In Athens, players wear their scout team jerseys like a badge of honor.

It's not the shameful banishment it's perceived to be at other schools. The scout team is a major developmental tool for Kirby Smart and his staff, and he's put it to good use over his time in Athens.

Those contributions for former scout team players are only continuing in the 2021 campaign.

"We sell it here really hard, that development is important," Smart said. "How can I develop? I can develop by going on the scout team and getting quality reps. There are a lot of our kids that get better faster on the scout team than they do on the first or second unit, because the first and second unit doesn’t go against the same quality that the scout team gets to go against."

One of the mainstays of the offensive line, Warren McClendon, spent most of his 2019 freshman season working with the scout team. Over the past two seasons, he's started all but one game at right tackle for the Bulldogs.

He said for young players, it can be hard to feel valuable at times on the scout team. That can be a difficult role to adjust to for a highly-touted freshman.

Over time, however, McClendon said it's easier to see the value of the scout team both from an individual and a team perspective. Going against former Bulldogs such as Tyler Clark, David Marshall, and Michael Barnett helped McClendon hone his technique.

He also helped those defenders prepare for the upcoming opponent in a season in which the Bulldogs led the nation in defensive points allowed per game.

"As the season goes on, you see all the good stuff," McClendon said. "I kind of like scout team, it’s helping me get better. I’m helping the defense get better with the look."

Receiver Ladd McConkey spent last year on the scout team. Buried on the receiver depth chart, he got quality looks against one of the best defenses in the country.

"When you play better teams you get better, so when you play against a better opponent on the scout team, you get better," Smart said. "Our guys have bought into that. We rarely have guys complain, because if they're not getting reps, they're actually wanting to go get reps."

One such player is now Georgia's starting quarterback. As he rehabbed from a torn ACL last season, JT Daniels even asked Smart to work with the scout team in order to face some strong competition.

McConkey called the first-team defensive talent he faced "ridiculous." That competition allowed him to build both the mental and physical aspects of his game.

Specifically, McConkey said going against defensive backs such as Eric Stokes, Tyson Campbell, and Mark Webb allowed him to see how he needed to approach the game physically.

With injuries decimating Georgia's receiving corps, McConkey has stepped up and played well early this season. Through four games, he's recorded eight catches for 118 yards and his first career touchdown.

That score came on an impressive play against Vanderbilt. McConkey ran a fade route into the end zone and soared over his defender to bring the ball down for six.

He undoubtedly practiced that play on numerous occasions against Georgia's first-team defense last season. When asked about the play, McConkey echoed a sentiment shared by many other Bulldogs who got their start on the scout team.

"It really did feel good," McConkey said. "It felt like some stuff’s paying off."