Big 12 conference hires Georgia staff member Neyland Raper

The Big 12 conference has poached a member of the Georgia football staff, hiring away the Bulldogs’ Director of Football Operations, Neyland Raper, to a role within the league.

On3’s Pete Nakos was able to confirm Monday afternoon that the Big 12 is expected to hire Raper in a football-oriented role. Prior to this move, Raper has been in Athens since 2017 and has served as the Director of Football Ops. since the 2021 season.

Here is how the official Georgia football website defines Raper’s role with the program: “He helps oversee team travel, on-campus recruiting, budgeting, creative media, and the daily schedule of the players and coaches.”

Well, that’s certainly an unexpected way to lose an assistant coach for Georgia and Kirby Smart.

Daniel Jeremiah says Carson Beck reminds him of Eli Manning

As evaluators around the NFL begin to look at the 2025 draft class, Carson Beck makes a strong case to be the top quarterback off the board. The Georgia star found a groove in his first year as the starter in 2023 and appears poised to take a leap forward this season after returning to Athens.

Beck showcased his ability to make plays from the pocket a year ago, and it’s part of the reason scouts are so high on him. He’s also generating some buzz as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate and came in as a first team All-SEC selection after Media Days this week.

In fact, NFL.com analyst and former scout Daniel Jeremiah compared Beck’s game to a young Eli Manning. There were a few factors in that comparison, but his pocket presence is what led Jeremiah to see the parallels to Manning.

“Beck was measured by scouts in the spring at 6-3 7/8 and 233 pounds. Considering his size, talent and play style, he reminds me of Eli Manning coming out of Ole Miss,” Jeremiah wrote. “Like Manning, Beck excels from the pocket and plays to his size.

“Eli was a little underappreciated during his career, but he won his first title with a good rushing attack in an offense that required him to make plays in key moments. I see a similar trajectory for Beck at Georgia.”

Manning was a first team All-SEC honoree during his final season at Ole Miss before going No. 1 overall in the 20024 NFL Draft. He spent his entire career with the New York Giants, winning two Super Bowls – both over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots – and making four Pro Bowl appearances.