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 football’s history to wear that particular jersey number.

With 81 days before kickoff, UGASports selects Leonard Pope as the best Georgia player to wear jersey number 81.

Position: Tight End

Hometown (High School): Americus, Georgia (Americus HS)

Height/Weight: 6-7, 255

Lettered: 2003-2005

Stats: 65 receptions for 1,044 yards (16.1 avg.) and 10 touchdowns in 36 games/22 starts.

Career: After not scoring in his first 17 games at Georgia, Leonard Pope made touchdown receptions in five consecutive games (totaling six touchdowns) during the latter portion of the 2004 season. Pope’s five-game scoring streak remains an unofficial school record (tied with three others) for most consecutive games scoring a touchdown by a non-running back. The massive tight end’s 10 career touchdown receptions were also a school record at his position (tied with three others) until surpassed by Brock Bowers in 2021. Also prior to Bowers, Pope had been the only Bulldog tight end ever to be named first-team all-conference for two seasons, and no tight end in Georgia history had totaled as many receiving yards or touchdowns in a two-year period as he did in 2004-2005. As a junior in 2005, Pope led the SEC champion Bulldogs in catches and receiving yards and was named the team’s Most Outstanding Player on offense. A third-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals, he was the No. 72 overall selection of the 2006 NFL Draft.

#81 Honorable Mention: TE- Aron White (2008-2011); WR- Herman Archie (1982-1985); P- Scot Armstrong (1990-1993)