Senior Bowl News and Notes

MOBILE, Ala. – Devonte Wyatt laughed that he thought his roommate at the Senior Bowl looked vaguely familiar.

Seems Wyatt had seen his face before. Michigan offensive lineman Andrew Stueber felt the same way.

“I’m all around Georgia guys now,” Stueber smiled. “At first it was kind of weird, but it’s all good.”

Wyatt agreed.

Upon arriving in Mobile, Wyatt checked into his hotel room to find Stueber already there.

“It was crazy. I walked in and was like, who you play for? He said Michigan. I’m like, Michigan? Yeah, it was crazy,” Wyatt said. “But do you know what, being roommates with him, being able to connect with him felt good. Now I like him personally. We talked—we connect really good. I like him. I like him as a person.”

Ironically, Wyatt is not the only Bulldog Stueber has gotten to know.

Stueber has actually been training with former Bulldog left guard Justin Shaffer, and in the time he’s been in Mobile, has gotten to know former Bulldog left tackle Jamaree Salyer.

“They’re all great guys,” Stueber said. “Devonte is really funny. He’s got really nice stories.”

Although his Michigan team was on the wrong end of a 34-11 loss to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, Stueber was effusive in his praise of the Bulldog defense.

While he gave compliments to the entire group, one guy stood out: linebacker Nakobe Dean.

“Nakobe Dean is a great player,” Stueber said, unsolicited. “He’s one of the fastest linebackers I’ve ever seen on the field.

Stueber said Dean’s speed alone helped convince Wolverine offensive coaches one of their staple plays was not going to work, and they didn't run it again after seeing the Bulldog junior completely blow it up early in the game.

“We always love the little quick, flick-pass out, just something to get the ball out, and I remember we tried that one time,” Stueber said. “I was blocking the run when we threw it outside and I just remember looking back and seeing the backside linebacker (Dean) flying by and making the tackle two yards up-field. I think it's the fastest I’ve ever seen that play made. It was really impressive to see.”

Colorado State tight end and Mackey Award winner Trey McBride offered major props to former Rams head coach and new Georgia offensive analyst Mike Bobo.

In fact, if not for Bobo, McBride doubts he'd even be in the position he’s in as one of the top tight end prospects in this year’s NFL Draft.

Bobo recruited McBride and coached him for two years before being fired as CSU’s head coach after the 2019 season.

“He really taught me the game of football. Going in, I really didn’t know much at all about football. I didn’t know the coverages, I didn’t know how to run routes,” McBride said. “He and his staff really helped to develop me as a player, and really developed my fundamentals to put me in position to be where I am today.”

McBride also spoke highly of Bulldog tight end Brock Bowers.

When McBride won the Mackey Award, following a season that saw him catch 90 passes for 1,121 yards and one touchdown, many wondered why Bowers was not even tabbed a finalist for the award.

Oddly enough, that included McBride, who said he knows Bowers’ game well.

“He’s a great player. He’s young, he’s talented, and he’s going to be a really good player in the SEC and play in the League a long time,” McBride said. “He’s a guy I’ve watched. Georgia obviously won the national championship, so I was able to watch him a little longer. He’s a great player, and I hope he has a great career.”

Jamaree Salyer was known for being one of Georgia’s more versatile offensive linemen, and he’s getting the opportunity to prove that at the Senior Bowl.

On Tuesday, Salyer worked out at both right guard and center. Wednesday, he believes he’ll get a shot at tackle.

“They want to move us around and give everybody a chance to show what they can do,” Salyer said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s got in mind for me today. I’m excited.”

Salyer is projected by most at the Senior Bowl as a guard.

“Yeah, I think probably guard, probably somewhere in the interior,” he said. “That’s more than fine with me.”

Former Georgia outside linebacker Jermaine Johnson may have transferred to Florida State for his final year of eligibility, but it was obvious listening to him Wednesday that the Bulldogs remain very close to his heart.

Apparently, much to the Seminoles' chagrin.

When asked about Georgia and it’s run to the national championship, Johnson beamed.

“I think they (his teammates at Florida State) were probably more annoyed with how much I talked about it,” Johnson said. “Like I said, I’ll always be a Bulldog and I’ll be forever grateful with what UGA did for me and blessed me with the opportunity to play.”

The Minnesota native, who is rooming at the Senior Bowl with Channing Tindall, said he spoke to his former teammates often throughout the course of the year.

“I talked to my brothers pretty much all the time this past season,” Johnson said. “I was part of them, so I know how they practiced, the intensity which everything is, the standard Coach Smart and the rest of the coaches hold everyone to.”

Johnson said he told his Seminole teammates he was not worried after the Bulldogs were beaten by Alabama in the SEC Championship.

“After that first loss, I knew they’d be just fine. I was telling everyone Georgia is going to win this next matchup, and they were like, alright,” Johnson said. “It was great to see them make that run, especially after a loss to come back and beat the same team that beat them. I’m not surprised that’s the kind of resilience they have. That’s the kind of resilience a program like Georgia instills in its players.”