NFL Draft Announcements, Georgia Tech Football Postmortem
by Winfield Featherston on Jan 18, 2011 8:30 AM EST
in Georgia Tech Football
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PrintThe final days of last week were seemingly tough - and surprising - ones for Georgia Tech football fans. On Wednesday, January 12, Nick Claytor announced his decision to forego his senior season and test his chances in the NFL Draft. While brow-raising, more odd was Jerrard Tarrant's announcement to announce his decision to join the NFL ranks as well.
It's quite puzzling as to why both these juniors would leave early for the professional level. Many believed that both could have continued to produce for Georgia Tech and improve themselves in the senior season. Both are Chan Gailey recruits and rumors and ideas have swirled around suggesting that neither appreciated the 180-degree turn from vanilla-Chan Gailey or ornery Paul Johnson.
Nick Claytor redshirted as a true freshman in Gailey's last year as head football coach and worked his way up to a starting position. He started 15 games in his career at Georgia Tech as an offensive tackle. Tarrant too, came in as a freshman in 2007 where he also redshirted. In 2008, he did not play due to off-the-field issues. In 2009, Tarrant established himself as the Georgia Tech punt returner and returned two for touchdowns, one that will always be a highlight against the Clemson Tigers on ESPN.
What is odd about these announcements is little to no attention that has been placed on them. Perhaps football teams going 6-7 don't necessarily garner much national praise, perhaps these players really did not fit with Paul Johnson's philosophy and they were ready to get out, or maybe they realized that they were at their peak and it was time to cash-in on what they had garnished.
What's left behind on the offensive line is Phil Smith, the only tackle with starter experience. Gone are Sean Bedford, Austin Barrick who both have used up all their eligibility. Tarrant's exit has opened the way for any Yellow Jacket secondary player as there are now four empty spots left behind in addition by Mario Butler, Dominique Reese and Mario Butler.
Looking forward
The 2010 football season marked the Class of 2007's 4th year. The last of Chan Gailey has just about cleared itself out of the Georgia Tech football system and all that is left are small remnants. The program is moving forward and it is now time for Paul Johnson to begin winning with his recruits, his players, his pieces to the puzzle that is his offensive system. Where 2007 left off, we now get to watch 2008 pick up, 2009 begin to bloom, and 2010 figure things out.Johnson's players will be expected to reach and surpass the hype and potential that has been laid on them. Expectations have been set and now it is their turn to produce.
Editor's Note.I feel BJ Bostic will bring the necessary "mouth" leadership that we all enjoyed with Tashard Choice. We've already see the grillpiece close to the opponent's respective grillpieces with a lot of head-bobbing.
So when the NFL Draft comes, good luck to all the Yellow Jackets who are eligible. We want to watch all of you play on Sundays.
Go Jackets!
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Of the departing offensize linemen, I think we will miss Bedford the most.
You said that Smith is the only returning player with starting experience. Unless he’s not returning, Uzzi is another player with starting experience and he started every game.
I think we will really miss Tarrant, especially on special teams, and particularly so if McKayhan is the new punt returner. McKayhan’s dug himself into quite a hole with his misadventures in the bowl game.
by Dive Keep and Pitch on Jan 18, 2011 10:11 AM EST reply actions
What a gracious post.
When players leave early, especially when you can discern no tangible reason for it, it often feels like betrayal. You kept this very balanced.
by Atlanta's original team on Jan 18, 2011 10:12 AM EST reply actions
More Fuel for the Fire
I thought about putting up my own article about this subject but decided I would have to spend too much time researching to make it the kind of piece that would attract comments.
So maybe someone else who is reading your article will offer an insight as to what these early departures mean.
Here it the background for what ails me. Of the 122 best players in the NFL (as determined by Bleacher Report) only one is from Georgia Tech -Calvin Johnson. Keith Brooking and Tashard Choice are the only other former Tech players “of note” in the NFL.
Again in a different article from the same source is a list of players who should have stayed in school to improve their draft status as well as their playing potential. It is a long list and near the top is Jonathan Dwyer.
Asking why college students sometimes make dumb decisions is itself a dumb question but I still would love to know what is in someone’s thinking when they are practically guaranteeing themselves a low draft pick, not making a team, or at best, getting a comparatively low salary when they could have improved their life skills, education level and athletic skills by staying in school just a few more months.
by Atlanta's original team on Jan 18, 2011 10:49 AM EST reply actions
why college students sometimes make dumb decisions
“…what is in someone’s thinking when they are practically guaranteeing themselves a low draft pick, not making a team, or at best, getting a comparatively low salary when they could have improved their life skills, education level and athletic skills by staying in school just a few more months.”
I imagine that a lot of the players are reacting to the potential money and status. The NFL minimum salary is somewhere around $300k/yr and even if the player’s take home pay was just 25% of that, that would be 75k/yr which is probably more money than most these players have ever had in their life – it’s certainly a whole lot more than I had when I graduated.
Life skills…a more subjective issue, and one that varies greatly among individuals. Some players won’t see much benefit here, particularly players that were more mature initially. The players who would benefit more may not recognize, or want to recognize, that they could use the extra year.
would you rather stay in school and deal with homework, projects, and exams, or play football? From an athelete’s perspective, I think the answer is obvious. I doubt the educational aspect figures into the decision heavily, at least with respect to those players who have a decent shot at getting on a NFL team. Certainly, there are a number of NFL aspiring players who will focus on obtaining their degree but I suspect that for most part only those only guys who don’t anticipate being able to have a future in the NFL will let the educational aspect factor heavily into the decision making process. In any event, with the degrees some of these players have – and I’m referring to any degree (e.g. recreational management), not just those available at Tech – is that degree really going to be a valuable benefit to the player if he’s in the workforce?
Athletic skills. I would expect that an NFL team can do more to improve your athletic skills than a college team can. And in the NFL, you can dedicate many more hours to your training than you can while in school.
One final thought: some of these players would be in the NFL sooner if the NFL would let them. I’m pretty sure that it’s the NFL that requires you to be three years removed from high school. The NBA will let you in after one year, MLB will take you right out of high school (granted, most players at that age go to a minor league team).
by Dive Keep and Pitch on Jan 18, 2011 11:47 AM EST up reply actions
But all of this is predicated on making a team
and my point was that for at least one of the players in our discussion that is a huge question mark.
Those who observe and write about the pros say that even Dwyer would have been helped had he stayed one more year at Tech. Granted, that is an anomaly in his case but if even someone like Dwyer could have done better by waiting (better contract, more money, better athletic skills) then surely someone like Tarrant should take a lesson.
by Atlanta's original team on Jan 18, 2011 1:55 PM EST up reply actions
I would think that
Tarrant had a lot to gain by staying an extra year and showing he could play consistent defense in addition to being an already obvious special teams asset.
I agree. He doesn’t have much to show the scouts this year.
by Atlanta's original team on Jan 18, 2011 1:56 PM EST up reply actions
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