Justin Houston heads to NFL
All-SEC outside linebacker Justin Houston will skip his senior season at Georgia to enter the NFL draft.
Houston announced his unsurprising decision Saturday, deadline day for underclassmen to declare for the draft.
“It was a very hard decision to make, but in the end I had to do what’s best for my family and me,” Houston said in a statement.
He became the second Georgia junior to enter this year’s draft, joining wide receiver A.J. Green. Three other UGA juniors who seriously considered the draft –- cornerback Brandon Boykin and offensive linemen Cordy Glenn and Trinton Sturdivant -– decided to stay in school.
Houston is rated the draft’s No. 26 overall prospect by Scouts Inc. Draft analysts generally peg him as a late first-round or second-round pick.
Houston had 10 sacks and 18 ½ tackles for loss this past season, ranking second in the SEC behind Auburn’s Nick Fairley in both categories. Houston’s 20 career sacks rank seventh on the UGA list.
A graduate of Statesboro High School, Houston was named first-team All-SEC this past season by both the media and the coaches.
In his statement Saturday, Houston thanked Georgia’s coaches and fans.
He said he “would not be where I am today” without coach Mark Richt, who “has helped me grow from a boy to a grown man.” And he added: “Thanks to all of the fans who were behind us the whole time I was in Athens.”
Richt had hoped Houston might stay for his senior season, several times making the point that all of the Georgia juniors considering early exits except Green would have a chance to significantly improve their draft stock by waiting another year to turn pro. Green is projected as a likely top-five pick.
Houston “is a great person and great player, and we’ll miss him,” Richt said in a statement Saturday. “We wish him nothing but the best as he moves into this next phase of his football career, and I’m certain he’ll be successful.”
On what proved to be his final play in Sanford Stadium, Houston intercepted a pass — the only interception of his college career — to clinch the Bulldogs’ 42-34 victory over Georgia Tech on Nov. 27.
With Houston’s decision, Georgia loses four key linebackers from its 2010 team. Seniors Akeem Dent and Darryl Gamble completed their eligibility, and junior Marcus Dowtin was released from his scholarship to transfer to another school.
– Tim Tucker, UGA blog
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189 comments Add your comment
DodgerDawg
January 15th, 2011
10:18 pm
Guess the reporters (sic) at AJC are not used to covering the DAWGS during Basketball season, but when will they realize UGA RUNS, DRIBBLES, SCORES, SLAMS THIS STATE…(and in the spring we wrap up the trifecta in Baseball as well). COME ON AJC, cover the DAWGS, not just the petty traffic tickets and the national high-lights. You are a state paper…COVER THE STATE. The Dalton Daily Citizen could scoop you on UGA news
Armydawg
January 15th, 2011
10:22 pm
I would leave too if I played for a coach that kicks a field goal on 4th and inches on Central Florida’s 2 yard line. You homers watch and see, it will be another bad year next year. The definition of insanity is? Richt is complacent and too conservative, he goes into the locker room at halftime leaving 2 time outs and just under a minute on the clock. Richt plays to try not to lose and does not play to win. He will give the same post season speech next December after a weak bowl loss, and then homers will continue to accept the excuses. Have fun losers!
BAMA FAN #2
January 15th, 2011
10:23 pm
Good player and hope he plays for the Titans!!! RTR
59bulldawg
January 15th, 2011
10:51 pm
Say what you want about Saban oversigning kids but it keeps the competition keen. They know if they wanna play they have to consistently work hard, stay out of trouble, and impress the coaches. I like a system where the coaches run things instead of the inmates running the asylum. The players certainly wanna play for Saban because they respect his ability as a coach and his record of success. I’m not sure we can say the same about Richt!
knowledge
January 15th, 2011
11:07 pm
funny….he is the same as Rennie Curran. Another bulldog bound for special teams in the NFL. Congrats! Get your money and find a real job in a couple of years.
oburgdawg
January 15th, 2011
11:19 pm
I am certain Houston will represent UGA well in the NFL. Good luck to him. See http://www.thetandd.com for Friday’s article on Tim Jennings, a former dawg who grew at UGA into the kind of man that he is today. He may not be the biggest guy on the field, but he definitely plays with all of his heart. Good luck tomorrow in the playoffs!
William C Smith
January 15th, 2011
11:23 pm
After watching the Falcons tonight one thing seems obvious. They could use both Houston and Fairley. Good Luck!
Jacket Spray
January 15th, 2011
11:25 pm
Way to go Bulloch County Boy from another Bulloch County citizen. Go Dawgs and Statesboro Blue Devils
Jacket Spray
January 15th, 2011
11:31 pm
Oh Yeah,don’t be like a Shannon Sharpe or his brother Sterling from the county next to Bulloch. Remember your roots and the community you came from. If you can one day help your community!!!!!
JDAWG
January 15th, 2011
11:32 pm
http://isportsweb.com/2011/01/15/justin-houston-declares-for-the-nfl/
darn
January 15th, 2011
11:35 pm
good luck, Justin, you are one damned good dawg. and boy, will we suck next year.
BoWeevil
January 15th, 2011
11:40 pm
14 seniors – gone
AJ Green – gone
Justin Houston – gone
Marcus Dowtin – gone
Caleb King – FLUNKED OFF TEAM
Montez Robinson – kicked off team, gone
Zach Mettenberger – kicked off team, gone
excessive celebration
January 15th, 2011
11:44 pm
how appealing does Van Gorder look now? He looked like UGA playing FL under spurrier.
BoWeevil
January 16th, 2011
12:15 am
Falcons ? When have they ever won a play-off game 2 years in a row ?
AJ Green,FLK, – NCAA suspension, gone
Justin Houston, OLB, – gone
Marcus Dowtin, ILB,– Arrested, Suspended, gone
Caleb King,TB, – Arrested, Suspended, Flunked off team
Dontavius Jackson, promising RB – Arrested, Suspended, gone
Montez Robinson, LB, – Arrested, Suspended, kicked off team, gone
Zach Mettenberger, QB, – Arrested, Suspended, kicked off team, gone
Kris Durham, SE, – gone
Clint Boling, OL, – gone
Chris Davis, OL, – gone
Josh Davis, OL, – gone
Shaun Chapas, FB, – gone
Akeem Hebron, ILB, gone
Quinton Banks, SS, injured, – gone
Kiante Tripp, DE, – gone
Fred Munzenmaier, FB, – gone
Brandon Wood, LE, – gone
Demarcus Dobbs, RE, – gone
Darryl Gamble, OLB, – gone
Akeem Dent, ILB, – gone
If you think these 19, all of whom we had this time last year, are replaced by last year’s 2010 class ranked # 17 recruiting class or are replaced by this year’s 2011 class ranked # 14 today, you are a DISNEYdawgs.com
Tired Dawg
January 16th, 2011
12:41 am
Congrats Justin, get your money and run. I don’t blame you a bit, especially if you can go in first round. However, you are the most overrated player since another first round pick named Musa Smith. You should have stayed in school and really became a man. NFL offensive tackles are going to treat you like rag doll.
Joe_Camel
January 16th, 2011
12:57 am
I’m afraid it’s going to be another long, embarrassing season for the Dawgs next year with A.J. Green and Justin Houston leaving. Here’s hoping they prove me wrong.
jfootball
January 16th, 2011
1:40 am
I thought Marcus Dowtin was going to be one of our future star LBs? He’s leaving, why?
jfootball
January 16th, 2011
1:43 am
never mind I just read why.
Top Row Dawg
January 16th, 2011
2:23 am
Represent in the NFL Go Dog!!!!
uga
January 16th, 2011
2:42 am
good, goooooo…dont need you hear anyway
uga
January 16th, 2011
2:44 am
it is going to get worse before it gets any better…plan on a 4-7 season…maybe if that
BoWeevil
January 16th, 2011
4:02 am
Macus Dowtin is no different from Dontavius Jackson.
Dontavius Jackson was going to be a star here, if they ever played him.
Zach Mettenberger too.
Jim 007
January 16th, 2011
5:40 am
Good Luck !
Can’t blame him with Richt as coach !
Oak Island
January 16th, 2011
6:02 am
Every time I hear “I’m going pro for my family” it makes me want to ask “what family?”. Didn’t you have a shot at a free education and don’t you feel like you owe the” UGA Family” something back. If the parents of these players were truly wanting their son to get an education instead of the big bucks, they would tell the kids to stay in school and the money will be there later on. Just wish the parent or parents would step up and do it for their kid instead of a Cecil Newton type person where the athletic ability of the kid brings money to the dad who didn’t play one down on the field. Just tired of all the hoopla that goes with recruiting and going pro early. I realize that most of the players nowadays could give a rats butt about an education and this is where the parents need to demand they get their degree but most of the time the parents want the big bucks more than the student athlete.
Ho-hum
January 16th, 2011
6:32 am
Dirty Dawg
January 15th, 2011
5:46 pm
Wised decision Justin to leave now while your stock is high. I remember when Q. Moses stayed for his senior year after leading the SEC in sackes. Moses did not have a good senior year and his stock fell to the sixth round. Good luck at the next level
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Q. Moses was the first pick in the 3rd round by the lowly Raiders. He was the highest drafted player not to make his team that year. The Cardinals claimed him and cut him after a month. He is now a reserve in Miami. He had ONE good year at UGA. Obviously, his Junior year was a fluke.
BoWeevil
January 16th, 2011
6:45 am
How the living hell do you know the money will still be there after the kid graduates ?
D.A. statement
ugab
January 16th, 2011
7:07 am
Money talks! I think he should have stayed. He had some good plays, but never game changing plays. He will be like all the rest of MRs juniors that have left school. Go low in draft and be on the practice squad at best. oops
ugab
January 16th, 2011
7:19 am
MR never gets players to stay> Auburn had a coaching change to get a bunch of seniors together along with good coaching too. Auburn paid more for Cam. Mississippi could’t pay more than Auburn.
ugab
January 16th, 2011
7:20 am
Who wants to stay with a weak coaching staff. WEAK.
BoWeevil
January 16th, 2011
7:26 am
ugab,
It is a very weak coaching staff Mark Richt has hired.
The only area they pass on is praying with Mark Richt
Interested Party
January 16th, 2011
7:52 am
His leaving will not affect Richt’s coaching ability or lack thereof. Richt will go about 7-5 next year, give or take a game, and the result would have been about the same with or without Houston. With Houston last year, Richt went 6-7. Not exactly a year to remember in the history of UGA football. Besides, if Richt loses the first two games in 2011, he won’t be around anyway, so he won’t have to worry about it.
BoWeevil
January 16th, 2011
8:01 am
that about sums it up
Sorry Dogs
January 16th, 2011
8:07 am
Rats off the ship.
UGAFan
January 16th, 2011
8:32 am
You mean, Houston didn’t want to stay for his senior season, win 6 games, and go to Shreveport or Memphis again?
What’s wrong with him?
JB
January 16th, 2011
8:35 am
BoWeevil…………….Thanks for the list of players….We are in for a long year……..All polls have Boise pre season top 10…. Although they would not fair well in the SEC full time, I’m afraid this Georgia team will be shooting blanks against them opening day. Carolina at Home next week will be awful…They are way to physical for us, and have most of that team coming back…..0-2 will all heads hung after those two losses spell a longggggggggggg season in Athens. Gonna get worse befoew better. Yes, I love my Dawgs and will root, but I just don’t see it.
JB
January 16th, 2011
8:39 am
ONE thing that might help……Put this entire freshman class on the field and get very aggressive on both sides of the ball. Give the other guys something to scratch their heads about. open up the offense and play D with two or so blitzing from all over EVERY play.
JB
January 16th, 2011
8:51 am
Carlton Thomas between tackles on 2nd and 15 should get these guys fired before year end. Scripted football vs wide open, keep’em guessing football is the death nail.
South Georgia Dawg
January 16th, 2011
8:55 am
Why ???? Why ???? Why ???? are we talking about football in Mid January when our basketball teams playing great ? I’ll start thinking football again in August. Fox and Landers are great and I’m hoping Perno can trun the diamond dawgs around.
harold
January 16th, 2011
8:57 am
It is time for Richt and his weak staff to go.
Bug spray
January 16th, 2011
9:12 am
Justin, good luck, son, and thank you for busting your butt on every play and making the most out of your abilities. Too bad most of your teammates on D did not do the same. I just hope there is a league open for business next year so you can get paid.
I wonder if last night’s performance in the Georgia Dome will make Brian Van Gorder think about returning to UGA?
FIRE MIKE BOBO!!!!!!
January 16th, 2011
9:19 am
Life is gonna stink in Sanford Stadium next year.
Farmer Dell
January 16th, 2011
9:22 am
Ingram left Saban early, Newton left Auburn early, it happens.
Farmer Dell
January 16th, 2011
9:26 am
UGA was able to keep a bunch of guys that could have gone pro, some o-line, kicker, boykin, etc.
Willl
January 16th, 2011
9:30 am
Tim:
Here are two examples of the alarming fall of the UGA football program:
1. How many of the UGA assistant coaches have been reported to have been interviewed for any of the head coach vacancies this year? Last year? How many carry a national media tag of “up and coming” or “sitting in the wings” in relation to head coaching positions?
2. Justin Houston announced he is leaving he program. His announcement rated no national attention.
What’s my point? The UGA football program has now fallen into the dreaded “irrelevant” deep hole of national media attention. Being irrelevant is often the “death nail” of a program.
Farmer Dell
January 16th, 2011
9:37 am
If UGA gets Drew & Crowell, UGA will finish with 7 of the ESPN top 150, which would put this recruiting class in 2nd place, tied with Alabama.
the 4 guys who decided to come back, wantd to get the program back to where it was. 2011 looking pretty good from a talent perspective.
Farmer Dell
January 16th, 2011
9:40 am
I thought Grantham woud be agreat, but what he did with Houston, in Grantham’s 1st year, man, if I were an OLB or DE or NT, I’d be signing with UGA. Houston put up monster numbers and will go 1st round in the NFL as a JR. Pretty great for recruiting, Grantham’s the man.
RxDawg
January 16th, 2011
10:18 am
Yeh, I knew it he was gone when it took so long to come out with a statement. Thanks for everything Justin. You were a bright spot on a dull team.
Dawg Fan
January 16th, 2011
11:20 am
LMMFAO! I guess we’ll see if this coaching / recruiting staff is actually worth a crap!
GO DAWGS!
Corninmypooh
January 16th, 2011
11:45 am
I think I’m the only Dawg fan that thinks Houston is not all that and a bag of chips. If you look at his most productive games they were all against inferior teams. Houston made no impact against AU, SC or FL this year. I wish him the best, but I agree with Richt – Houston could have dramatically benefitted from another season in a Dawg uniform.
WDE
January 16th, 2011
11:49 am
I would just like to kindly point out the amount of BS we Auburn fans have gotten for Nick Fairley and Cam Newton “using” us to get into the NFL. What does it say when your best players leave after leading you to your first losing season in so many years?
We got the title. Yall are just getting worse.
Thanks, goodbye.