Pre-spring position preview: Wide receivers
In the year that Bryan McClendon has been back at Georgia, the message he’s presented to recruits has been simple.
Just tell the truth.
“You have to bring them here, and they’ve got to see everything that’s going on. You have to be honest with them; you have to be able to say look, here it is, this is where we are and this is where we want to go,” McClendon said. “So, just like anything, honesty is the best policy, and you’ve got to bring great relationships and be as transparent as possible.”
That’s actually the exact message McClendon used with all of his receivers last fall, a group that was forced to overcome its share of injuries. But it was a unit that kept producing during the Bulldogs’ national championship run.
Looking ahead, don’t expect anything to change.
Georgia’s returning receiving corps has been augmented with talented new faces, and that message of honesty will again be in play as the Bulldogs set their sights on the fall.
“Especially in today’s age of college football, you’ve got to be honest with people,” McClendon said. “You’ve got to show them that, or I don’t think they’ll be there very long. But the thing is, when you bring them here, Georgia does a good job of selling itself.”
Below, let's take a look at what he'll have to work with this spring:
| Player | Class | Height/Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint |
Senior |
6-2/195 |
Enjoyed his best season as a Bulldog, catching 29 passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns. |
|
Ladd McConkey |
Junior |
6-0/185 |
Briefly considered turning pro but opted otherwise. Led all Georgia wide receivers with 58 receptions for 762 yards and seven touchdowns. Also rushed seven times for 134 yards and two touchdowns. |
|
Jackson Meeks |
Junior |
6-2/205 |
Caught six passes for 65 yards in limited playing time. |
|
Arian Smith |
Junior |
6-0/185 |
Injuries have plagued Smith throughout his career, but when he's been healthy, he's shown how dangerous he can be. Last year, he caught seven passes for 198 yards, an average of 28.3 yards per reception. |
|
Dillon Bell |
Sophomore |
6-1/210 |
Georgia's top freshman wide receiver, Bell caught 20 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns. |
|
Cole Speer |
Sophomore |
5-11/185 |
Saw limited action as a true freshman, catching one pass for 12 yards. |
|
De'Nylon Morrissette |
Sophomore |
6-1/200 |
Dealt with some injuries as a true freshman; caught four passes for 34 yards in limited playing time. |
To sum up Kirby Smart's feelings about Ladd McConkey, check out this quote from Kirby Smart after a game earlier this year.
"I saw the heart of a warrior. He didn't have one Power-5 offer. I said I want this guy on my team," Smart said last October. "Any player on our team will tell you Ladd McConkey will outwork any guy out there. He is everything right about college football."
It's hard to think where the Bulldogs would have been without him.
With AD Mitchell out, McConkey became Stetson Bennett's most dependable target, catching 58 passes for 762 yards and seven touchdowns.
McConkey thought briefly about jumping to the NFL before deciding to return for at least one more season.
The Bulldogs are certainly glad he did as he will he the program's most experienced returnee, and as long as he can stay healthy will be in for another big year.
| Player | Class | Height/Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
RaRa Thomas |
Junior |
6-2/200 |
Thomas remains part of the program, but his status remains unclear following his recent arrest on a misdemeanor charge of family battery and a felony charge of false imprisonment. If and when he's able to play, Thomas is coming off a season at Mississippi State that saw him catch 44 passes for 626 yards and seven touchdowns. |
|
Dominic Lovett |
Junior |
5-10/187 |
Considered a huge pickup by the Bulldogs after posting some impressive numbers at Missouri. With 56 catches for 846 yards and three touchdowns, Lovett brings some welcomed athleticism and speed to the Bulldogs' wide receiver room. |
|
C.J. Smith |
Redshirt Freshman |
6-3/175 |
Along with Arian Smith, C.J. (no relation) is one of the fastest players on the team. He used his redshirt year to improve his strength and should be ready to start making an impact this spring. |
|
Anthony Evans III |
5-11/165 |
Freshman |
Evans will need to spend the summer getting stronger, the former four star posted some big numbers in Texas. As a senior, Evans caught 77 passes for 880 yards and three touchdowns. |
|
Tyler Williams |
6-3/205 |
Freshman |
Former high school quarterback only started playing wide receiver as junior, last year catching 28 passes for 399 yards and six touchdowns. |
|
Yazeed Haynes |
6-1/170 |
Freshman |
Like Evans, Haynes willl need to add some weight but coaches love the skill set for the Rivals250 performer. |
Even if Thomas is unable to play, Georgia likes the newcomers being added to the room.
The Bulldogs made it point to go for some speed, and with Lovett, Evans III and Haynes, Georgia was able to greatly add to its supply.
That's not all.
“First of all, you’re bringing in good people. That’s the one thing right now when you find quality players who are quality people, that’s what gives you a chance. That’s the biggest thing. All those guys are quality people first,” McClendon said. “The freshmen, you have guys who come in, they want to do well. They want to learn, and they want to be part of the piece that helps this thing go and help this thing go to another level.”
Of the group, Lovett obviously brings the most experience and should fit in quickly to the rotation.
The belief is that C.J. Smith is ready to make a contribution, and that one or more of the true freshmen will be in a similar position once the season gets underway.