Bulldogs Persue NFL’s Legend Punter Kevin Butler’s Son
Posted by atlsports on January 22, 2007
It’s clear where Peachtree Ridge’s Drew Butler’s heart lies.
The Suwanee, Ga., kicker/punter is a lifelong Georgia fan, as the son of former Bulldog and NFL great Kevin Butler, but he was still weighing a tough decision before he came to Athens for his official visit this weekend.
Butler reportedly has scholarship offers from Wake Forest and Duke, one of the most prestigious universities in the South. Meanwhile, Georgia had expressed interest in Butler, but only as a preferred walk-on.
Georgia’s coaching staff is typically hesitant to offer scholarships to high school kickers, particularly after offering one to Andy Bailey, who twice lost his job as the Bulldogs’ starting place-kicker and will enter next season as the backup to Brandon Coutu, who joined the team as a walk-on, but will be an all-America candidate next year.
Butler’s future, however, will likely be as a punter — a position that will be open in the fall thanks to the departure of four-year starter Gordon Ely-Kelso, another former walk-on.
Returning backup Brian Mimbs is currently the frontrunner for the job, but Georgia’s staff would certainly like to have a competition for the job in the fall — a competition that would be stronger by including a punter of Butler’s caliber.
Ely-Kelso believes Mimbs is capable of doing the job, given the opportunity.
‘Mimbs is an awesome punter. I think he could step in right now and if you just gave him a few games, he’d be right there where I could be,’ Ely-Kelso said during Chick-fil-A Bowl practice. ‘I think the biggest thing for him is just experience. I think if they give him the chance, he could be real good.’
So could Butler. But without a scholarship offer from the Bulldogs, Butler could still select Duke — certainly a lesser football program, but one that came through with an offer — despite his family connection to the Georgia program.
Butler was one of eight players expected to make official visits to Athens this weekend, along with one other uncommitted prospect, four-star Delray Beach, Fla., offensive tackle Orlando Franklin.
Franklin has arranged visits to Florida State and Miami in the next two weeks, but the 6-foot-6, 300-pounder is considered a Georgia lean.
Shaw tight end Bruce Figgins was among the six already committed players expected in Athens over the weekend, along with Justin Houston, Caleb King, John Knox, Israel Troupe and Charles White.
Also expected in town for an unofficial visit was Hardaway offensive tackle Antwane Greenlee, who has committed to Georgia but is still drawing interest from a number of schools, including Florida State — the school where he originally committed before switching to the Bulldogs.
Next weekend will be a big one as Georgia moves toward national signing day on Feb. 7. The Bulldogs are currently scheduled to host six guests, including uncommitted prospects Allen Bailey, Cameron Heyward, Eugene Kinlaw and Zeke Rozier.
Bailey, a linebacker/defensive end from Darien, Ga., and Heyward, a defensive tackle teammate of Butler’s at Peachtree Ridge, are Georgia’s top two remaining targets.
