All things were not created equal even before the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in abrupt unemployment for some and not for others.
Georgia had a robust 10 representatives at February's NFL combine, a list that included quarterback Jake Fromm, running back D'Andre Swift, safety J.R. Reed, kicker Rodrigo Blankenship and offensive linemen Andrew Thomas, Isaiah Wilson and Solomon Kindley. Even backup running back Brian Herrien received an invitation to Indianapolis.
For those Bulldogs who didn't get invites, such as inside linebacker Tae Crowder, receiver Tyler Simmons and defensive linemen Michael Barnett, Tyler Clark and David Marshall, their time to shine was at Georgia's pro day. That stage had been set for March 18, but it quickly fell into the lengthy line of countless coronavirus cancellations.
"These pro teams do the greatest study that you've ever seen, so they're not going to leave a stone unturned," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Tuesday on a conference call. "It's not like the Minnesota Vikings are not going to look into a guy who wasn't at the combine. I've had at least five NFL head coaches reach out to me, and I get a text almost every day about one of our kids.
"I do hate the fact that our noncombine guys didn't get a pro day. It fell where it fell, and they just missed out on it before the pandemic really hit. We've got guys like Tae, Tyler and Tyler, who didn't get to go to the combine but we think are really good players, and I worry for them because they didn't get their opportunity."
Auburn was able to conduct its pro day on March 6, as was Arkansas on March 11, but those were the only Southeastern Conference schools to house them. Hours after the Razorbacks hopefuls went through drills, the NBA suspended its regular season due to Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert's positive coronavirus test, which was followed by multiple cancellations of college basketball conference tournaments the morning of March 12.
Crowder was Georgia's second-leading tackler last season with 62 stops and returned a fumble 60 yards for a touchdown in the 43-14 triumph at Tennessee. Simmons ranked fifth on the team in both receptions and receiving yards, while Clark racked up eight tackles for loss.
"Those guys will have to rely on their tape," Smart said. "Most NFL teams will tell you that they are going to go off the tape anyway and that they're not going to draft a kid by what he does in shorts. Those guys have a lot of football tape, and we're going to do everything we can in our organization to help those guys through information and communication.
SANKEY SCRAPS SPRING MEETINGS
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey announced Tuesday afternoon that the league’s spring meetings set for late May in Destin, Florida, have been canceled due to concerns related to the coronavirus. Sankey added that the SEC will determine alternate methods for holding meetings important to league operations.
"Those guys will get their opportunities when they get into a training camp. They'll have their chance."
Georgia never got a chance to practice this spring or even the opportunity to reconvene, as the university was on spring break when the mass cancellations were announced. The Bulldogs were among eight SEC teams that never practiced, and they are moving on from last season's Sugar Bowl championship team with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken and a likely starting quarterback, Jamie Newman, who is a graduate transfer from Wake Forest.
"Some teams were able to get two, three or four practices in, so they may have had a little advantage getting out on the grass," Smart said, "but the biggest thing you can have is good leadership and a veteran football team. If you've got that, it doesn't matter whether you've had spring practice or not. When you don't have that, it's tougher.
"We were able to meet leading up to spring practice and were allowed to have walk-throughs. We maximized that time knowing we had new quarterbacks and a new offensive system."
Blaylock update
Georgia sophomore receiver Dominick Blaylock, the stepson of Chattanooga Lookouts co-owner John Woods, tore the ACL in his left knee during the first quarter of last December's SEC title game loss to LSU. Blaylock's rehabilitation under Bulldogs director of sports medicine Ron Courson came to a halt when athletic facilities were closed, but Smart said everything is fine on that front.
"It really hasn't been affected," Smart said. "The thing about rehab is that you can do it anywhere. The good thing is that Ron knows so many people across the country that he can reach out to somebody for every one of these kids to have a whole networking plan where they can get their rehab done."
Odds and ends
Smart confirmed that Monken will have quarterback responsibilities. ... Running backs Zamir White and James Cook were among those singled out by Smart for having strong offseason workouts. ... Smart on "Tiger King," the Netflix documentary series about Joe Exotic: "I got through two episodes, and I just couldn't do it. I couldn't stomach it. Everybody continues to talk about it, but my patience wears thin, and I was looking for a little more plot. That's not my cup of tea. I'm more of an 'Ozark' guy."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.