INDIANAPOLIS — Departing Georgia football captain and center Lamont Gaillard said he keeps hearing the same name over and over in his interviews with NFL teams.

Sam Pittman.

So it was that Gaillard’s question-answer session at the NFL combine turned into a ringing endorsement for the orchestrator of one of college football’s most formidable offensive line units the past two seasons.

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Pittman has built up quite a name for himself over the years, developing first-round New England pick Isaiah Wynn in last year’s draft.

The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Gaillard is the latest football monster he has helped build in Athens.

“Teams mention him to me, of course,” Gaillard said on Thursday, going over the list of a dozen or so NFL teams he has already talked to. “They really know the name already.”

Gaillard said he came to Georgia from Fayetteville, N.C., a fan of former UGA defensive great David Pollack, thinking he would make himself a name on the defensive line.

It didn’t take long for Pittman to peg Gaillard as an offensive lineman. Gaillard started 13 games as an offensive guard in 2016 before taking over center duties for 2017 and 2018.

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“Definitely a blessing, honestly,” Gaillard said, asked about being coached by Pittman. “(Pittman)is one of the greatest O-Lines coaches of the game, in the league right now. He helped me to follow my dreams and gave me a great opportunity and I appreciate it.”

Gaillard said Pittman was always “telling me the ins and outs, teaching me my rights and wrongs.”

Not just on the field, either.

“Great coach, just a guy you can count on on and of the field,” Gaillard said. “He did a great job teaching me, specially when I converted to the O-Line.

He was the guy I went to when I had questions. Taught me the structure, the technique.”

Rising sophomore Trey Hill is expected to take over for Gaillard at center in 2019 on what could be the best offensive line in college football.

Georgia could have as many as three offensive line prospects at the NFL combine next year.

Offensive tackle Andrew Thomas and offensive guards Ben Cleveland and Solomon Kindley are rising juniors.

Georgia football OC Lamont Gaillard

 

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