We covered what we believe are three true freshmen on each side of the football who, we believe, will make an impact for the Bulldogs this fall.
Today, let’s begin taking a look at three redshirt freshmen we believe will do the same.
We’ll start with the offense, where, unlike our focus on the true freshmen, limiting it to just three probably isn’t quite fair.
We’re going to try anyway. We’ll focus on the defense Tuesday, where again, there will be no shortage of impact performers.
As an addendum, when we list our three impact players, we’re not necessarily talking about the trio we believe will turn out to have the best careers; it’s more about the ones who will see the most reps this year.
Our top three impact redshirt freshmen: Offense
WR Arian Smith: Smith left Georgia fans salivating at the end of last season with his blazing speed and big-play potential. His first career catch went for a 31-yard score against South Carolina, and in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, he caught a 55-yard bomb from JT Daniels.
Smith has battled his share of injuries in his brief time with the Bulldogs but is healthy now. He ran track with the Georgia track team this spring, notching a 10.18 in the 100m dash.
There's much the Florida native still needs to learn about getting out of his breaks and perfecting the nuances it takes to get his game to the next level. However, one cannot coach the kind of speed Smith possesses, and you can be assured he’ll see plenty of opportunities as one of Georgia’s most explosive performers on the offensive side.
WR Justin Robinson: Robinson had a lot to learn as a true freshman, and as a result, he only saw brief action in Georgia’s season opener at Arkansas.
Rumors that he was considering entering the transfer portal were ultimately proven unfounded. Instead, the former Eagles Landing standout put all his energy into having what we understand was a stellar spring.
An injury kept Robinson from taking part in G-Day, but throughout the course of the spring, he was one of the players whose name kept popping when Kirby Smart was asked about the progress of the wide receivers.
At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Robinson is quite the inviting target for quarterback JT Daniels. Like Smith, there’s still plenty that Robinson needs to learn. But assuming the improvement he’s made is true, he’ll be on the field making plays for the Bulldogs this fall.
OL Broderick Jones/Tate Ratledge: OK, we’re hedging our bets here. Truthfully, Sedrick Van Pran-Grangers needs to be included as well, as the starting center position is still technically up for grabs despite Warren Ericson being the starter at G-Day. That being the case, it’s only fair to mention Van Pran-Grangers' name.
Yet either Jones and Ratledge could have the most impact this year.
Ratledge was noted by none other than Smart himself as someone who stood out during the course of the spring. The former five-star is in the midst of the competition at right guard, and apparently, the Bulldogs’ head coach is pleased with the progress he’s made.
Jones is another redshirt freshman who appears on the verge of playing time. The former five-star saw reps throughout the spring at both right and left tackle and could contribute at both spots throughout the course of the 2021 campaign.
Both have depth chart battles on their hands, but the former five-stars will push those ahead of them.
