There’s one question all UGA fans seem to be asking: Who will be the next best wide receiver options after sophomore George Pickens?
Of course, head coach Kirby Smart will tell you that there needs to be more than one, and he’d be absolutely correct.
It’s obviously going to be critical for whatever offensive success that Georgia enjoys this fall for the receiving core to be a deep one, to give Jamie Newman, or whoever the Bulldogs’ quarterback happens to be, plenty of options.
Pickens, himself will need to improve. That includes the channeling of his emotions while on the field. Otherwise, he's expected to thrive during his second year in the SEC.
After that? The Bulldogs are in need of some help. Someone must step up, and finding that someone will be a big part of new offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s to-do list this spring.
The top Dawg
The biggest knock on Pickens last year was that sometimes he let his emotions get the better of him. But his work as a receiver was excellent.
A member of the SEC Coaches Freshman All-SEC team, Pickens was also the co-winner of Georgia’s Offensive Newcomer of the Year award after catching 49 passes for 727 yards and eight touchdowns.
It won’t be a surprise to see those numbers increase or for Pickens to propel himself into All-SEC status by the time the 2020 campaign is complete.
Ample opportunity at hand, but someone needs to emerge
When Robertson transferred from Cal, it was thought the Savannah native would have made a bigger impact in Athens than he has.
Robertson did begin to receive more opportunities last fall, catching 30 passes for 333 yards and three touchdowns. Even so, those numbers pale in comparison to what he was able to do at Cal.
A lot of that has to do with opportunity. Talent-wise, Robertson is still the same athlete; one has to think there's more in the tank for the senior, who is arguably the fastest receiver on the team.
Jackson lines up at the slot, but after suffering a hand injury in the opener at Vanderbilt, he never really got off the ground or made the impact most were expecting.
Still, coaches love his toughness, and it will be interesting to see how Monken goes about using him as part of the offensive package. It's an answer we probably won't know until the start of the season, but from what we're told, Jackson is very much a part of the plans.
Many in the Bulldog Nation have given up on Landers, but the UGA coaching staff begs to differ.
Landers runs fine routes. He just needs to make sure the focus is there. If he can put it all together, the Florida native can still play an integral role.
Although he caught only 10 passes for 105 yards, he did catch a career-best three in the Sugar Bowl, including his first career touchdown.
Bush was considered one of Georgia's least-polished signees two years ago. He was finally starting to make some strides before a sports hernia sidelined him for much of 2019.
In fact, he didn't see his first action until the regular-season finale against Georgia Tech, catching his first career pass for a 1-yard gain.
At this point, it's difficult to predict what the future may hold for the former track star. If he can pick up where he left off before his injury, then perhaps he can find a role.
Blount played in just four games for the Bulldogs last fall, qualifying him for a redshirt, which is why he's still listed as a junior for the second straight year.
How many remember that the former Pace Academy star actually started the 2017 SEC Championship against Auburn?
It's true. Unfortunately, his career has never quite enjoyed the bump he had hoped.
It was expected that Tongue would redshirt as a true freshman. That's exactly what happened, although he did see action in three games against Murray State, Arkansas State, and Georgia Tech.
He failed to catch a pass, but he'll have ample opportunity to make a better impression this spring. He has struggled at times per our sources.
Robinson is a bit of a project but coaches love his potential.
Being an early enrollee will help. Coaches believe he's got a bright future, but it's probably safe not to expect a ton from Robinson right away.
He'll need some time.
Don't forget about this guy
Blaylock was enjoying a fine freshman season before tearing his ACL in the SEC Championship against LSU.
Although he won't take part in spring practice, it's hoped the former Walton star will return at some point during fall camp.
Of Blaylock's 18 catches last year, five went for touchdowns.
They're not here yet, but keep an eye on the freshmen
Prediction
Smart money is on Robertson to finally receive the opportunities many projected he would when he first arrived in Athens from Cal.
So too will Jackson and Landers. Now that he's 100 percent, Jackson has a chance to make a big jump as one of Georgia's top options at slot, and could thrive under Monken.
The same can be said for Landers. Landers catches a lot of grief from fans, and it hasn't been totally unwarranted, for his inconsistency catching the football. However, the Florida native does run good routes and remains one of the top athletes Georgia has at the position.
Don't be surprised if he makes a huge jump this fall playing for a new coach in a new system.
Hearing Kirby Smart tell folks in Macon Monday night that Dominick Blaylock (ACL) is already running straight line drills and is hoped to be ready at some point during fall camp is also encouraging.
At that time there's also going to be an influx of talent, including Marcus Rosemy, Jermaine Burton and Arian Smith, my picks with a chance to make a quick impact.