Nowadays, freshmen receivers are a necessity.

That position is one that is often hit hard by the transfer portal. As Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said on Saturday afternoon, "Wideouts are very similar. If they don’t get the ball, they’re gone."

Combine that with the injuries present at all positions in football, and receiver can get awful thin at times. That opens windows for players like freshman Dillon Bell, who is making the most of his chances so far in his first preseason camp.

The Texas native played both quarterback and receiver at The Kinkaid School in Houston. He is listed at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, and he already looks like one of the biggest receivers on the Georgia roster.

Bell is also a player that has flashed during the brief portions of practice open to the media.

He has made several impressive catches during those sessions. Smart has also praised the freshman a couple of times over the PA system in practice as well. Bell also performed well in Georgia's first scrimmage on August 13, as reported by UGASports' Radi Nabulsi.

Smart complimented Bell after the scrimmage when he met with the media. But he also noted his growing role is partly out of necessity.

"I don’t think across the country, you see four senior wideouts. Show me where you’ve got four senior wideouts. Show me where you’ve got two seniors and two juniors," Smart said. "You constantly have young players. If they’re really good, they’re gone to the draft. That’s where one of our juniors is."

Those depth issues are made more pronounced with injuries.

Redshirt sophomore receiver Arian Smith will miss an extended period of time with a high ankle sprain that will require surgery. Fellow freshman De'Nylon Morrissette is dealing with a lingering hyperextended knee, although Smart added he should be fully back soon.

That leaves Bell as a freshman making the most of his chance. For the offense to be as explosive as Smart wants, he and other pass-catchers will need to continue to step up.

"Everything is kind of cyclical. Right now, at wideout, we don’t have great depth and we have a couple injuries," Smart said. "Those young guys are getting thrust out there and they’ve got to grow up. We’ve done it before."