Who to Watch for at G Day

ATHENS - G-Day is here Saturday and with it a chance to see what all the buzz is about with some of the marquee players in the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class already in the program.

At the same time, the red and black carpet in Sanford Stadium will be rolled out for many of the next wave of blue-chip prospects Georgia has targeted.

The 2 p.m. spring game—a Bulldog vs. Bulldog scrimmage—is essentially a win-win situation that will air on the SEC Network.

“I think that is an opportunity to showcase the talents of 14 new freshmen that just got here that people want to come watch and see,” coach Kirby Smart said. “It certainly has impacted our recruiting. We're going to have some of the best players in the country coming by to G-Day because they want to see what the atmosphere is like in Athens. I just think that's the nature of the beast when you're at the University of Georgia, that fans want to come watch it. It's a free chance to watch a game for a lot of people who've never seen a game here."

Eleven of the 14 newcomers (minus three injured players) are expected to debut in front of fans in Sanford Stadium.

“Butterflies are going to come with it for sure, but once their butterflies go away, you guys will be able to tell everybody’s been working and how good they really are,” junior wide receiver J.J. Holloman said.

Here are some of the players to keep an eye on at G-Day.

Nakobe Dean

The high school Butkus Award winner for top linebacker could push for a starting job in his first season.

The Bulldogs lost Juwan Taylor and Natrez Patrick at the position and return Tae Crowder, Monty Rice and rising sophomores Channing Tindall and Quay Walker.

“Nakobe Dean is a great athlete,” Crowder said. “Very smart guy. It’s always fun playing with somebody smart like that. He’s a pretty talented kid.”

The 6-foot, 220-pound Dean, from Horn Lake, Miss., has quickly absorbed Georgia’s defense and hardly looks like a freshman with how he fits into the defense.

“Oh, man, Nakobe Dean is fast,” offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer said. “Boy, he’s fast. … They recruited a lot of fast linebackers. Those boys are fassst, fassst.”

Running back D’Andre Swift said Dean “is all over the field. He’s a fast guy. You can tell it’s really natural to him.”

Jamaree Salyer

One former Pace Academy offensive lineman has blossomed into a star at Georgia.

Now it may be time for Salyer, the sophomore guard/tackle, to see an increased role in a group led by Andrew Thomas, the starting left tackle and Salyer’s close friend.

“He’s my roommate, I can talk to him,” Salyer said. “We can go out to eat all the time. I talk to him about girls and all type of stuff.”

Salyer, a backup last season who appeared in 13 games, will play in his first G-Day game.

“Jamaree is unbelievably smart,” redshirt junior guard Ben Cleveland said. “He’s got a great football sense. Knows the game really well. Sees things before it happens. He wants to get better. Jamaree loves the game. He’s going to go out there every day and do what he has to do. I think that’s going to be his biggest attribute, just being a flexible player and allowing him to play multiple positions and excel at every one of them.”

Salyer has worked on the first team this spring at right tackle and right guard and also was with the second unit at right tackle.

“He’s been up and down,” Smart said. “He hasn’t been as consistent as he was early on. He’s got to continue to get better but what I like about Jamaree is he continues to give you his best effort.”

Jermaine Johnson and Nolan Smith

The biggest impact newcomers may be coming off the edge.

Smith is the nation’s No. 1 recruit out of IMG Academy and Johnson the top-rated junior college prospect. They, along with Dean, are on the Black team, which includes what looks like the No. 1 defense.

Smith and Johnson have flashed the ability this spring to increase the Bulldogs pass-rushing prowess. Johnson was limited for a stretch with an ankle injury.

“They run through the whistle,” left tackle Andrew Thomas said. “They run after every ball. They play hard.”

Thomas has a different game plan when trying to stymie the two.

Johnson is 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds and Smith is 6-3 and 235 but “very fast,” Thomas said.

“I try to change my set where I attack them,” he said. “Jermaine and Nolan are different sizes. Jermaine’s a little bit longer and Nolan’s a little bit shorter. Depending on the play, it changes my set, my angle and how I’m attacking.”

They are both in their first semester on campus and still have room to grow.

“Nolan plays hard all the time but he doesn't always play smart,” Smart said. “He plays with great effort.”

Matt Landers

Georgia’s depth is paper thin at wide receivers. That will be addressed by August after signees including freshmen Dominick Blaylock and George Pickens and Miami grad transfer Lawrence Cager arrive.

This spring has offered redshirt sophomore Matt Landers a chance to make his case to be part of the players to be counted on along with J.J. Holloman, Tyler Simmons, Demetris Robertson and Kearis Jackson.

Robertson, who has worked recently primarily at slot receiver, seems to have made big strides this spring after he went without a catch last season, but the 6-foot-5, 200-pound Landers, who played in four games last season without a catch, has also made his share of plays downfield in scrimmages but has also been inconsistent.

“He’s come along,” Holloman said. “I’ve been making sure he’s stayed focus and everything like that. Just keep on pushing because he’s a really explosive player.”

D’wan Mathis

The true freshman quarterback was an important signing in December with Justin Fields poised to transfer out of the program.

Fields landed at Ohio State, the program Mathis was set to go to before he switched and signed with Georgia.

The Bulldogs also signed former walk-on Stetson Bennett from junior college.

The four-star Mathis, from Belleville, Mich., could make a push for the backup job but it’s a big jump from high school to getting down the Georgia offense.

“Basically, he’s learning the offense right now so he’s getting into it and getting into his groove and stuff like that and you can see it,” Holloman said.

Smart has said the athletic, 6-foot-6, 205-pound Mathis has seen snaps under center as he tries to pick up a system that puts a lot on the quarterback.

Mathis converted at least three first downs in a row with his legs in the first scrimmage, according to starting quarterback Jake Fromm.

“D’wan, he’s explosive,” Fromm said. “The guy can run the ball around, he can throw it 70 yards. He’s going to be a good player. Just trying to work with him by getting to the books, knowing exactly what’s going on. How to make checks, how to communicate with guys. He’s doing really well. He’s made huge strides.”

Lewis Cine, DJ Daniel and Tyrique Stevenson

Georgia only lost one starter from last year’s secondary, potential NFL first round pick Deandre Baker at cornerback, so it has one of the deepest units on the team.

Especially with the addition of safety Lewis Cine and cornerbacks DJ. Daniel and Dominique Stevenson.

“They’re improving,” Holloman said. “They’re getting better. When they first got here, they were learning everything and just going off raw ability. Now you see them really filling into their shoes and making big plays. You guys will see it on G-Day.”

Cine, Daniel and Stevenson are all on the Black team roster Saturday, which means they are serving as depth right now.

Cine has shown he can dish out big hits. Daniel brings size (6-1, 185) and experience after coming over from Georgia Military College.

Stevenson “makes a lot of plays on the ball,” junior defensive back Mark Webb said. “Definitely a ball hawk. Georgia fans are going to definitely be glad to see him.”