Most NFL undrafted free agents are just hoping to make a 53-man roster their rookie season, but that isn’t the case for former Georgia linebacker Natrez Patrick after signing with the Los Angeles Rams.
Patrick recently sat down with RamsNation.com and discussed his goals for the upcoming season. “Honestly, not to make the team, I want to stay on the team because I’ve heard the trouble isn’t really making it, the trouble is staying,” Patrick said.
“That’s where guys get confused, I want to stay on the team and I want to win games. I want to win a championship and whatever that means I have to do on my part, that’s what I’ll do.”
Under head coach Kirby Smart, the Georgia football program has developed into one of a few NCAA powerhouses in recent years, holding championship aspirations and graduating dozens of players to the NFL every year.
This year was no different as seven Georgia players were selected in the 2019 NFL Draft, and that comes after a year that they had six in 2018.
Patrick wasn’t one of those players that was drafted though despite a successful career as a Bulldog on the field. While he would have liked to be picked, he has never lost focus on getting to where he wants to be.
“To be honest, I kind of had the same mindset throughout the whole process. I’m a realist, so I knew I wasn’t a high draft pick or anything like that. And those guys, the Rams, were very honest in saying that ‘we may have a draft spot for you but we just know that we want you to be a part of this program.’ So just throughout the whole process, I didn’t really get caught up in the draft. Of course I was looking at it and I was happy for the guys that did go, especially from Georgia. But at the same time, I didn’t really get caught up in it. I knew the opportunity would present itself at some point and I was just ready when it did. So I was excited the whole time.”
The 21-year-old dealt with some adversity in his four years at Georgia, being arrested for marijuana possession twice. He has put that part of his life long behind him though and is thankful to be getting a chance with the Rams in the NFL.
“It’s a blessing. Very fulfilling just to still be able to have this opportunity. You mentioned the part about the draft, and I was lucky to even be in the conversation to getting drafted, to even be in the picture this long. So I’m just lost for words, I’m ecstatic, I’m just ready to play football and I’m glad I can finally put all that behind me. I’m glad it didn’t affect the end goal.”
Lineback is not really a position of strength for the Rams, especially after losing Mark Barron this offseason. Patrick said that played a factor in him choosing to sign with Los Angeles over the other teams that showed interest. “It was three teams and just basically I felt like the Rams were a better situation.
“I felt that as far as longevity and as far as opportunity and as a linebacker at my position I felt like this was the best position.”
In his four seasons at Georgia, Patrick had 160 total tackles, including 14.0 tackles for loss and two sacks. He played in a career-high 13 games his senior year and recorded 44 tackles for the Bulldogs.
Playing for a program as big as Georgia’s under Smart, Patrick believes that has readied him to make the jump to the NFL.
“I definitely think it prepared me a lot as far as how things go. At UGA, they had a saying everyday ‘be a pro.’ Just practice like a pro, everybody knows this when we’re training, they started treating us like this early. As far as the defense, as far as how we had to carry ourselves on the field, everything is translated into being a pro so I definitely feel like I’m ready.”
The only other player on the Rams that attended Georgia is, of course, All-Pro running back Todd Gurley. Patrick was never at Georgia at the same time as Gurley, but he has gotten to know him a bit the last few years and is looking forward to being teammates with him now on the Rams
“I haven’t talked to him since I signed but I’ve hung out with him a couple times just from him coming to UGA to visit shortly. But he was a year right before I got there, but I know him and I’ve hung out with him and I’m sure he’s going to be a help when I get there. It’s amazing, I just remember hearing some of the things about him from the older guys when I got there and just about the type of player he was, how he carried himself, the type of teammate he was on and off the field. I’m excited to play with him.”
As Gurley was able to do after being drafted by the Rams in the first round in 2015, Patrick will be looking to be the next great Georgia player to carve out an NFL career for himself in Los Angeles.
