Georgia Bulldogs: 2012 RB Prospect Rushel Shell

A fair number of Georgia fans who follow college football recruiting closely already know all about Keith Marshall—the stud running back out of North Carolina is the player on the Bulldog's wish list for 2012. So, it's not likely you'll ever see his profile on this site as there are plenty of others who can tell you all about him.

However, there seems to be a lot less fanfare around Georgia's offer to Pennsylvania running back, Rushel Shell—the No. 5 running back prospect in the nation according to 247sports.com—and while that may have a lot to do with Georgia's perceived chances to nab him (which seem pretty slim at the moment), he still bears watching this season.

As a junior, Shell put up monster numbers (323 attempts, 2,510 yards, and 32 touchdowns) to cap off his second consecutive 2,400+ yard season, and he's poised to repeat the feat again in 2011. His combination of speed and power make him a challenge for defense, to bring down and his ceiling is high where the next level is concerned as he appears to be built to carry the running game of just about any team he chooses.

Shell expressed a serious interest in six schools early on—three of which are in the SEC—but has stated that he is open to every suitor at this time and is going to take his time with the process.



(h/t FRONTPAGESCOUT)

Related articles

• Scout.com releases updated 2012 position rankings (e3athletics.com)
• Top 12 for 2012 (elevenwarriors.com)
• Five-star running back for 2012 sifting through more than two dozen offers (aol.sportingnews.com)

Quintavious Harrow: "If you do not know me by now, you better soon.."

That's some strongly worded rhetoric coming from a guy whom no one even realized Georgia was recruiting. However, Harrow is confident that he will bring every bit the talent and excitement to Georgia as his good friend, Isaiah Crowell.

Harrow's name first began to gain notoriety when, in late January, he was extended an offer. Many assumed that this was an attempt by coach Richt to further persuade Crowell to sign with the Bulldogs—Harrow and Crowell were stated to be very close friends. In truth, however, Georgia was simply keeping their promise to Harrow that if he qualified, they would offer. Here is what Harrow had to say about how it all came to pass, "...they told me they were just waiting on my ACT score. They have seen me play before, but they just needed to wait on that test. When it finally came, they said they would pull the trigger..."(Kipp Adams, Rivals.com).

Take that explanation for what it's worth, but Harrow's play speaks for itself and he should be a nice addition to the team—especially from a speed standpoint. Harrow runs a 4.4 40 and is expected to move from linebacker to defensive back at Georgia. That will definitely give coach Lakatos some needed flexibility to work with this coming season, especially since no one can be certain what will happen with Branden Smith.

Hopefully, we get a chance to see what Harrow can do very soon. Until then, here's some video (note: this same clip was posted on another article written about Harrow in January).

Georgia Bulldogs: What Does Isaiah Crowell Need To Be Successful?

Photo Credit: JASON GETZ/AJC

Isaiah Crowell's announcement did more than relieve months of tension and worry among the Bulldog faithful, it gave them a reason to believe that the running game would again have the star it so desperately needs in the backfield—the perfect compliment to Aaron Murray.

Well, it was only six-months ago that fans were satisfied that the Washaun Ealey/Caleb King combo was everything Georgia needed to "run this state" too, and that didn't exactly work out as planned now did it?

Now, before you start thinking this article is meant to rain on the "dream team" parade, please step away from the keyboard and think about this for a moment: As unimpressive, underwhelming, and downright disappointing as Ealey and King both proved to be last season, there can be no doubt that they have talent and have, at some point, been serviceable during their careers at Georgia.

After all, in 2010, many predicted the duo could be one of the best 1-2 combos in the SEC.

Was that a mistake? Did the two generate too much hype for their own good last year, or was something bigger at hand in their collective freefalls from grace?

The only reason this question is worth asking today is because as studly as Isaiah Crowell may turn out to be, no one wishes to see him fall flat, under the weight of enormous expectations, simply because Georgia hasn't done all it can to prepare the way for him.

Before Crowell can be envisioned "running that rock" in any part of Georgia's offense, a few points need to be considered. Points that could have a major impact on his productivity from day one.

For one, A.J. Green's departure means the run game will get a lot more attention.

Without, at least presently, a player of Green's caliber to stretch the field and give defensive coordinator's fits, Bobo will need to do a much better job game planning each week because "throw it to A.J." is no longer an option.

Furthermore, once Richt decides who will be coordinating the run game, Bobo needs to improve the way he uses each running backs particular skills. Last season he, far too often in my opinion, placed them in situations where they were not going to succeed—let's be honest, it's never a good idea to send 5'8", sub-190 lb running back, Carlton Thomas up the gut on a third down.

Lastly, the new offensive line coach—whoever he turns out to be—will have his work cut out for him. The offensive line has talent, but years of poor conditioning cannot be undone in a handful of months, expect some growing pains as each player is reassessed and re-evaluated to see how he can best be used during both pass and run plays.

Can Georgia return to prominence in the running game? Absolutely, but it's going to take some time. The issues which contributed to the overall decline of the run game will have to be addressed quickly—before Crowell can shine—then, hopefully, we'll see him become the player we all hope he can.

Isaiah Crowell's Signing Day Moment Was One For The Dawgs (VIDEO)

The little pup at the end was a nice move by Crowell. Let's hope he's got more tricks up his sleeve once he gets on the football field next season.



Not to be completely outdone, his Carver-Columbus teammate, Gabe Wright, caused a stir as well when he revealed Auburn as his school of choice by putting on a hat that said "Nick Who?"...he clarified that he meant Fairley, not Saban—nice save there, Gabe.

Former USC Running Back, Stafon Johnson, Is Suing His Alma Mater

Former USC running back, Stafon Johnson, is bringing a lawsuit against his alma mater for the weightlifting accident that nearly cost him his life in 2009.

During a supervised training session with the strength and conditioning staff, Johnson almost died from the injuries he suffered when a 275 pound set of weights fell onto his neck.

Jamie Yanchar, who was assisting Johnson on that day, is no longer on the staff at USC, but he is also named in the lawsuit.

The incident, which happened in September 2009, was likely thought to have been water under the bridge for the USC football program—especially after Johnson signed on with the Tennessee Titans.

But with Johnson's professional career in doubt after suffering a season-ending ankle injury, you have to wonder about the timing of this.

Would he be pursuing this measure if his NFL success, to this point, were more significant?

To be sure, Johnson deserves compensation for the carelessness of USC's training staff, and there is little reason to believe he won't get something out of the deal; It just seems like he might have considering doing so sooner rather than later.

Georgia vs South Carolina 1980: Herschel Walker vs George Rogers (VIDEO)

In anticipation of the noon showdown between the Georgia Bulldogs and the South Carolina Gamecocks, it seemed fitting to flashback to another great match-up from the past—this one is from the 1980 National Championship season.

Both Georgia and South Carolina came into the game undefeated, and both featured great running backs in the Herschel Walker—the true freshman—and George Rogers. The game was telecast on a national level and garnered a ton of interest. As Dooley would say in the video, this is the game that took Herschel from a regional attraction to a national superstar.

Georgia won the game 13-10. 

(h/t to ghostoferkrussell) Just a little sidenote: the run by Walker at the 3:15 mark is amazing—wow.



And, just for kicks, here is the piece that ABC did on Herschel prior to the start of the game (h/t apgarbin). It's astonishing to recall just how dominant Herschel was in high school—talk about having some NCAA "create a player" numbers*—my god, a freshman!



Georgia won't have a Herschel Walker on the field today, but hopefully the outcome will be the same—DAWGS WIN! DAWGS WIN! DAWGS WIN!

GATA!!!

*A little nod to my Twitter buddy, @rodimusprime for coining that analogy. 

Georgia vs Louisiana Defensive Analysis: What Scheme Do The Cajuns Run?

Yesterday, we looked at the quarterback match-up between Aaron Murray and Chris Masson. If you missed it, you can find it here. Today we will take a snapshot of the Cajuns' defensive scheme and how it operates.
 
The Cajuns run a multiple 4-3 defense. It's a very physical, in-your-face, scheme that depends greatly on the intelligence and athletic ability of its linebackers. It was installed in the spring of 2004 and is currently being coached by the Cajuns defensive coordinator, Kevin Fouquier.

In this scheme, there is a big emphasis on the linebackers ability to react first and read second. If that sounds funny, it's not, anticipation is an important element to executing this scheme effectively. It's important to be quick afoot and have the ability to adjust to each play as it progresses, rather than reacting after the snap.

That said, it can be a good way to force turnovers because, if your players can adapt quickly to the snap of the ball, then they have a genuine opportunity to blow plays up, force fumbles, and foster interceptions.

The reason for this is because the plays are moving so quickly and, seemingly, with such chaos,  until the quarterback can be forced into panic mode. If he's not prepared for it, he will often forget to advance to the second or third progression in an offensive play. Often, this will lead to an ill-advised pass to a well-covered receiver.

Furthermore, from a running backs standpoint, it can be frustrating to see the lanes seal up so quickly.
So, unless a running back is able to make his cuts and create new lanes of his own, when one closes up, he could be met by a big wall of defenders—sometimes forcing a fumble in the process.

On the other hand, there are disadvantages to running this scheme as well.

For one, it allows a lot of ground yards if the linebackers cannot recover quickly from a poor read. Add to that, if the front four fails to do a good job sealing off lanes and closing gaps, it's possible to see a decent runner rattle off four-to-six yards before they are apprehended.

Furthermore, the secondary plays very conservatively in the scheme the Cajuns run, so there is little man-to-man coverage. They are constantly guarding against the big play but are vulnerable to plays underneath that can lead to easy scores or big chunks of yardage by speedy receivers.

The Cajuns have a stellar group of linebackers, a seasoned secondary, and a decent front four. They know the system and finally started making small strides in executing it last season, but there is still work to do. The key for Georgia will be to use the strength of their offensive line to keep the running lanes open.

If quarterback, Aaron Murray, can control the tempo, keep the linebackers guessing, and make smart adjustments, Georgia should be able to perform successfully against the Cajuns.

Georgia Bulldog RB, Washaun Ealey, Arrested for Hit-and-Run (UPDATED)

(This article will be updated frequently throughout the day. Scroll to the bottom for any updates on this situation. The initial article, posted after the news of the arrest broke, follows)


According to College Football Talk, Georgia Bulldog running back, Washaun Ealey, was arrested and jailed on a hit-and-run charge last night. He was placed into the custody of Athens-Clarke County law enforcement and is being held in jail on a $3,000 bond.

Ealey was charged with hitting a parked car in a university parking deck and then leaving the scene—Ealey's license was later found to be suspended and the vehicle he was operating did not belong to him.

University police chief, Jimmy Williamson stated that the gold Chevrolet Impala that Ealey was driving was registered to his roommate.

Ealey remains in jail at this time and the natural question for the Georgia Bulldogs is, what now?

This charge is sure to warrant some time off the field and, depending on how Athens law enforcement chooses to handle Ealey's blatant disregard for following procedure, there could be a need to make an example of this behavior.

Ealey was the team's leading rusher last season and there were high expectations that he would be a major part of the running game this year. Georgia no longer has Dontavius Jackson—he transferred in order to gain more playing time.

That means the depth chart for Georgia includes only Caleb King, Carlton Thomas, and Ken Malcome—King being the only player with on-field success.

That said, there was some indication that Caleb King was going to be the No. 1 tailback at the end of summer practice. Mark Richt stated that both running backs were doing well, but he was more impressed with King's pass-blocking ability. Ealey was lagging behind a bit in that area and, as is well known, the Bulldogs want to be sure that Aaron Murray has all the protection he needs this season.

Either way, this is not good news for Mark Richt as his team was finally gaining some positive momentum heading into the first week of the season and seemed to finally have recovered from the mishaps and disappointments that surrounded the team earlier in the summer.

More info as it becomes available, but, just as a side note, my mama always told me to never let anyone drive my car unless I knew for sure that they 1) had a license, and 2) were able to tell me where they were going when they left—there was no open policy where car-borrowing was concerned.

Of course I know that not everyone subscribes to that ideal, but, it does make you wonder if Ealey's roommate knew that he was without a license before he allowed him to drive his car and, if he did, the natural question would have to be...why?

(UPDATED 1:45 PM): According to Tim Tucker of the AJ-C:

Ealey, 21, was booked into the jail at 5:22 a.m. and released at 11:18 a.m. on bonds totaling $3,480.

In addition to $1,500 bond on each of today’s two misdemeanor charges, Ealey was required to post another $480 bond because of an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in July in Athens-Clarke County Municipal Court on speeding and vehicle registration charges. A bonding company posted Ealey’s bonds (it was Ealey's failure to appear for said earlier violation, that triggered the suspension of his drivers license).

(UPDATED 4:55 PM):

...jail records show the first charge against Ealey as hit-and-run of a parked vehicle,  Williamson said the charge technically will be  violation of the “duty-upon-strike” law. The law, Williamson said, is that “you have a responsibility when you hit another car to report it, same as if you hit a fence you have a responsibility to report it. . . . You can’t drive off.”
Williamson said officers determined that alcohol was not involved in the incident. No one was injured. (Tim Tucker, AJ-C)

James Wilder Picks FSU, But Georgia Still Has A Shot With Isaiah Crowell

Count me among the skeptical who didn't read too much into the report that James Wilder Jr., the freakishly talented LB/RB from Plant High School, was on his way to play for the University of Georgia in 2011.

For the last several weeks, the message boards and chatter surrounding this young man from Tampa was that he was much more likely to end up in Tallahassee than Athens.

Sure, he had the ties (former Plant alumni Aaron Murray and Orson Charles are currently on the team) and plenty reason (Georgia's use of the big back intrigued him) to offer his commitment to Georgia, but it wasn't meant to be—life goes on. 

Still, it speaks well of the staff that they were able to make a run at him—even if they missed out.

So, now the attention has to be focused on RB recruit, Isaiah Crowell. He is the guy that the Bulldogs have coveted from day one and he has to be the guy that Georgia hopes to see signing on the dotted line come next February. Crowell is one of the must-have prospects for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2011 and everyone who follows the program closely knows it.

The decision of Wilder to go to FSU might have been slightly disappointing but the bright side has to be that Wilder's decision to go elsewhere should make Georgia that much more attractive to Crowell, a true talent at the running back position and an in-state kid, who has already made it clear that Georgia is on his mind—right along with Alabama.

No word yet on when Crowell will make up his mind, but as of now, the Under-Armour Game which will be held on January 29, 2011 in Mobil, AL, seems to be the likely place for his decision.

Either way, this is one prospect that Georgia would like to make sure is in the fold come signing day and, at least for the moment, there is still a reason to believe that's possible.

Reggie Bush Still Doesn't Quite Seem To Get It

"...I can't dwell on the negatives because I do have a job to do and I have a whole organization and a city riding on my back, not necessarily my back, but the team's back."(ESPN, 7/31/2010)

Reggie Bush is moving on from the scandal that recently brought his former alma mater to its knees. Even though he has all but been erased from the visual memory of his days as USC's star running back, he isn't allowing it to effect his current responsibility as a New Orleans Saint.

While I can understand that the past is the past, I am bothered by the, seemingly, lackadaisical attitude that Bush continues to display about this matter. It's as if he's silently saying, "I did it. It's done. Too bad it amounted to all this but, I can't fix it so, I'm over it".

Really Reggie?

If you think I am exaggerating his emotions too much, just take a look at his last comment  in regards to rebuilding his relationship with USC, "I hope someday at some point it can be repaired," Bush said. "We'll see what happens. That's all I can do."

Umm, yeah. So, you all but decimate one of the most dominant runs in USC's history, this decade, you handcuff the program for the next two seasons (via scholarship limitations and bowl bans), you brought shame to the football program, and, you may very well be responsible for the departure of countless veterans from the team (since the sanctions allowed juniors and seniors to exit without penalty), and you honestly think the relationship isn't severed—permanently?

Again, I say, Reggie Bush doesn't get it.

I know there are many who will say, he was lured by the money and the opportunity to help his family get ahead. He was struggling, despite the money USC was making off his presence, what was he supposed to have done?

Well, that answer is easy, he was supposed to say "no", move on, and await his shot in the NFL...LIKE EVERY OTHER PLAYER.

While I do not agree with USC's over-the-top response to the situation, I can understand the philosophy behind the actions they have taken. They don't want to glorify the man who essentially has crippled them and they wish to send a stern message to any player who might be thinking of following in his footsteps.

However, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the hypocrisy in removing his jersey and returning his Heisman copy while still allowing the trophy and jersey of disgraced former star, O.J. Simpson to remain—just saying.

Yet, I digress.

Reggie Bush made a poor decision. A decision guys he never played with will have to suffer through for the next two seasons. It's not just an "outside distraction" that "is what it is". It's the principle of the thing. He made a huge mistake and, honestly, he's gotten off easy.

Sure, USC will remove his jersey and his Heisman but, no matter what they do, most people will still respect Bush as one of the greatest college football players—ever.

Reggie Bush will still be Reggie Bush no matter what USC or the media does to vilify him—like it or not. He likely knows that and perhaps that is why he can be so philosophical about the whole thing. He just doesn't get it.

I doubt he ever will.

Georgia Recruiting Nugget: Could James Wilder End Up A Bulldog?

James Wilder is an outstanding athlete out of Plant High School in Tampa, FL. He's also considered one of the top recruiting prospects in the nation. Every Division I school in the country wants to get their hands on him and he's received over 90 offers thus far.

That said, he's narrowed his options to five lucky suitors: Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Alabama and every last one of them is dead serious about landing him. However, most of them want him on the defensive side of the ball and he's already made it clear that he wants to play running back—period.

Now everyone is scrambling to accommodate his wishes, saying that they will let him play whatever position he chooses—he's skeptical.

As such, he has taken a cautious approach to his recruitment and is now evaluating each school not only based on fit but on their honesty with him as well. 

Does Georgia have a shot at landing this, widely considered, Florida Gator lean?

Well, there are a few reasons to believe in miracles, just look at what Wilder has said about the type of school he wants to attend and how those things could work to Georgia's advantage:

"I want to trust the coaching staff that I play for and trusting the coaches is actually the biggest part of my decision...so if I don’t trust the coaching staff, then I am definitely not choosing that school."

Coach Richt is a straight-shooter. His reputation is built on the very foundation that Wilder craves most—honesty.

It is a rare occasion that a prospect is ever heard to have said that he was misled or lied to by the Georgia coaching staff. It's a safe bet that Wilder—who will be in Athens on Thursday and Friday—will appreciate the candor that Richt and his staff are sure to convey.

"I am now researching a lot of schools to see which ones have used big backs to carry the ball for them in the past and things like that."


The Bulldogs know a little something about using a big back to carry the football.
Current starters, Caleb King and Washaun Ealey are both 5-foot-11 and 200+ pounds. Former stars, Knowshon Moreno and Musa Smith were also 5-foot-10, or better, and also played at the 200+ mark.
Wilder is 6-foot-2, 215 lbs, of solid muscle.

If he's looking for a school that is willing to give him a shot at running back, then Georgia would be as good a place as any. After all, Richard Samuel, who is built similarly, was given the starting nod last season.

The experiment with Samuel ultimately failed as his place will be on the defensive side of the ball but, the fact remains, Georgia isn't opposed to using a big guy at tailback—never has been.

"I want to play in an offense that a big back like me fits into the best."

Despite the fact that Wilder is considered to be Florida lean, there are few schools in the SEC who feature their back better than Georgia and Alabama. If he's looking to play early and often at the position of his choice, then Georgia is a good fit—period.

However, that said, Wilder may still find resistance to his decision as he grades out well as a defensive player and, in my very humble opinion, I think he'd be a beast on defense—the guy is some kind of fierce coming off the edge and would be a monster at OLB or DE—particularly in Georgia's 3-4 scheme.

Just my two cents.

Wilder has two ex-teammates who already call Athens home. Both Aaron Murray and Orson Charles are rising sophomores at Georgia and, according to Chip Towers at the AJC, both have been campaigning heavily for Wilder to join them next season. 

Over the weekend the trio spent a lot of time together in Athens, hanging out at the local restaurants and around town, and you can bet that both guys had his ear when discussing the possibility of him choosing Georgia over his home state Gators.

Furthermore, the recent departure of Dontavius Jackson has shortened the depth chart at tailback, making the possibility of playing early at that spot an even bigger possibility.

Nabbing him seems like a long shot but, the same was said of Orson Charles, so, anythings possible.

Below, some highlight of Wilder playing both offense and defense:

Suspended Georgia Bulldog RB, Dontavius Jackson, Will Transfer

Dontavius Jackson won't serve his six-game suspension this season for the Georgia Bulldogs. He has decided to transfer from the University of Georgia—effective at the end of the summer semester.

This isn't a surprising decision by Jackson given the charges he faced following his DUI arrest over the weekend. However, his departure means that Georgia will be looking to both Carlton Thomas and incoming freshman tailback, Ken Malcome, for quality minutes this season.

Jackson exited the spring listed third on the depth chart at running back and, it was thought, that he might finally gain the reps needed to make an impact on the field for the Bulldogs. In 2009, he tallied four carries for 38-yards—he got lost in the shuffle last season as Georgia played musical chairs with their tailbacks early in the year.

The season began with Richard Samuel starting, who has moved to linebacker for 2010, and ended with Washaun Ealey and Caleb King.

The speedy Carlton Thomas had his shot as well but didn't have the build to run between the tackles—limiting his value to screens and quick passes out into the flat. Thomas will get some looks again in 2010 but all eyes will be on Ken Malcome this summer as he has the best collection of skills to make a sudden impact in Georgia's ground game.

Malcome is a bruising back who has good power and above average vision. He knows how to find the holes and take a pounding. He is built for a north-south brand of football—which could work out to Georgia's advantage as they look to run the ball early and often in 2010.

As for Jackson's future, it remains unclear if he already has researched schools or if his DUI charges will keep him out of football for a while or not. What is clear is he will no longer be playing for the Georgia Bulldogs and, for many, that seemed inevitable given the circumstances.

Below is video of Ken Malcome (No. 34) of Southwest Dekalb:

NCAA Football: Five SEC Offensive Players Who Won't Endure A Sophomore Slump

A "sophomore slump" is easy to explain. It's a condition which has effected enough second-year players that its become a well-known, oft-expected, affliction. Some guys will manage to avoid it, but most players do hit that proverbial wall at some point.

Why? The main reason is opposing defenses begin to familiarize themselves better with that guy's style of play.

See, the great thing about being new to a conference is defenses aren't familiar with a player's tendencies yet. Film can only show so much—the real test comes on the field. Many times, a players speed, agility, and strength can be underestimated.

That said, upon first encounter, many defenses will be a bit unprepared. However, defensive coordinators don't get paid to only watch tape, they are paid to not be fooled twice and, that means, by the second time around, most defenses will have adjusted their schemes to impede a particular player's progress.

Once that happens, it becomes that player's job to adjust his tendencies again. That is not done easily as many of these guys have been running, catching, juking, and cutting the same way their whole life. Many simply cannot make those adjustments without seeing a drop in their production from the previous season—therein lay the foundation for the dreaded sophomore slump. 

Even so, there are players who will be able to defy those odds and make a run at being even better than the year before—a sophomore superstar if you will. 

In my opinion, these guys are primed to be even better player as sophomores (be they true or redshirt) than they were as mere freshmen:

1. Trent Richardson—Alabama 

2009 Stats: 144 Attempts, 749 yards, and 8 Touchdowns (5.20 YPC)

He's got great size, tremendous strength, and an uncanny ability to leave defenders diving at his heels. He also plays for a team that has a Heisman trophy winner starting at the tailback position.

Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman winning running back for the Tide, returns for his junior season. He will still command the bulk of the Tide's carries, leaving Richardson free to run as dangerously as he pleases in 2010—no pressure means very little drop in production.

The spotlight on him is brighter, but it's still Ingram's team until further notice. That means Richardson can keep auditioning for 2011—the year he's likely to take over the top spot for the Tide.

I see big things for him in 2010—how could you not?

Fearless Prediction: 175 attempts, 962 yards, and 12 Touchdowns

2. Ronnie Wingo, Jr.—Arkansas

2009 Stats: 50 Attempts, 318 yards, and 3 Touchdowns (6.36 YPC)

Everyone knows that the Razorbacks can throw the ball behind the arm of, probable Heisman candidate, Ryan Mallett, but the key to a Hog revival in the SEC West won't come through the air, but on the ground.

In the SEC, it's nice to have a good passing game in your arsenal but if you expect to win the close ones, you have to establish a good running game to offset your air attack. The Hogs have no less than three talented men to fill that void and none of them is full of more promise than Ronnie Wingo.

His 6'3" frame coupled with his 200+ pounds of muscle are daunting enough but coupled that with his speed and vision and you have one serious player on your hands.

He didn't get nearly the carries he deserved last season but don't expect that to happen again in 2010.

Fearless Prediction: 115 Attempts, 667 Yards, and 7 Touchdowns

3. Orson Charles—Georgia

2009 Stats: 23 Receptions, 374 Yards, and 3 Touchdowns (16.26 YPC)

Charles may have been one of the last to sign in Georgia's 2009 recruiting class, but he was one of the first to make some noise on the football field last season.

He is listed as a tight end for Georgia, but his overall skill set makes him every bit as dangerous as a wide receiver.

The Bulldogs will break in a new quarterback this year—Charles' good friend and teammate from Plant High—Aaron Murray. The two had great chemistry in high school and have renewed that bond as teammates at Georgia. That bodes well for Orson who became a safe target for former QB Joe Cox in multiple situations last season.

Add to that, the receiving corps is thin for the Bulldogs this season and that means more looks toward the tight end spot this year—expect Orson to take advantage of more opportunities to shine brightly for Georgia.

Fearless Prediction: 38 Receptions, 665 Yards, and 5 Touchdowns

4. Tori Gurley—South Carolina

2009 Stats: 31 Receptions, 440 Yards, and 2 Touchdowns (14.19 YPC)

It would have been easy to pick Alshon Jeffery here, after all, he's one of the most talented receivers on the Gamecock squad and he too is just a sophomore.

However, the pressure to succeed in the face of tremendous expectations will be much higher on Jeffery than on Gurley. Which, in my opinion, means Gurley is more likely to continue his consistency into 2010 and make an even bigger name for himself in Columbia this coming season.

At 6'5", 230 lbs, he's already a load. However, it's his stifling ability to make the big grab that makes him one of the most dangerous weapons in South Carolina's arsenal—assuming he has a competent quarterback to throw him the ball.

Look for more production out of Gurley this season as he struts out of the shadow of his fellow teammates meteoric rise.

Fearless Prediction: 52 Receptions, 769 Yards, and 7 Touchdowns

5. Rueben Randle—LSU

2009 Stats: 11 Receptions, 173 Yards, and 2 Touchdowns (15.73 YPC)

As a freshman, Randle wasn't able to make as big an impact as he might have liked.

The Tigers of 2009 were squared away at the No.'s 1 and 2 receiver position, with both Brandon LaFell and Terrance Tolliver towing the line. However, with LaFell moving on to the NFL and Tolliver laying claim to the No. 1 spot, Randle could finally get his opportunity to show the SEC what he can do—sitting pretty at No. 2.

He will get a little interference from Russell Shepard, that other sophomore dynamo who recently moved over from the quarterback spot, but the benefit of playing as a true wide receiver last season will give him a bit of an edge,development wise,over his teammate.

Randle has great ability as a playmaker and he will, no doubt, break off some highlight reel runs after the catch this coming season. Add to that, the introduction of Billy Gonzalez (the former Florida Gators receiving coach) as his new position coach and the sky could be the limit for Randle in 2010.

Fearless Prediction: 52 Receptions, 780 Yards, and 5 Touchdowns 

(This article appears courtesy of The Lady Sportswriter)