Kickoff countdown: Who wore it best? #89

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 89 days before kickoff, UGASports selects Phillip Daniels as the best Georgia player to wear jersey number 89.

Position: Defensive Lineman/Outside Linebacker

Hometown (High School): Donalsonville, GA (Seminole County)

Height/Weight: 6-6, 260

Lettered: 1992-1995

Stats: 242 tackles, 13 sacks, 18 other tackles for loss, 9 pass breakups, and 5 forced fumbles in 43 games/30 starts.

Career: Before having one of the longest NFL tenures by a former Georgia player, Daniels was considered one of the Bulldogs’ top defenders of the 1990s. Never playing the same position two seasons in a row while at Georgia, he was a reserve outside linebacker as a freshman, starting defensive tackle as a sophomore, starting outside linebacker as a junior, and starting Bandit as a senior. Daniels led the Bulldogs in sacks for each of his final two seasons. As a senior in 1995, he was named the team’s permanent defensive captain before earning All-SEC recognition to cap his collegiate career. Selected by the Seattle Seahawks, Daniels was a fourth-round pick of the 1996 NFL Draft.

#89 Honorable Mention: WR- Charley Whittemore (1968-1970); TE- Ben Watson (2001-2003)