Georgia Bulldogs: Tight End Is The New Wide Receiver

In case you missed the bulletin, A.J. Green is gone. No longer will No. 8 traverse the fields of Sanford Stadium, and while there is currently not a guy on the Georgia Bulldogs' roster who seems ready to step into Green's huge shoes—have no fear—the tight end could be back in style again.

While a plethora of questions are worthy of conversation where the wide receiving corps is concerned—can Tavarres King be effective as a No. 1, will Marlon Brown or Rantavious Wooten ever become legit, is Michael Bennett the sleeper of the SEC this season—there seems to be little of that wondering going on where the tight ends are concerned. As a matter of fact, the only question that seems to keep cropping up is whether or not Aaron Murray will be able to air it out enough to keep his plethora of ends happy?

We start, of course, with Orson Charles who has been beastly since his arrival on campus in 2009. He has rarely disappointed, but you get the feeling that the best is still yet to come with this young man. Perhaps in his second season catching footballs from best friend, and former Plant High teammate, Aaron Murray, we will finally see him reach his full potential.

Next up is Aron White who, at 6'4", 239, is one of the smallest tight ends on the depth chart, but who has continually made his presence felt on the field during some of the more crucial downs. He's been hampered a bit by an injury this spring but, as the senior leader of this group, what he offers in poise and experience far outweighs his stat line which, given the lack of attention this position has been  given over the years, is still impressive.

Arthur Lynch looks like he's ready to make a difference on the football field this season as well. The redshirt sophomore gained better than 20 pounds this past offseason, and has looked solid in drills thus far. Lynch has always been lauded for his great blocking ability—a trait that will always get you on the football field for Mark Richt—but he has the potential to be every bit as useful as a pass-catcher. Look for him to step it up this season.

Finally, there's Jay Rome—who isn't even enrolled yet. You can expect to see him get a better than average shot at early playing time in 2011. He's got the size, the speed, the build, and the potential to make a nice contribution for the Bulldogs if placed in the right offensive situations.

There's no doubt that Georgia will be looking for playmakers this year and, as already mentioned, the wide receiving corps could use a boost with both Green and Durham now gone. It wouldn't surprise me to see one of these guys, perhaps Charles or White, step onto the football field in a hybrid role to fill in the blanks—particularly Charles who is known to get loose in the middle of the field to make the big play.

If offensive coordinator, Mike Bobo, can FINALLY see fit to open up his playbook to include more offensive sets for his talented tight ends, perhaps the obvious void in the receiving corps won't seem nearly as daunting.

Georgia Bulldogs: 2012 TE Prospect Ricky Parks

Ricky Parks is on Georgia's radar for 2012.

The uber-talent out of Callaway High School in Hogansville, GA has born comparisons to both Cam Newton of Auburn and Orson Charles of Georgia. He currently plays the quarterback position for Callaway High School, but is projected by many to be a tight end at the next level. However, one look at his film and it is safe to say that he could be a special prospect at either position.

As for Parks' preference, he has already stated that he would like to play tight end—specifically in a pro-style offense—and Georgia is currently tied at the top of his list with Alabama.

Parks is 6'3", 210, with a lot of potential, but he will need to work on his technique a bit more if he's going to play at a consistently high level in the college ranks—can he become a sufficient blocker? Either way, Parks is a prospect worth keeping a close eye on as the 2012 recruiting season moves forward.

Below is some film on Parks—mostly playing at quarterback—where you definitely can get a feel for how much talent he has.

Ricky Parks, QB #9, Callaway High School:

(h/t RustyMansell)

Recruiting: Jay Rome and Malcolm Mitchell Verbally Commit To UGA

Photo Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

When Xzavier Dickson pledged his allegiance to Alabama at the Under-Armour All-American game a mere two weeks ago, a feeling of dejection came over many a Bulldog fan as their dream of an in-state all-star team seemed to look more like a nightmare.

What a difference a few weeks and a couple of decisions can make.

While nothing is ever "official" until the ink is on the paper, the verbal commitments of both Jay Rome (TE) and Malcolm Mitchell (DB/WR) certainly helped rekindle the dream of a great class and, for once, made the Georgia faithful feel like a turnaround could indeed be in store for 2011.

What each player offers is likely obvious by now.

Jay Rome is rated the No. 1 tight end in the country and, playing alongside other great talents like Orson Charles and Aron White,  he adds yet another big weapon for the Bulldogs on offense.

He has good size, great speed, and excellent play making ability.

As for Malcolm Mitchell, no doubt he was a surprise for Georgia fans as Alabama was thought to be his school of choice for quite a while. Fortunately for Georgia, Mitchell's desire to remain in-state swayed him towards the red and black at the last minute.

At 6'1", 190, Mitchell has the size to play both receiver and defensive back at the next level. And, it has already been hinted that he just might.

Georgia could definitely use his services on both sides of the ball—particularly with Boykin likely gone after 2011 and Branden Smith suffering through his share of injuries. 

Both prospects should play well for Georgia provided they are given the proper coaching.

All in all, it's been a good day to be a Georgia Bulldog.

Jay Rome video:




Malcolm Mitchell video:

Georgia Bulldog TE Bruce Figgins' Return Should Bolster Offense

When Bruce Figgins was suspended at the start of 2009, many felt that the tight end position took a hit. Despite the potential at the time, of both Aron White and Orson Charles, it was the size and blocking ability of Bruce Figgins that many hoped to see on the field in 2009--especially given the inexperience of Joe Cox at quarterback.

After the first few games of the season however, it became clear that both Charles and White were doing a solid job as starters and, their production on the field was significant enough, that Figgins felt comfortable opting for a medical redshirt.

This allowed him to continue rehabbing his shoulder and preparing for a fully healthy season in 2010.

His six-game suspension in August 2009 likely factored into the decision as well. He was due to return for the seventh game of the year, but there was no guarantee that he would have been ready, conditioning wise, to play at the level fans were accustomed to seeing.

2010 brings a fresh start and Figgins is ready to get back to buisness on the football field.  Even so, that doesn't mean it will be an easy task for him to steal reps from the firmly established rotation of Orson Charles and Aron White.

After all, their performances firmly established them as receiving threats in the offense and Charles, in particular, could prove a comfortable target for new quarterback Aaron Murray--the two are good friends and played together at Plant High School--as he gets comfortable with his starting role.

On the other hand, it couldn’t hurt to bolster the offensive lines expected strength with an extra body that knows how to pick up a blitz and open up running lanes for the tailbacks.

Last season, the Dawgs offensive line struggled against the pass rush and was inconsistent blocking in short yardage situations. Figgins’ size and aggressive nature at the point of attack could help alleviate some of those issues in 2010 by adding another big body on the line of scrimmage.

Figgins has always shown a proclivity for being an outstanding blocker and he can hold his own against some of the tougher defensive ends in the SEC.

This year it is expected that the Dawgs will lean on the run game heavily in the early going and a healthy, strong, and rejuvenated Figgins lining up alongside an experienced crew, would be beneficial in both protecting Aaron Murray and opening running lanes for the tailbacks.

Furthermore, his healthy influence on Arthur Lynch cannot be discounted. He and Lynch are similar in both size and style of play, and Lynch has shown that he can be a formidable blocker in the future.
Figgins’ ability to catch passes should also not be dismissed. He may not be called upon to fill that role very often, but that does not mean he is not capable of doing so. He has good hands to go with his strong frame and that makes him an excellent redzone target.

Georgia has a lot of talent at the tight end spot, but the return of Figgins is significant because of his above-average blocking ability. Georgia will need him to remain healthy and focused (both on and off the field) this season. If he can do so, both the passing and running game should be helped by his presence on the field.