ATHENS, Ga. – Mark Richt has said he wouldn’t trade special teams with anyone.
Blair Walsh is UGA's all-time record holder with 119 consecutive extra points. He currently ranks fourth with 297 career points scored.
Other college football analysts and coaches have often agreed, saying Georgia has recently enjoyed the best kicker-punter tandem in the nation.
Both are juniors. Both are curious what the NFL thinks of their ability.
UGA place-kicker Blair Walsh – a finalist last year for the Lou Groza Award – and punter Drew Butler – last year’s Ray Guy Award winner and a finalist this season – each submitted their names for a grade from the NFL draft advisory board.
Walsh, however, cautions an exploratory initial move likely does not mean an early jump to the NFL for either of the Bulldogs’ top specialists.
“I’m just doing this to explore, see my options and go from there,” said Walsh, adding of Butler, “I’d say we’re in very similar situations.”
Walsh was one of the Georgia juniors to attend a recent meeting with Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay, who basically advised players that their stock has a better chance of going up than down with another year of college football.
“I think I’m improving each year overall as a kicker," Walsh said. "I don’t think there’s one thing that I could say, ‘There’s my weakness,’ or something like that. I just try to get better each year, try to get stronger, a little more accurate and go from there.”
Butler has spoke similarly of his own plans in recent weeks, saying he was curious what the draft advisory board might say.
“I would never throw opportunities away,” Butler said, “but right now, I have no plans (to leave early).”
- Gentry Estes
- Georgia Insider - Dawgs247