Much of the discussion surrounding Georgia's wide receiver position centers around the lack of Mecole Hardman, Riley Ridley, and Terry Godwin. Fans look to younger players to fill those spots. Meanwhile, Lawrence Cager, a graduate transfer from Miami, will join the team and will compete for catches. Last year, the Georgia fanbase was excited about the possibilities with transfers Jay Hayes and Demetris Robertson, neither of whom made a lot of significant on-field contributions. We don't know if Cager will yield similar results, or if he will become a key play-maker. You can form your own opinion with this look at what he did at Miami.
Potential:Â
Georgia's passing game tends to focus on the sidelines more than the middle of the field. Jake Fromm is so precise along the boundary and those passes are much safer. Should Georgia choose to incorporate more passes along the hash marks, Cager is a possible target with his 6'5 frame.
Every quarterback loves to find one-on-one matchups for wide receivers in the redzone. Cager would be the perfect candidate opposite J.J. Holloman, to have two options to provide a jump ball touchdown catch. Cager was a decorated high jumper in Maryland high school track. He won state titles, clearing 6'9'' on the high jump.
Cager's stats at Miami were respectable, but not overwhelming. The Hurricanes had a revolving door of young quarterbacks, and their team struggled to find efficiency in the passing game. Last year, Cager had 21 catches for 374 yards and six touchdowns. He did show great awareness to improvise when his young quarterbacks needed to extend plays.
Areas to improve:Â
Cager rarely caught the football away from his body on game film. It limits the value of his stature. If Cortez Hankton can get Cager to widen his catch radius, Jake Fromm will have a plethora of passing options. Cager needs to show more of what Javon Wims brought to Georgia in 2017.
Cager also must use his body more to create separation. On the play below, he clearly uses his arms to shove the defender away. This kind of separation will always have potential to draw the pass interference penalty. Cager needs to become a bit more sly using hip leverage and shoulder strength without fully extending his arms.
Reality:Â
Lawrence Cager has the size and stature to be a valuable weapon for Georgia's passing attack. He is familiar with James Coley, as they were together at Miami in 2015. That knowledge and trust should be very helpful. Cager needs to improve his catch radius and prove his value as a run blocker. If he can do both of those things, he could see plenty of action for the Bulldogs.