INSIDER: Georgia Bulldogs' Practice Observations

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ATHENS - Week 1 is here for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.

The season crept up fast, and now we’re here. A date with the Oregon Ducks lies ahead, and Smart does not think the Bulldogs are ready quite yet. They have a few more practices to get it figured out.  

The media viewing period of practice consisted of drills that are even less telling than normal, and there were a lot of players wearing numbers for the purpose of scouting Oregon. 

Today’s practice observations/takeaways:

Offense

• Quarterbacks
  • Stetson Bennett was again very accurate on his deep throws
  • Gunner Stockton is playing the Bo Nix role on the scout team 
    • He was wearing no. 10
• Running Backs
  • Kenny McIntosh continues to be the leader in drills
    • Smart was very positive about him in today’s press conference
  • Kendall Milton is noticeably huge compared to the other backs
    • You couldn’t tell he’s been dealing with injuries in the bit I saw
  • Branson Robinson
    • Looked good during a blocking drill
    • Had no problem stopping Chaz Chambliss from getting too deep into the backfield
• Wide Receivers
  • Adonai Mitchell seems like their clearcut no.1 wideout
    • He has been first in every single drill that we’ve been able to see over the last few weeks
  • Kearis Jackson doesn’t looked to be slowed up by his ankle
    • He easily slipped by scout defensive backs
  • Mitchell, Jackson and Ladd McConkey are the “starters”
  • Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Dominick Blaylock and Jackson Meeks are their “backups”
    • They will be on the field a lot
    • Rosemary-Jacksaint looked smoother on his routes than I am used to seeing from him
  • Mekhi Mews is small, but he may work his way onto the field a little bit this fall
    • He is in that third group with freshmen Dillon Bell and De’Nylon Morrissette 
• Tight Ends
  • Brock Bowers is the no.1 
    • That has not changed
  • If there is an order behind Bowers, then it is difficult to tell
  • For a while Arik Gilbert looked like the second guy, but the last couple of weeks, Oscar Delp has been ahead of him in every drill
  • Delp has been working with the second-string pass catchers
  • Delp, Bowers, Gilbert and Washington will all see the field a lot
    • Together and by themselves
• Offensive Line
  • First-team from left to right: Broderick Jones, Xavier Truss, Sedrick Van-Pran Granger, Tate Ratledge, Warren McClendon
  • Second-team from left to right: No. 74 (there was confusion as to who this actually was because of switched numbers), Devin Willock, Warren Ericson, Jared Wilson, Amarius Mims
• *Defense was a lot harder to have real takeaways about during this particular period*

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Defense

• Defensive Backs
  • Tykee Smith was out there
  • William Poole and Javon Bullard join him as the nickel corners
    • Bullard feels like the starter but I think they are going to shuffle them until they figure it out and Smith is at full health
  • Kelee Ringo and Kamari Lassiter are still the one and two at corner
  • Christopher Smith and Dan Jackson still seem to have a firm hold on their positions, but Malaki Starks is ready to knock on the door
    • He is right there with them in drills
    • AND he is the most athletically gifted (and that is not particularly close)
• Linebackers
  • Inside
    • Inexperienced but STILL fast
    • One of the biggest concerns is replacing Nakobe Dean, Channing Tindall and Quay Walker and their speed
    • Smael Mondon and Trezman Marshall have that speed
    • Jamon Dumas-Johnson still seems to be their best all-around guy
  • Outside
    • MJ Sherman is the “freakiest”
      • He is physically imposing
      • He showed great side-to-side speed today
    • Nolan Smith and Robert Beal are still the leaders
• Defensive Line
  • Interior
    • Jalen Carter and Zion Logue will go first
    • The guys after them are Nazir Stackhouse, Jonathan Jefferson and Warren Brinson
  • EDGE
    • Mykel Williams has momentum
      • He is a real threat to take the spot as the starting defensive end
      • He is the quickest and most physically impressive in every drill I've watched of the EDGE guys during fall camp
    • Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins is still first in drills
    • Tramel Walthour is right there with him