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Georgia Bulldogs: Better Shot at Bednarik, Floyd or Jenkins?

By John Buhler

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The Georgia Bulldogs have three outstanding outside linebackers on Jeremy Pruitt’s 3-4 Defense: Upperclassmen Jordan Jenkins and Leonard Floyd and Sophomore Lorenzo Carter.  Heading into this fall both Jenkins and Floyd are on the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List for the NCAA’s Top Defensive Player.

-= Related: Georgia Bulldogs: Better Year, Jenkins or Carter? =-

Bednarik, known as Concrete Charlie, starred for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1960’s as a two-way player (LB and C) after a fantastic collegiate career at Penn.  Winning the Bednarik Award is often considered the highest honor for a defensive player to achieve in a season.  So between OLB’s Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins, which outside linebacker has the best chance of winning the award for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2015?

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    • Jenkins is an every-down linebacker, thriving at the JACK position in Pruitt’s tantalizing defense.  After the graduations of ILB’s Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera expect Jordan Jenkins to become the leader vocal leader of the Dawgs’ linebacker corps.

    Floyd is a pass-rushing animal.  Since coming to Athens in 2013 via Hargrave Military Academy, Floyd has been a nightmare for SEC quarterbacks in conference play.  There is no escaping the length and speed of Leonard Floyd once he’s in the opposition’s backfield.

    Both Georgia pass rushers are Pre-Season First-Team All-SEC on the outside.  Jenkins is a Pre-Season Fourth-Team All-American OLB, while Floyd is Pre-Season First-Team.  OLB Coach Kevin Sherrer is in a terrific position to have this much talent on the outside this fall.  Either Floyd or Jenkins and even Carter can grab national attention in arguably the deepest LB corps in the nation.

    I can totally see both Jenkins and Floyd have multiple games this fall where they single-handedly decimate another opponent’s offense.  Both have strong cases for double-digit sacks seasons this season.  Against an inferior team, it wouldn’t shock me if Floyd recorded three sacks in a ball game.  It also would shock me if Jenkins averaged a sack a game for the Georgia Bulldogs this fall.

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    What I believe it boils down to between Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins’ chances to win the Bednarik Award is who has the more consistently dynamic season.  Jenkins has been a player of great consistency for the Dawgs in his first three seasons (5 sacks each year).  Floyd has had games like Clemson last year where he simply takes over.  You could say that Jenkins is more consistent of a pass rusher than Floyd, while Floyd perhaps has a higher ceiling as a pass rusher than Jenkins.

    It’s very close as both could certainly be a finalist for the Bednarik Award come the holiday season, but I have to give the slight edge to Leonard Floyd.  He’ll have around three games where he wreaks havoc in an SEC backfield to the point that it will convince the football world that he’s the most talented pass rusher in the country.

    With defensive metrics still behind the times especially in College Football, flash still reigns supreme in determining a player’s greatness.  Should Leonard Floyd have close to 12 sacks and 25 tackles for a loss of yardage in 2015, he might just win the Bednarik and go in the Top 10 of the 2016 NFL Draft.

    Personally, I want all three of UGA’s star OLB’s to contend for the trophy this fall, but that’s unrealistic.  I just want to see the Georgia Bulldogs front seven absolutely terrify opposing quarterbacks in the SEC this fall en route to a Championship and a CFP bid.  Hurry up and get here, September!  Go Dawgs!

    Next: Georgia Bulldogs: New Leader on Offensive Line?

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