Kickoff Countdown: Who wore it best? #46

UGASports is counting down the days until the Bulldogs’ 2024 season opener. For each day in our countdown, we will reveal our opinion of the best player in Georgia history to wear that particular jersey number.

GASports selects Will Witherspoon as the best Georgia player to wear jersey number 46.

Position: Linebacker

Hometown (High School): Panama City, FL (Rutherford)

Height/Weight: 6-2, 217

Lettered: 1998-2001

Stats: 211 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks

Career: Will Witherspoon was a major contributor for both head coaches Jim Donnan and Mark Richt during the turn of the century for the Bulldogs. Witherspoon entered UGA as the USA Today Player of the Year for the state of Florida as a senior in high school. He was a backup linebacker as a freshman and excelled on special teams, where he led the team in tackles. He started five games as a sophomore and had his arguably his most notable play with Georgia when he batted down a Josh Booty pass on a two-point conversion with 18 seconds left to preserve a 23-22 victory over LSU. Witherspoon started 10 games as a junior and was fourth on the team in tackles with 85. He officially did not have an interception as a Bulldog, but he did have one in the 2000 Oahu Bowl against Virginia (bowl stats didn’t count until the 2002 season). Witherspoon started nine more games as a senior and finished with 43 tackles, giving him 211 tackles for his career.

Post-UGA Career: After his Georgia career ended, Witherspoon was a third-round pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2002 NFL Draft. He played 12 seasons in the NFL for the Panthers, Rams, Eagles and Titans. Witherspoon eclipsed the 100-tackle mark three times in his career. He also played in Super Bowl XXXVIII with the Panthers as they took on the Patriots. Witherspoon totaled 13 tackles in that game, which is still the most in any Super Bowl by a former Bulldog. Since playing football, he has done a wide variety of occupations. Witherspoon was a former broadcaster as well as co-founded a doggy daycare business. He also owned a 600-acre farm. In July of 2012, while playing with the Titans, Witherspoon was part of a group of speakers that addressed members of Congress on the need to pass the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act.