Is JT Daniels the leader that can bring Georgia a national title?

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JT Daniels could have thrown his name into the 2021 NFL Draft, whether people would have agreed with that decision or not. 

He was eligible to leave school, if he wanted, but Georgia’s starting quarterback - and the rest of the team - claimed to have unfinished business. Winning a national title game is at the top of that list. 

“There’s no denying that I do want to win a (national title). I think we have the team to do it,” said Daniels. “As much as you hate to lose George (Pickens), there’s just things we’ve got to focus on and things we’ve got to develop because we have the team to do whatever we want.”

The Georgia Bulldogs are a talented team, and like the last few years, competing for a national championship is still the standard. 

Can they finally break through that last barrier and bring the trophy to Athens for the first time in over 30 years? Daniels showed he has the talent to put up big numbers and win games, but what does he have to do to elevate Georgia to the level they have been so close to reaching?

According to Daniels himself, leadership and mentality are things that he and the entire team need to focus on. 

“I think it's something we talk about a lot as a team, that everybody on the team is a leader,” said Daniels. “Whether you've just joined and you’re a walk-on or you're Jamaree Salyer or you're Lewis (Cine) or you're (Ameer) Speed or any of them.”

Leading by example is something that Daniels talked about as being important. He has gotten a lot of reps in college football at this juncture and the younger players look up to the more experienced players. 

He took the reins from Stetson Bennett IV last November when Georgia was set to play Mississippi State. Throwing for 401 yards and 4 touchdowns in his debut, Daniels gave the Bulldogs an offensive spark at quarterback that they have been missing for some time. 

Daniels wants to go beyond his performance on the field to prove his leadership. 

“I think that it's also really important that I've been focused on my overall body language and my mannerisms,'' said Daniels. “Typically I've always been just more of a laid back kind of guy, especially on the field.”

He noted that he is not usually a hype man or someone who brings insane energy on the sidelines, but being a vocal leader is important. 

“I've put more effort into not just words of encouragement but trying to keep everyone focused and on task,” said Daniels. “If someone is not doing the right thing, I'm going to tell them they're not doing the right thing.”

Daniels is locked in. He has clear goals. His focus was evident in how precise he spoke during the Zoom press conference on Tuesday night after practice. 

Georgia is loaded with talent at numerous positions. Plenty of star players came back to play in Athens for another year, but there are also areas on the team that lack experience and logged snaps. 

Leadership is going to help elevate the young players and the entire team. Daniels wants to be that leader.