We continue our summer series, looking at some of Georgia’s key returnees with a focus on junior defensive lineman Jordan Hall.
Georgia's defensive front is one of the younger overall positions for the Bulldogs, with Hall and Christen Miller the two most experienced returnees.
We’ll examine Miller and his potential contributions later. However, today, we will dive into Hall, a former five-star who is anxious to put last year’s injury-plagued season behind him.
In his own words
Hall called last year’s injury rehab from a pair of stress fractures the hardest ordeal he’s had to deal with mentally in his entire life.
It was a lesson he will never forget.
But while he did not see the field as much as he otherwise would, Hall said the lessons he learned from former teammates like Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson will be put to good use.
"Something I feel like I learned from I feel like every guy in the room, work ethic and consistency is a big thing, especially at D-line, mainly because you may have a good day, you may have a bad day, but you're never going to win every rep. It's impossible at D-line," Hall said. "As a defensive lineman here, we know and we understand that we have the most physically demanding job on the field. Taking on double teams, playing scoop blocks, you know, regardless of what it is, we've got to weather the defense on our back, and that burden of responsibility is something that we care for and we hold."
That’s a message he intends to make sure his younger teammates on the defensive line adhere to.
"I feel like everything starts with your heart," Hall said. "You've got to want to play football. You've got to love it, especially being here. You've got to love playing football. It's not easy being here. Knowing that the job and the way everything works here, everything's not going to go your way. You've got to be positive about things all the time, and you've got to really have zeal and want for the game."
Strengths
At 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, Hall has excellent length for such a big man.
He’s also shown to have an outstanding short-area burst, with the ability to close on the quarterback.
Hall is blessed with extremely long arms and knows how to finish plays once he gets his hands on a ball carrier.
Has shown he can make plays from the backside.
Where he needs to improve
According to NFLDraftBuzz.com, Hall’s spin move is “a bit slow,” and is susceptible to cut blocks, which were used on him often.
The site also questions his “ability to dip and bend” around the edge, along with concerns that he lacks the necessary suddenness at the line of scrimmage to penetrate through gaps.
There are also concerns over his flexibility.
Expectations
Hall will be a key part of Georgia’s interior line, that much we know for sure.
He has to stay healthy.
If so, the Florida native will bring a ton of physicality to Georgia’s defensive front.
Hall doesn’t have as much in-game experience as perhaps Kirby Smart would like. However, the fact that this is his third year in the program should prove to not only benefit him but also the entire defensive front.
Whatever success Georgia’s defensive line enjoys his fall, Hall will need to play a big role. Assuming he stays on the field, he should do exactly that.
