Georgia Bulldogs: Wherefore Art Thou, Richard Samuel?

Photo Credit: Curtis Compton/AJC

A lot of names have been floated about where the position of linebacker is concerned. Georgia Bulldog fans have heard how newcomers Amarlo Herrera and Kent Turene—both 2011 signees—could be difference makers in the future,  how Alec Ogletree's switch from safety to inside linebacker could produce more big plays close to the ball, how Jarvis Jones is on track to be a monster, and how Christian Robinson is the new leader of the pack.

Much has been said about what coach Todd Grantham has in store for his revamped linebacking corps, but little has been mentioned about where Richard Samuel still fits in that picture—you remember him don't you?

Here's a quick recap of this former five-star (according to Rivals) athlete prospect out of Cass High School in Cartersville, GA: He inked with Georgia in 2008—as a 17-year old—and played backup to future NFL first-rounder, Knowshon Moreno, in his first season. By the start of 2009, he had leapfrogged Caleb King to be named the No. 1 tailback—many hailed him as a tough, hard-nosed, ball player with an uncanny ability to find holes and gain yards.

However, once the season began, the opposite proved to be true as it became apparent that Samuels' upright running style was hindering his ability to play consistently well at the position. So, by the end of 2009, he was out of the running back rotation and, by spring, he was being groomed for a switch to linebacker.

2010 saw a redshirt season, but there were rumblings that his performance on the scout team was becoming a thing of legend and it appeared that the switch agreed with him—and big things were  expected as 2011 neared.

So, what happened to all that hype? Is Samuel still in the mix to start at inside linebacker or has his slew of nagging injuries slowed his ability to develop?

You have to wonder if the coaching staff is still counting on him to be a key factor, especially when there hasn't been much heard or said about him over the last few months, and so much new talent appears to be making their way into the conversation.

As the spring game approaches, it will be interesting to see how Grantham rotates the linebackers—that may give us the first real bit of insight as to how Samuel will be used—until then, it's a guessing game.