Five sophomores to watch

With spring practice now a matter of just days away, it’s time to take a look at five sophomores that everyone will need to keep their eye on.

Actually, five is selling Georgia’s sophomore class short.

The Bulldogs’ roster is chock full of second-year players expected to make big impacts this spring and come fall.

Quarterback Jake Fromm, left tackle Andrew Thomas and running back D’Andre Swift, for example.

It doesn’t take a genius to know that this trio will play huge roles for Georgia, so for the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on five others who may, or may not, be a little under the radar.

Let's take a look.

LeCounte was arguably the most aggressive of Georgia’s safeties last fall, someone who thrives on contact and being just as physical as he can. While Bulldog coaches likely want him to rein in some of that enthusiasm just a tick, there’s no doubt LeCounte is just what Georgia wants at safety and he’s a favorite to win a starting job.

Rice received significant playing time as a true freshman, ultimately becoming the third inside linebacker on the field after Roquan Smith and Reggie Carter. Rice displayed a tough nose for the ball, finishing with 22 tackles, including two for negative yardage and is a huge favorite to come away with one of the two starting jobs this spring.

Herring played in all 15 games for Georgia last fall, earning more and more trust from Trey Scott as the season progressed. Herring made seven tackles last year, but showed plenty of athleticism and this fall will be a key member of Georgia’s defensive line.

Grant had his moments as a true freshman backing up both Lorenzo Carter and Davin Bellamy, making nine tackles, including two for losses of 11 yards. He and senior D’Andre Walker will go into spring as the two favorites to earn the starting gigs that Carter and Bellamy held last year.

The former wide receiver was moved to defensive back the week of the Notre Dame. At first, that caused some head scratching as the Pennsylvania native was projected to possibly make an impact at the position. Apparently, there was a reason. The move may have originally been made to address some depth issues in the secondary, but Webb has adapted to cornerback quite ably, and with a strong spring could have him in the thick of the conversation for a starting role.

Others to watch: Jeremiah Holloman, Ameer Speed, Nate McBride, William Poole, Justin Shafer, Netori Johnson, Jaden Hunter.