The next great UGA corner

Over the Mark Richt years it always seems like there has been a shutdown corner out on the field, locking up the opposition's top threat on the perimeter. Tim Wansley, Tim Jennings, DeMario Minter, Paul Oliver, Asher Allen (well, in 2007 and not so much in 2008) and the next to step to the forefront will be Brandon Boykin. I watched this guy play for Fayette County in both football AND basketball (and I think new coach Mark Fox should at least FLOAT the idea of Boykin returning to the hardwood. The kid can flat out JUMP) and he is a tremendous athlete. You got to see glimpses of the kid on special teams last season and though undersized at 5'9/5'10 he isn't afraid of the bigger players, as evidenced on the basketball court and when he went right after AJ Green during the spring game. With Boykin on one side playing shutdown and Prince Miller on the other side as the physical corner, making tackles and punishing the receiver should he catch the ball, the defensive secondary should be BACK this season.
Asher Allen, it was revealed was injured for most of the season last year, but he still chirped a little too much for my liking and he wasn't his dominant self that he was in 2007 and even in 2006. And as fast as Allen was, I don't think he is the athlete that Boykin is. I think some teams will try and pick on Boykin and he will make them play by leaping and either knocking it down or picking it off. Very excited about this guy and his potential.

Now let's take a look around the rest of the defensive secondary.
Prince Miller will lineup opposite Boykin and Miller is a dynamo over there on the wide corner. At 5'8 he still pack a punch and might be one of the most physical corners ever to don the Red & Black. And you saw last year on some punt returns that if he gets the ball, he can make things happen ala Devin Hester.
Playing nickleback, I would look for Sanders Commings or Vance Cuff out there (John Knox be GONE, so he won't be a factor out there.) From everything I hear from Score Atlanta's James Butler it sounds like Commings is faster than a sophomore at the prom and Cuff is in his third year in the program. Another name that made plays last season and probably will get some reps this year: Chad Gloer (blocked two punts).

And you KNOW that Branden Smith will see the field this season as a true freshman. The Coaches pitched him as becoming the next Champ Bailey so he'll see time at PR, KR, WR and CB. Expect him to be brought along slowly though so he will likely be covering the slot on four receiver sets or he'll beat out Commings perhaps. The other freshman DB Shawn Williams will likely be a safety.

Moving up the field to safeties, Reshad Jones stayed in school, bypassing the draft and will move to strong safety. Jones last season tended to miss tackles, instead opting to try and deliver the big hits. He MUST improve on tackling and keeping his emotions in check. Bryan Evans was nicknamed "Toast" while at CB by former Furman Wideout Josh Cole, but Evans will play the 2009 season as a free safety while should benefit Georgia in the sense that he can cover like a corner but hit like a safety. Backing those two up will be Baccari Rambo, Quintin Banks and Nick Williams. Rambo ran the scout team from the QB spot last season and Banks arrived in Athens with the nickname "Blue" as in Greg Blue. Banks has suffered some injuries and Williams is the new hard-hitter in the defensive secondary this season. Coaches have shifted him between LB and safety.

If the safeties can help control the run game, Miller can continue to be physical and Boykin can take over as the new shutdown corner. And he will get plenty of reps in practice, covering Marlon Brown and AJ Green and Moore. Throw in the freshman Smith and this unit could lead a defense that will have a strong interior defensive line and a strong group of LBs, led by Curran and Gamble. Let's just hope that the DEs can provide enough of a rush that Boykin, Smith and Miller don't have to cover for 6+ seconds out there.