ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- Linebackers aren't supposed to jump nearly 4 feet from from a standing position. Linebackers aren't supposed to run the 40 in 4.3 seconds.

Georgia's Boss Bailey did both. No wonder he may be the most intimidating defender in the country.

"The first time I saw him do those things, I was amazed," fellow linebacker Chris Clemons said. "He's got all the tools a linebacker really needs. He can easily play anywhere on the field."

Bailey, who hopes to bring No. 8 Georgia its first Southeastern Conference title in 20 years, shrugs when asked about his freakish athletic feats.

He's quiet, almost brooding, but supremely confident in his talent.

"A lot of people seem surprised," Bailey said. "But I've been doing this since high school. It's not something that all of a sudden happened. I know the ability is there."

Bailey certainly has good bloodlines, following in the footsteps of two older brothers who played at Georgia, Ronald and Champ.

Both siblings went on to the NFL -- Champ has played in two Pro Bowls his first three seasons -- and Boss seems certain to make the jump to Sundays in 2003.

He's already held in high esteem by the league's personnel directors. One scouting combine rated Bailey the best outside linebacker coming out of school after this season.

Bailey ranks third on the list of fastest players in Georgia history, covering 40 yards in 4.31 seconds during a timing two years ago. Amazingly, he finished just one-hundredth of a second behind Champ, a much smaller player who lined up at cornerback and receiver during his career with the Bulldogs.

This summer, Boss' mystique climbed to another level. He and Champ had shared the school record with vertical jumps of 42 inches, but teammate Reggie Brown took away the mark with a leap of 43 1/2 inches. Reclaiming the family legacy, Boss jumped 46 inches -- just 2 inches shy of 4 feet without benefit of a running start.

Dave Van Halanger, the school's strength and conditioning coach, said he's never seen a higher jump in nearly two decades in the business.

"If there's anybody in the country who's a better linebacker than Boss, I'd like to see him," Georgia receiver Terrence Edwards said. "You're talking about a guy 6-4, 230 pounds who can run a 4.3, easy, who can jump a 46, easy. That's special."

Even so, head coach Mark Richt said Bailey is more than just a peculiar physical specimen.

"A lot of guys go to the NFL combines and have a certain speed and a certain weight that the scouts are looking for," Richt said. "But if they're not good football players, it doesn't matter. Boss is an outstanding football player who also happens to be an outstanding athlete. That's what sets him apart."

Bailey may be a little slower these days, having endured a torn ACL that caused him to miss nearly all of the 2000 season. In retrospect, the injury may have been a blessing.

A couple of months earlier, Bailey's son, Khalil, was born with a defective heart. He underwent a four-hour operation to fix the ailment, an ordeal that gave his father the strength to carry on when his right knee gave out on the first play of the season against Georgia Southern.

"That was an experience I really needed," Bailey said this week. "There were things going on in my personal life that I needed to take care of. I had been playing the sport since I was 8 years old, and really never had a year off. I tried to take advantage of it. I didn't mope around. It was something I needed to make me get better."

A torn ACL usually requires two years for a full recovery, though Bailey had a strong junior season. He made five interceptions, caused two fumbles and ranked fifth on the team with 65 tackles.

"The knee really didn't bother me when I was playing, but it would get stiff at times," said Bailey, who tore the ACL in his left knee as a high school senior in the southeast Georgia hamlet of Folkston. "I really worked hard after the season. During the summer, I felt like a brand new man. That's history. I've had no more problems with it."

That can't be good news for Georgia's opponents, who must figure out how to defense a guy who can sack the quarterback, stuff a running back or keep up with a receiver.

Running backs, in particular, should beware.

"The big thing for me is defending the run," Bailey said. "I love getting a shot at the running back. It's all right to get a shot at the quarterback, but I'm usually catching him by surprise. The running back, he knows I'm coming. It's just me and the running back."