Senior Day spotlight: Malik Herring
This series looks back at some of Georgia's players who have played their final game in a UGA uniform. We relive some of their best plays and note their data accomplishments, based on PFF statistical analysis.
Previous installments:
Dayne: Malik Herring has been a stalwart of Georgia's defense. It was extremely rare to see Herring get beaten on a play or miss time due to injury. He's been a steady and productive presence for the Bulldogs. He played in 52 football games and became a team leader in the process.
Brent: Consistent, high level play. After 119 snaps as a freshman, Herring played at least 261 snaps every year thereafter. His overall grade each individual season was never lower than 72.1 and his career line finished as such— 90.0 overall grade, 87.5 run defense grade, and 84.6 pass grade.
Pass rush
Dayne: Herring leaves Georgia with four sacks to his name. Number alone, however, fail to measure how disruptive he was to opposing quarterbacks. The combination of quick reaction and strength have allowed Herring to lock eyes on his target and maneuver his body to make difficult tackles. Of his 76 career tackles, 13 were for loss.
Brent: On 639 career pass rush snaps, Herring finished with 77 total quarterback pressures, including the four sacks Dayne mentions. Among Georgia defenders during his time in Athens, only Azeez Ojulari and Adam Anderson have higher pass rush grades than Herring's 84.7.
Dayne: We know the stat book doesn't tell the whole story on pass disruption. The play above against Florida in 2019 is evidence of how Herring regularly made offensive skill guys uncomfortable.
Brent: NFL evaluators should also be sure to check out all of Herring's 2019 campaign. That season, he finished as the Bulldogs' highest-graded defender and continually beat his man in pass-rush situations. For his career, he finished with a 15.4 percent pass-rush win percentage.
Dayne: While typically reliant more on power moves than speed rush, Herring does have the athleticism to pursue players in the open field. He's not a speed rusher like Azeez Ojulari or Adam Anderson. However, Herring's versatility and dependability should help him land on an NFL roster.
Brent: Given his size and already knowing what he can do on the edge, NFL evaluators are going to pay particular attention to reps like these, when he's rushing from the interior. Being able to be strong on the edge and kick inside on third downs makes Herring that much more intriguing as a prospect.
Run pursuit
Dayne: Defending the read option is a requirement for any successful defensive lineman. Above, Herring keeps his eyes in the backfield and shuffles his feet so he can attack at the the moment when he's certain of the football's location.
Brent: This is coaching on staying square and then closing with speed and tackling ability. Of all Georgia defenders who've played significant snaps over the past four years, only Roquan Smith's 90.7 run defense grade is better than Herring's 87.5.
Dayne: The flashy plays in the backfield and on the edge are wonderful. NFL teams, though, love to see the power to make plays in the trenches on short yardage situations. Herring's quick twitch on this third-and-one play prevented the running back from taking his preferred lane.
Brent: Quick feet. Ripping through the lineman's inside shoulder and making the play. Among Georgia defenders who've played since 2017, Herring leads with 20 tackles for loss or no gain in the run game. Tyler Clark is second with 18.
Strength
Dayne: If I'm Herring, I'm showing this power move to every NFL team in meetings. With a one-armed shove, he blows up the play and makes the down easier for three fellow defenders. It results in a bad throw from the quarterback and an interception for his team.
Brent: We'll do draft round projections after the combine, but I fully expect Herring to test well, and scouts love the versatility he brings along the defensive front. He's been a leader and consistent playmaker for Georgia's defense the past four years, and will be that for an NFL franchise in the near future.