This is the 10th installment of our annual winter series at UGASports.com, taking a look at Georgia’s complete depth chart heading into spring practice next month.
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Today, we'll highlight the slot receivers
Although his statistics may not have been as flashy as some expected, Missouri transfer Dominic Lovett provided welcome consistency in the wide receiver room for the Bulldogs.
One of Georgia's more versatile wideouts, Lovett played all over the field for the Bulldogs, including his primary spot at slot, finishing second on the team in catches with 54 for 613 yards and four touchdowns.
With Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint moving on, Kirby Smart knows Lovett's experience will play a big factor in the success of his wide receiver room.
“He’s been very impactful because he’s got good speed, he’s experienced,” Smart said last year. “He brings a value of pass-catching ability from our conference where it’s tough, it’s man-to-man; people get their hands on you. He played well last year and had some production."
Although Lovett's smaller frame (5-10, 179 pounds) does not allow him to break many tackles, he has extremely strong hands and tracks the deep ball as well as any receiver on the Bulldog team.
He excels at catching short passes, which Smart likes to call extended runs, and is reliable on crossing routes, which speaks to his versatility.
Meanwhile, Arian Smith is back for another try at slot.
Smith was able to avoid the injury bug for the first time in his Bulldog career, but that didn't translate to more production as he only caught eight passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns.
Still, the talent is there. Smith remains one of the team's fastest players, and who knows? This could be the year it will finally click. But it better click quickly, as Georgia has other options at slot receiver.
One is sophomore Anthony Evans III, who started to receive more reps at year's end and eventually caught a touchdown in Georgia's rout of Florida State in the Orange Bowl.
True freshmen Sacovie White and Nitro Tuggle could also see themselves as part of the equation.
