As we continue our series taking a look at Georgia’s returning players, we turn our attention to a young man who made one of the team’s biggest individual jumps last fall: cornerback Eric Stokes.

After redshirting in 2017, turned into one of the Bulldogs’ key performers at cornerback, breaking out in Georgia’s win at Missouri, before going on to start three of the 13 games he’s played.

With the start of fall camp now a month away, the Covington native is primed to play an even larger role for the Bulldogs in 2019.

Eric Stokes

Height: 6-1

Weight: 185

Class: Redshirt Sophomore

Status: Expected to start at one of the two cornerback positions.

Nobody knew quite what to expect from Stokes until his breakout game against Missouri.

In that contest, Stokes gave the Bulldogs one of their biggest special teams highlights of the year when he blocked a punt by the Tigers and returned it eight yards for a touchdown. He also finished the game with four tackles, as Georgia outscored Mizzou 42-29.

That was the beginning.

Stokes began to frequently spell freshman Tyson Campbell and by the time the season was over had established himself as the full-time starter opposite Deandre Baker. Stokes finished the year with 20 tackles and nine pass breakups.

Stokes is a very studious player, meaning he’s got the ability to take what he learns in the film room and apply it to the field. A former track star, Stokes’ speed enables him to hang with basically any receiver matched against him.

He’s also doing a better job of reading opposing quarterbacks. After breaking up nine passes last fall, Stokes made one of the day’s big plays during G-Day when he picked off Jake Fromm and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown

Stokes wants to become a more physical cornerback, and he’s getting there.

He, like all the Bulldogs, has worked extremely hard in the weight room with strength coach Scott Sinclair, and from what we’re told the former Eastside star is ready to take a step forward in that important regard.

Otherwise, with Stokes, it’s just being more consistent. For someone who had not played until last year, Stokes accounted for himself very well, but believes he can be even better. As do we.

Stokes is one of the reasons there’s a lot of prognosticators out there that remain very high on Georgia’s secondary despite the loss of Baker.

Co-winner of the team’s Most Improved Defensive Player award at season’s end, Stokes is projected to enter fall camp as one of the two starters at cornerback.

There’s a couple of things – actually three – that coaches really love about Stokes.

At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Stokes has the size defensive coaches covet at the position. Combine that with being one of the team’s fastest players and an incessant desire to learn and get better, Stokes has all the ingredients to become a secondary standout for the Bulldogs.