Projecting Georgia’s preseason depth for next week’s opener at Vanderbilt can certainly be a tricky undertaking.
Oh, one can have a general idea. But with eight days standing between now and the kickoff to the 2019 campaign, there are still some jobs that remain up for grabs.
Nevertheless, let’s give it a shot. You can check out what we’ve been able to ascertain here.
The toughest call on offense seems to be right guard, where Cade Mays and Ben Cleveland continue to battle for the one starting spot on the offensive line that still seems to be undecided.
The Bulldogs couldn’t go wrong with either, which speaks to the depth that Sam Pittman has been able to accrue since his arrival four years ago with Kirby Smart, who acknowledged the competition for playing time up front has certainly been keen
"Some a lot. Some a little,” said Smart, when asked how close some of the battles for starting jobs currently are, although left tackle Andrew Thomas, left guard Solomon Kindley, center Trey Hill, and right tackle Isaiah Wilson are certainly expected to be in their normal spots at game time against the Commodores.
“There are some guys I want to get in the game who won't be starting, and who can help us. I agree with that,” Smart said. “There are some tight battles on the offensive line, and there are some that aren't tight, but there are some guys that deserve to play, whom we hope to be able to play."
Wide receiver is a position where there is some ebb and flow.
Of all the receivers battling for jobs, senior Tyler Simmons is the only one who appears to have locked up a starting role.
“We haven't decided any starters yet. Tyler Simmons is a starter for us, assuming he's healthy and ready to go, but outside of him, there are battles at every one of those positions: the slot, the receiver opposite him, the two-deep at receiver,” Smart said. “It's every day. Guys rotate positions and play all kinds of positions. Tyler's probably a little bit ahead of the other guys just in terms of experience, but outside of that, it's wide open."
There’s a bit more certainty elsewhere.
The only question at quarterback revolves around the third backup behind Jake Fromm and Stetson Bennett. With freshman D’Wan Mathis still waiting to be cleared since his brain surgery last May, that job appears to be destined for freshman Nathan Priestley.
At running back, D’Andre Swift is the No. 1 back and primed for a huge year. Senior Brian Herrien is next on the pecking order, with James Cook and Zamir White currently in a battle for No. 3. All four will obviously play, with all eyes certainly on White, who could be in line for a breakout year, if all the reports we’ve heard from teammates on his recovery are indeed true.
Charlie Woerner, John FitzPatrick and grad transfer Eli Wolf are the top three tight ends.
Defensively, there’s still a ton of movement as the Bulldogs are blessed with a plethora of talent. You like depth? Georgia has plenty.
Up front, senior Michael Barnett, based on what we’ve seen at practice, appears to have first dibs over Jordan Davis at nose, with Malik Herring potentially getting the nod over David Marshall at defensive end, due largely to the latter still feeling the effects of the Lisfranc injury he suffered last years against Vanderbilt.
Tyler Clark seems determined to put what he admits was a disappointing junior season behind him and appears to be penciled in as the starter at defensive tackle.
Monty Rice and Tae Crowder seem to be the top choices at inside linebacker, with freshman Nakobe Dean, as soon as he’s healthy, getting plenty of early playing time, with Quay Walker and Channing Tindall right behind.
On the outside, Azeez Ojulari appears to have a solid grip at Jack, with Walter Grant, Nolan Smith, Adam Anderson, Jermaine Johnson and Robert Beal having each been coached up to be interchangeable options at the position, along with that at Sam.
In the secondary, Richard LeCounte appears to have held off Otis Reese as the starter at left safety, opposite J.R. Reed, with Eric Stokes and Tyson Campbell at cornerback, although GMC transfer DJ Daniel has been very impressive and could still slide in opposite Stokes in the opener against the Commodores.
Mark Webb appears to have the edge of Divaad Wilson at start, although both will see plenty of action at the position.
"They've both done a good job. They're both competitive. Both of those kids probably deserve to play. They've worked really hard, and they're different. They're similar, they're similar in body types, they're physical, but they're different and they've both done a good job. We hope to be able to keep guys fresh and play the best guy,” Smart said. “Sometimes you've got to go with the hot hand, and sometimes you've got to go with the guy who had the best week of practice. But the good thing is, you can't relax, because the guy behind you is just as good as you, and he's trying to win a job, too. (William) Poole's been in that mix, too, but Mark and Divaad are a little bit bigger and a little bit more physical."
