOD! Where are the other california teams and Texas……my point if you don’t play football in the south…well…you aren’t really playing football. Texas
Bryan
February 1st, 2010
12:04 pm
LMAO!!!! at Texas and Cali…huge states….puny talent!
Willie Martinez is the worst
February 1st, 2010
2:10 pm
UGA’s 10-3 team 2 years ago is going to have 7 out of the 11 players on defense playing in the NFL this next season and we gave up an average of over 30 points a game. That is pathetic. He has to go down as the worst DC ever in college football. All that talent wasted. Too bad b/c with Stafford and knowshon we had the offense to go all the the way. We did finish #2 that year but could have been playing in the big game if we had a competent DC.
Dan
February 1st, 2010
2:55 pm
I think Swamp people are idiots they dont understand the purpose of college. National Championships are great dont get me wrong would love to see UGA in more but the fact is having National Championships only helps the head coach and their staff in either A) Getting a raise or B)getting a promotion. . The purpose of going to college is to get a job that is why if you are supposed to be drafted in the 1st round you go? Bradford and Gresham for Oklahoma and Mays from USC are great examples of players who have lost loads of money staying their senior year by either getting injured or in Mays case his weakness of not being able to cover someone. To reiterate the entire purpose of going to college is to get a job!!! And my looking at the numbers UGA undisputedly either recogonizes talent in HS or is able to provide these players the skillset to achieve at the next level is why UGA has so many players in the NFL. Instead of Florida running a proset they are running gimicks and shotgun continuously which we are now seeing the results of Tebow possibly not being drafted and Stafford going #1 overall. So I pose the question as if you were the player would you rather have a Heisman and also a National Championship or would you rather have the deal Stafford got for $72 million, with $41.7 million guaranteed. The contract could be worth as much as $78 million if Stafford achieves all of his playing incentives….I believe a no-brainer..
dan
February 2nd, 2010
7:03 pm
If Owens and Atkins go on to do well in the NFL it will piss me off for a number of reasons.
1. They’ll slack off and play on a defense that gives up over 40 points in 3 games, yet play well when money is involved? I mean if you’re concerned about you draft status, why not at least be dominant at your position in college to impress the scouts? Those guys were pretty much invisible for most of the year.
2. It says we have a team of mercenaries. What good does NFL talent do for your program if it doesn’t translate into championships for you?
3. Our coaching staff clearly doesn’t know how to utilize the NFL talent we do have. They’ll red shirt Knowshon Moreno in favor of DANNY FREAKIN WARE! They keep Drew Butler on the bench for two years, and then the guy wins the Ray Guy award for best punter in the NATION his first year on the job. I saw Drew Butler play at the high school level booming 60 yard punts! No way was that Brian Mimbs kid better than him! Coaches said his punt average sucked at UGA when he got there. Well kids like Drew are motivated to play. When you’re a talented kid and you have to play behind someone who isn’t better than you, what’s your motivation for improving? UGA does this crap all the time. Play your best player, regardless if they are a freshman or 5th year senior!