Georgia Football: Dawgs that need a big Pro day.
With Georgia Football hosting it’s Pro Day today, some prospects really need to put in a good performance.
Pro Day’s aren’t exactly the most popular events for fans. I mean, how interesting is it to watch guys who used to play for your school run around in shorts and no pads? But it’s incredibly important for the lower ranked prospects at a school who have an opportunity to really impress the NFL scouts that turn up.
UGA has a tonne of talent heading into the draft this year. That should mean that every NFL team send high-level scouts as well as GM’s and head coaches. Therefore, there’s a great opportunity for some of the lesser ranked former Dawgs to impress and find their way onto an NFL roster.
Whether it’s by being a late-round draft pick or going on a list of players that teams will call after the draft is over, there are several Dawgs that today really matters. So let’s take a quick look at who is going to be looking to impress today:
Davin Bellamy, OLB:
Bellamy was invited to the Combine but had an injury so ended up not doing as many workouts as expected. The Pro Day will be the best chance for him to show scouts that he’s a better athlete than some think. His leadership skills are clearly there, but he needs to show that he can match up with other top players.
Dominick Sanders, S
It’s basically the same story for Sanders. He was a terrific player for UGA, but he lacks the standout skills for the NFL. That being said, this is a player who had 16 interceptions at UGA. He’s had the production, but he needs to prove that he also has the physical traits. Both Sanders and Bellamy could be drafted. Their performance today will likely decide if that happens of they become UDFA’s.
Aaron Davis, DB
Davis is unlikely to be drafted. He was not invited to the NFL Combine which suggests that he has some work to do to impress scouts. But we shouldn’t count Davis out of finding a way on to a roster. This is a guy who came in as a walk-on and ended up holding various starting jobs during his time in Athens.
He’s a smart player and a hard worker. Today is his opportunity to impress scouts and ensure that he ends up somewhere that fits as a UDFA. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him on an opening day roster or Practice Squad when the new season starts. He’s the kind of player coaches love.
Jeb Blazevich, TE
Blazevich is similar to Davis in that he’s not the best athlete, but he’s got great intangibles. Again, I doubt he’s someone who ends up getting drafted, but he’s a blue-collar player. Blazevich is a good blocker at Tight End and works hard to get better. You don’t draft a blocking tight end, but you do sign them as free agents if they have everything you want. Look for Blazevich to impress scouts and find his way onto a roster in the summer.
Malkom Parrish, CB
In a year full of great stories, Parrish’s was one of the few sad ones. Before he got injured in the offseason, he was considered to be UGA’s best cornerback. Yes, he lacks size, but many fans forget that the hard tackling player was considered the best player in UGA’s secondary last year. His fall this year was spectacular and its easy to point to his injury as the problem.
I don’t know if Parrish will be able to get back to what he was before he injured his foot. Because of his size, he needs to be explosive to make plays and he just wasn’t in 2017. It would be a real shame if that injury ends his career, because if he had avoided it, he may well have been a draft pick.
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Today gives Parrish the chance to show that he’s healthy once again and deserves a shot at the next level. If he can prove that, there’s a chance Parrish get’s his shot at redemption at the next level.