With the season-opener now less than two weeks away, we here at UGASports thought we’d offer an update, albeit one with a bit of a different twist.
Everyone wants to know which veterans are taking the next step and which newcomers are starting to make waves.
With that in mind, why not do both? Below, we’ll take each position into consideration, list one letterman and one freshman/newcomer from each, what we’ve heard about each this fall camp and what we expect to see this season.
Enjoy.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Letterman
Jake Fromm: If you thought Fromm would shy away from having to compete with Justin Fields, you were dead wrong. From what we’ve heard, Fromm has never been more determined and has worked doubly hard to improve every aspect of his game. Kirby Smart seemed to echo that fact during his post-scrimmage press conference on Saturday. Look for Fromm to have another very, very good year.
Newcomer
Justin Fields: Like Fromm, Fields has busted his rear end and is getting more and more comfortable with the Georgia offense with each passing day. Smart has mentioned several times that Fields brings a dimension to the Bulldog attack that Georgia has not recently had. It’s going to be very interesting to see what offensive coordinator Jim Chaney has in mind for the five-star talent, but the feeling here is he’ll find a way to get the freshman on the field.
Running back
Letterman
Elijah Holyfield: Holyfield has been running neck and neck with D’Andre Swift all fall camp. In fact, it’s been suggested to me that if the junior could catch the ball a little better, he might be No. 1. Either way, with apologies to Evander, the younger Holyfield is ready to show he’s the real deal when it comes to being a successful running back in the SEC.
Newcomer
James Cook: Teammates rave about his speed and ability to make plays in space. Even Smart acknowledges that the freshman has opened some eyes. At 190 pounds, you’re probably not going to see Cook do a ton of running between the tackles, but you will see him get opportunities on jet sweeps as well as possibly becoming a big component in the passing game.
Wide Receiver
Letterman
Riley Ridley: The junior, we’re told, has had an excellent preseason. Ridley is coming off a nice game in the national championship against Alabama, and so far, we hear he has continued to work extremely hard. He’s apparently built a nice relationship with Fromm, and we’ve been told it’s going to be a surprise if his numbers don’t take a large jump this fall.
Newcomer
Demetris Robertson: Robertson is still getting acclimated but the big-play potential is certainly there. Publicly, Smart has tried to downplay Robertson’s impact, but based on what we’ve heard, he may be sandbagging just a bit. Make no mistake, Robertson is a big-time weapon and makes what was already a very good and very deep wide receiving corps even better, perhaps the best in regard to overall talent in the SEC.
Offensive Line
Letterman
Andrew Thomas: We hear that Thomas continues to draw raves for the job he’s doing as the Bulldogs’ left tackle. The move over from right tackle has been a snap, and the former Pace Academy standout is ready to become one of the tops at his position in the SEC.
Newcomer
Isaiah Wilson: The redshirt freshman still struggles from time to time with technique, but you can’t teach size, and at 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds, even if he makes a mistake, that’s a lot of mass to try and get around. Wilson will be tested the early part of the season, but he’s been running first team at right tackle since the start of spring practice. His future, as you might guess, is very bright.
Tight end
Letterman
Isaac Nauta: Nauta has worked extremely hard during the off season, and now into fall practice, at becoming a better leader and a more consistent player. Now that Jim Chaney is also the team’s tight ends coach, it’s going to be interesting to see if Nauta (as well as the other tight ends) get more opportunities to catch the ball.
Newcomer:
Luke Ford and John FitzPatrick: Feel obliged to mention each freshman as both Ford and FitzPatrick appear to be on similar tracks. Both need to improve their inline blocking skills, but they've seemingly been on an equal plane when it comes to catching the football. At 6-foot-6, the two make very inviting Red Zone targets for the Bulldogs.
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
Letterman
Julian Rochester: Coaches want Rochester to play with a little more of a mean streak, and apparently that seems to be happening. Rochester is also becoming more adept at taking on double-teams, playing with a better base and using his hands in a more violent fashion. Coaches seem confident that Rochester will become a very good nose tackle in the SEC. For Georgia’s defense to have the kind of year it hopes to have, he will need to.
Newcomer
Jay Hayes: We haven’t seen a ton of Hayes during practice, but we’re assured he’s going to play a huge role this fall. He’s not expected to start, but the former Notre Dame player is expected to figure in an integral way as part of the rotation. His talent and experience are expected to have a big impact.
Outside Linebacker
Letterman
D’Andre Walker: Walker has had a great camp and is primed for a breakout year. He’s become a three-down player, sets the edge much better than he used to, and has the potential to be one of the better pass-rushers in the SEC.
Newcomer
Brenton Cox: Cox continues to impress at outside linebacker. Coaches love the aggression with which he plays, and he has followed up a big afternoon during G-Day with a solid preseason camp. There are a lot of people predicting Cox to make an immediate impact on the Bulldog defense. I agree.
Inside Linebacker
Juwan Taylor: This name may surprise you, but the senior has actually had one of the more consistent preseasons of all Georgia’s inside linebackers. During drills, we’ve actually seen Taylor working ahead of Monty Rice. Although we don’t expect that will be the case in the season opener, it’s clear the senior has upped his stock in the eyes of coaches.
Newcomer
Quay Walker: At 6-4 and 240 pounds, Walker is a physical specimen, and according to Smart is really starting to feel comfortable working at the Mike linebacker position. Another player who competes with an attitude, don’t be surprised to see Walker see a ton of playing time this fall.
Safety
Letterman
Richard LeCounte: Smart stays on LeCounte but there’s a reason for that. He thinks he can be pretty dang good. At 190 pounds, LeCounte may not be the biggest safety, but he plays with tremendous heart. He just needs to be consistent, and according to what we're hearing, he’s showing signs of being just that. Defensive coordinator Mel Tucker said LeCounte’s arrow is up. We believe him.
Newcomer
Otis Reese: Another physical player who is not afraid of making a big hit. Smart wants to see more consistency from the freshman Reese, but strides are being made.
As soon as he does become more consistent, look for Reese to play an even bigger role in the Bulldog secondary. If there’s a prototypical safety in Smart’s defense, Reese is it.
Cornerback
Letterman
Mark Webb: Webb is completely healed from the little knee issue he suffered in spring. He appears to be the main man at right cornerback opposite Deandre Baker on the left side.
The former wide receiver has adjusted well to the defensive side of the ball and shown a knack for making big plays. He’ll have to hold some challenges, including one from the young man we’re about to mention next, but Webb has been impressive thus far in camp and is ready to have an impact this fall.
Newcomer
Tyson Campbell: The freshman got off to somewhat of a slow start in adjusting to the speed and playing in Georgia’s defensive system. The last week, however, he has started to feel much more at home.
In fact, he’s improved to the point that he appears to be pushing Mark Webb for the starting job at right cornerback. At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Campbell is also one of the fastest players on the team.
He’ll be a starter in the Georgia’s secondary. Perhaps sooner than any of us think.
