Georgia football: Terry Godwin gets his chance at NFL Combine

Georgia football didn’t see the best of Terry Godwin last year as he dealt with injuries but if he’s fully healthy, he should impress at the NFL Combine.

Like most Georgia football fans, I have a soft spot for Terry Godwin. Not only was a damn good soldier since Kirby Smart arrived. He also had quite possibly the best catch I have ever seen in a UGA game. That catch against Notre Dame still lives on in my dreams. I go back and watch it sometimes when I’m feeling sad. It was glorious.

Godwin’s senior season didn’t live up to the high expectations that he likely set for himself. He spent most of the year dealing with lower leg injuries and that meant that he was never quite the same guy he was in his junior year. He also had to deal with the fact that Jeremiah Holloman stepped into his spot and made it his own. That meant that even when he came back, he was battling for playing time much more than expected. Despite this, Godwin shined at the East-West Shrine game and was named the games offensive MVP after scoring 2 TD’s. When given a chance, he’s got a habit making the most of it.

Godwin is likely going to be the last of UGA’s 4 pass catcher drafted in the NFL Draft this year, despite being the only senior. Mecole Hardman has more speed and burst. Riley Ridley has more size and is a natural possession receiver and threat in the red zone. Issac Nauta is one of the top tight ends in the draft not from Iowa. Godwin is a different case because he doesn’t have an elite physical trait like any of those players. What he does have are intangibles and a track record of being successful at a top-flight school despite being surrounded by more talented players.

Godwin deserves to be drafted in my mind. I think that he’s a likely day 3 pick but he’s a player that NFL rosters need. He might never be a starting level player but he’s a guy who can be a solid backup for a long period of time because of those intangibles. The Combine will give him a chance to show teams that he can be productive when given a chance and the interviews will be crucial for him. He was a leader in Athens and that’s something that any locker room needs.