Rambo staying, Charles going as UGA players wrestle with NFL decisions
Orson Charles, Georgia’s All-SEC tight end, will skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft.
Charles revealed the unsurprising decision Wednesday, saying “it’s time to open a new chapter in my life.”
A few hours later, another UGA underclassman who had been seriously considering the draft — safety Bacarri Rambo — made the opposite decision, announcing through the school that he will return for his senior season.
Charles said he consulted with several NFL players and a former NFL coach, Tony Dungy, about his stay-or-go choice. The NFL’s underclassmen advisory committee told Charles that he could be drafted as high as the second round.
The decision wasn’t stressful, Charles said, because “either way I wouldn’t be wrong.” He added: “As I continued to pray about it, I just felt ready.”
The deadline to declare for the draft is Sunday. Charles and Rambo appeared to have the highest draft stock among Georgia players considering early entry, although several others also have said they are weighing decisions.
Rambo’s return is a boon for the Georgia defense. He led the SEC with eight interceptions this past season and was named an Associated Press first-team All-American.
Charles’ departure, combined with the expiration of senior Aron White’s eligibility, means Georgia will head toward the 2012 season without its top two tight ends from last season.
The Bulldogs’ top returners at the position will be junior Arthur Lynch, who has two career catches, and Jay Rome, a highly touted recruit who was redshirted as a freshman last season. Also, Colquitt County tight end Ty Smith has committed to sign with the Bulldogs next month.
“They have a lot of people who can fill the hole at tight end,” Charles said.
Charles was one of two prized recruits, along with quarterback Aaron Murray, who signed with Georgia out of Tampa’s Plant High in 2009. Murray, who unlike Charles was redshirted in his first season at UGA, has two years of eligibility remaining and wished his long-time teammate well.
“The No. 1 thing he said was, ‘Just don’t forget about me,’” Charles said.
“To play [in college] with my high school quarterback was definitely a blessing,” Charles added.
Charles started 29 games for Georgia. He caught 94 passes for 1,370 yards, which set a UGA career yardage record for tight ends, and 10 touchdowns, which tied the school record for the position.
After catching 45 passes for 574 yards and five touchdowns in the 2011 season, he was voted first-team All-SEC by both the coaches and the media. He was chosen first-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association.
In what proved to be his final college game –-a triple-overtime loss to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl –- Charles had one catch for two yards. He said that game did not affect his decision to depart.
“I met the majority of all my goals I came here with,” Charles said Wednesday. “I feel like I’ve grown spiritually. . . . I feel like I’ve grown as a player.
“I was going back and remembering some of the goals I came in [with], and today I was checking them all off, like, ‘Yeah, I accomplished this.’ The past three years have just been a blessing. They’ve been awesome.”
The 6-foot-3, 241-pound Charles is ranked as the third best tight end in this year’s draft by nfldraftscout.com, behind Clemson’s Dwayne Allen and Stanford’s Coby Fleener.
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347 comments Add your comment
North ave trade school
January 11th, 2012
3:59 pm
Georgia fans are a bunch of cry baby pansies! You look for someone to blam for every thing!
You think y’all know football but you don’t , if you new how to coach or know more than Richt Or Bobo then quit your jobs and put in your Resume’s NOW!
Bobo and Richt do not suck nearly as bad as Georgia fans do!
BigTimeTechFan
January 11th, 2012
4:01 pm
We’re gonna have to cough it up for Grantham or he is GONE. Bidding war, Athens, Atlanta, Jacksonville
Don’t think UGA can match ATL or JAX. remember Richt had to give coaches raises out of his own pocket last time because UGA would not pay. That what Richt said but one of the coaches he said that about got a raise.
Tech Rules, you sissy boy mutts....
January 11th, 2012
4:03 pm
Soon, the Tech Hammer will fall on UGAG……with or without your sissy boy tight end…hmmm, does that refer to his sphincter muscle?
Dawg
January 11th, 2012
4:03 pm
Murray just ain’t the man.. chokes in big games.. Richt won’t open up QB. competetion.. depressing !!!
BigTimeTechFan
January 11th, 2012
4:03 pm
Pete Roussel of CoachingSearch.com is reporting that the Atlanta Falcons have contacted Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham to potentially fill their open defensive coordinator position.
Sources tell me the Falcons have reached out to the agent of Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. bit.ly/sbcB2K
— Pete Roussel (@coachingsearch) January 11, 2012
If the report is true, Grantham’s agent, Michael Harris, couldn’t be happier – Georgia is in the midst of negotiating a new contract for Grantham, and the interest from the Falcons would only drive Grantham’s price even higher. Since arriving in Athens, the longtime NFL coordinator has turned the Bulldogs into a monster on defense: UGA ranked 3rd nationally in total defense this season (seventh in pass defense and ninth in rush defense). They also finished second in the SEC in sacks (34), tackles for loss (94) and turnovers forced (29).
Before joining the Bulldogs, Grantham worked for four NFL teams – Indianapolis, Houston, Cleveland and Dallas, the latter two as a coordinator. Grantham employs a 3-4 scheme, whereas the current Falcons have run a 4-3
Rooster
January 11th, 2012
4:04 pm
Breaking news: Richt and Booboo were seen with Arthur Blank at lunch. More to follow.
North ave trade school
January 11th, 2012
4:04 pm
Coastal dawg ,snoop dawg , flat tire ,Douglas , cry baby no nothings! Real Georgia fans should run y’all out of Athens!
JFKDawg
January 11th, 2012
4:05 pm
If we need OC to block this year, just think what will happen when 3 OL leave this year?
Georgia just ran up the middle again for 1/2 yard.
Hope S Williams goes. I bet he accounted for 50% of the personal fouls this year.
Fair and Balanced
January 11th, 2012
4:05 pm
Receivers are not the problem at GA. It’s the OL and OC.
Sanford drive
January 11th, 2012
4:07 pm
Pete Roussel of CoachingSearch.com has no credibility to any thing!
Tech Rules, you sissy boy mutts....
January 11th, 2012
4:07 pm
I bet Mr. Charles will not set an NFL playoff receiving record in only his second year the way Tech’s Demaryius Thomas did against Pittsburgh! Neither will your other pansy, AJ Purple or Red or some such color…..
WDE
January 11th, 2012
4:07 pm
@Rooster breaking news..your a moron! Wait what’s that oh it old news that your a moron.
I-DOG
January 11th, 2012
4:09 pm
He should have a very good NFL Career and I wish him the best. Wish he would have stayed for purely selfish reasons on my part. Honestly, UGA hasn’t used the tight end consistantly the last two seasons anyway. He certainly had big catches and great games, but there were also games and even month long stretches where we barely used him. We will have PLENTY of weapons in the passing game this coming season.
JFKDawg
January 11th, 2012
4:10 pm
Someone let Sir Fagacon know Thomas played WR, Orson is a TE. Doubt any TE’s left at GT since they have been getting jackhammered by everyone they play.
Rooster
January 11th, 2012
4:10 pm
That’s all you got WDE. You are as pathetic as Richt’s football program.
ram
January 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
NFL grade a high second round might fall into third. People around him told that he would go late first
BG
January 11th, 2012
4:14 pm
Good luck Charles! UGA is known for producing big time TE’s in the NFL and Charles will excel at the next level.
BigTimeTechFan
January 11th, 2012
4:16 pm
“Pete Roussel of CoachingSearch.com has no credibility to any thing!”
Thanks, don’t know him so that why I posted the source.
3d
January 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
A little under utilized?
I love my Dawgs, but how many 5 stars have we under utilized?
ozzfest
January 11th, 2012
4:17 pm
If it wer not for BOBO, Orsen would have been a HEISMAN FINALIST.
Cohutta Dawgman
January 11th, 2012
4:21 pm
Since we are just a farm team for the NFL when are we going to get paid for it?
Jerome
January 11th, 2012
4:22 pm
Well I’m a Falcon and Dawg fan. If Grantham came to Atlanta, GREAT…but BAD NEWS for my Dawgs. If he didn’t go to Atlanta, GREAT for my Dawgs. Either way, I’m a happy camper.
BobDog
January 11th, 2012
4:25 pm
I’m grateful for Orson choosing to become a Dawg and for his contributions to the team. Good luck to him in the NFL. I know he’ll be a star one day. Maybe the Falcons can draft him to groom him as Gonzalez’s successor.
Choke
January 11th, 2012
4:32 pm
CTG will not be the DC for the Falcons. That would require a complete personnel overhaul. Remember what a complete disaster that was the last time we went to a 3-4. We no longer have the immediate draft picks to make that transition, and much of the current personnel (rightfully so) would leave for other teams. We would have NO NG and NO OLB. Plus, Brent Grimes is too small to play corner in a 3-4. As hard as good corners are to come by, why take a solid 4-3 cover corner and make him irrelevent? Furthermore, Abraham is a true 4-3 DE, and an attempt to convert him to OLB would be a waste, and he would likely be a complete disaster as a 3-4 DE (too small).
Old Yeller
January 11th, 2012
4:33 pm
Charles and White will be forgotten by mid-season. I like both men and we all move on. Happy trails, but the cubbard is not empty at “TE”. They will be replaced with quality.
KeepDreaming
January 11th, 2012
4:33 pm
DONT COUNT OUT ARTIE LYNCH. THAT GUY IS A BEAST AS WELL!!
Bama Mike
January 11th, 2012
4:35 pm
It would be a horrible PR move for the Falcons to dip in to the local College team and take a popular assistant after their playoff collapse. There is nothing nada nothing being reported that anyone has any interest in CTG. If this is CTG and his agent just raising what they consider to be his value. Shame on them. Falcons should go after Sal Suneri Bama’s linebacker coach. He wants to be a DC and has professional experience. And by the way his linebackers are not that bad and he has two rings to add to the resume.
DAWG in Bama
January 11th, 2012
4:35 pm
NOT surprised!!! Just like past dawgs leaving after their junior year!! Cmon ROOOOOMMMMEEEE!!! GATA!!!
JDawg1785
January 11th, 2012
4:36 pm
Best of luck in the NFL, Orson! Looking forward to seeing Jay Rome in 2012.
UGA OUTinSIDER
January 11th, 2012
4:40 pm
Grantham is going to start his own NFL team and hire Kirby Smart as head coach.
reality DAWG
January 11th, 2012
4:43 pm
OC didn’t have an OC that got him involved with the game plan enough. Was he even in Tampa? I know he caught the one shuttle pass.
Best of luck Mr. Charles and thanks for being a DGD. Time for others to step up. I hoping he’s the ONLY one to leave early.
Go DAWGS!
Techster
January 11th, 2012
4:43 pm
LSU played like Georgia Monday night.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
January 11th, 2012
4:44 pm
Bama Mike-
The exact reason why the Falcons would not make the move. Especially when a proven Super Bowl DC just lost his job in St. Louis, Spags. He may get looked at in Jacksonville, but in reality a DC job in Jacksonville could not be better than a DC job in SEC. Its flipping Jacksonville folks!
Dawg_Mike
January 11th, 2012
4:48 pm
Just heard Rambo is staying, FYI
Dawg48
January 11th, 2012
4:50 pm
Sorry
https://mobile.twitter.com/#!/ZachKleinWSB/status/157209449671573506
Dawg_Mike
January 11th, 2012
4:50 pm
UGA Tight Ends that have excelled in the NFL in recent years:
Ben Watson
Randy McMichael
Leonard Pope
OC wants to join this list….
Columbus Dawg
January 11th, 2012
4:50 pm
Orson was a good TE, but certainly replaceable. Lynch is a beast and will be a very pleasant surprise. Jay Rome will add great depth too. No big loss here. Hopefully, there will be no more that leave early. Good luck to OC. He should be a solid NFL’er.
NGA DAWG
January 11th, 2012
4:54 pm
OC is a good tight end and could be great at the next level with the proper training.
The reason he was never thrown to much is b/c he could not shake coverage and get open.
He will need to learn this at the next level as he will be playing against much better talent.
We will be fine at the TE position b/c we are loaded. I agree with the earlier post that this is the one
position we could afford to have someone leave early.
ga gator
January 11th, 2012
4:56 pm
Good luck Orson, dropping our crystal football trophy was a bad omen for the Gators. It just a matter of time before you become and All-Pro.
Dennis
January 11th, 2012
4:59 pm
Arthur Lynch IS a beast, one of the strongest guys on the team and should help with blocking from TE position next year. Jay Rome is explosive. Position is in good hands.
down south fan
January 11th, 2012
4:59 pm
you people kill me , when the young man for ga you love him but since he trying to do better you hate him sorry !!#@#$%%^$#$ good luck man !!!
Expected
January 11th, 2012
4:59 pm
But is he the only one we have going early?
Vampire Bill
January 11th, 2012
5:01 pm
This just in, Bama kicked another field goal
Vampire Bill
January 11th, 2012
5:01 pm
Best of luck to Orson Charles. He’ll be a monster in the pros.
F the Falcons
January 11th, 2012
5:03 pm
Not too surprised here. The Falcons are really screwing us this close to signing day. Boycott the Falcons. They need a new offensive coordinator as well. Feel free to call Bobo. Grantham is going to be on the phone all day with recruits wondering what the hell is going on. Brian Van Gorder’s just got to Auburn and he is already causing problems for UGA.
Ever Wonder
January 11th, 2012
5:04 pm
Ga.get’s a great defensive coach and other teams are interested.EVER WONDER why NO TEAMS EVER WANT TO TALK TO BOBO?
Dawg Fan
January 11th, 2012
5:06 pm
Too bad we won’t have anyone to coach the returning players up on offense…just Bobo.
=(
Lowcountry Bulldawg
January 11th, 2012
5:07 pm
Lose Charles. keep Rambo? All day long boys! If thats true…
John
January 11th, 2012
5:09 pm
Can’t blame him. Underutilized, and basically forgotten in the Mich. St. fiasco in his hometown. He had to be jacked to play a great game and we got a brain freeze just like we did in the SEC Championship
UGASlobberknocker
January 11th, 2012
5:09 pm
Cant blame him..they never throw to him..he was the most underutilized talent we had this year on offense. Why stick around for another 20 catches? He will be a great pro.