INDIANAPOLIS – During Saturday’s media session at the NFL Combine, Tate Ratledge was asked if any activity outside of football helped him with his game.

Knowing Ratledge, his answer should have been no surprise.

“Turkey hunting. It makes me more patient. I think it’s the same way with football,” Ratledge said. “You're not going to see success right away, but if it's something you keep at and keep at and keep at, eventually it's going to work out for you.”

As he can now bag a stealthy Tom, Ratledge’s impending pro football career should go just as smoothly.

At least, that’s the hope for the former Bulldog team captain.

Should Ratledge need a reference, Texas defensive lineman Vernon Broughton would be one to ask.

When asked who the toughest player he faced during the Longhorns’ first year in the SEC, Broughton did not hesitate with his answer, naming Ratledge.

“He’s a bad dude,” said Broughton.

Ratledge heard what Broughton had to say.

“I mean, it means a lot,” Ratledge said. “He's a really good football player, a really good defensive lineman, and going into that game, we knew that. We knew that if we wanted to win that game, we had to control him.”

Ratledge takes great pride in his tough-guy mantra, so hearing a peer praise him in such glowing terms is meaningful.

“Yeah, I think that speaks volumes for how I play,” Ratledge said. “Like I said, he's a really good defensive lineman, and for him to be able to say that about me means a lot.”

Broughton hasn’t been the only one singling out Ratledge’s style of play.

NFL teams love gritty, tough offensive linemen. One scouting service even describes Ratledge as having a “dirtbag” mentality, a description the former Bulldog feels suits him well.

“I love it. I feel like to be a good offensive lineman, you've got to have a little bit of that in you but know how to control it at the same time,” Ratledge said. “So, for somebody to say that about me, I appreciate it because I feel like that's how I play.”

His teammates at Georgia certainly appreciated it. The fact that he was voted team captain proves that.

Teammates at the NFL Combine praised Ratledge.

From wide receiver Arian Smith to running back Trevor Etienne and center Jared Wilson, who playfully said, “I want to sniff his mullet,” it’s been easy to see why he’s always been so well-received.

The feeling is mutual.

“One of my favorite things about Georgia is relationships. These guys being here are some of my best friends that I'll have for the rest of my life,” Ratledge said. “I came in with Arian. Jared. We've been in the same room for four years. So, I was easily able to build a connection with them, and just being here with these guys is awesome.”

Give former Bulldog offensive line coach and current Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman a hat-tip for Ratledge staying with the Bulldogs.

When Pittman left for Arkansas, Ratledge seriously considered another school.

Pittman told him he’d be making a mistake.

“He's like, Georgia's the place for you. That's where you need to go. That's where you're going to get developed the most,” Ratledge said. “That phone call is one of the big reasons I ended up staying, going with Georgia.”

Ratledge is glad that he did.

The opportunity to work under Matt Luke and Stacy Searels also paid dividends.

“There’s a big difference between both of them. Coach Searels has a lot more aggressive coaching style, which is something I really appreciate because that's how I've been coached my whole entire life with my dad and everything,” Ratledge said. “Both do a great job, just a little bit different in coaching styles.”