Georgia Needs to Utilise These Players in 2021

Georgia brings back one of the most talented rosters that it has seen in decades. Many have gone as far as to say that it is “now or never” for Georgia to have a chance to win a National Championship.

Although the Dawgs will see seven of their top pass catchers from 2020 return, along with the top leading tackler, semifinalist for the Butkus award Nakobe Dean, defensive linemen Jordan Davis along with 9 out of the eleven offensive starters from this past fall. The Dawgs still have players that were underutilized in 2020 and beyond.

Arian Smith

Credit: Sean Rayford

Arian Smith maybe one of the fastest receivers in College Football entering the 2021 season. As a true freshman Smith played in the last four games of the season after missing much of the season due to an injury.

Smith would show off his top-end speed in the win over South Carolina on the road as he ran right past the Gamecocks secondary for a 31-yard touchdown pass from JT Daniels. That would not be the end of the highlight reel speed as Smith once again flew past the secondary and reeled in a 55-yard pass from Daniels in the Peach Bowl.

With Arian returning this winter fully healthy after an electric ending to his freshman season, Smith looks perfectly set up to be one of many weapons at Georgia’s disposal offensively. Smith has already flashed his speed in winter workouts as Smith and Ringo face-off week-to-week in a battle of speed. Ringo topped the receiver in week one while Smith beat out Ringo in the latest week of workouts.

Adam Anderson

Credit: UGA Athletics

Adam Anderson captivated all of Bulldog Nation when he announced his intentions to sign with the University of Georgia as a part of the 2018 recruiting class. Anderson was a five-star rated edge rusher out of Rome, Georgia’s Rome High School, which is known as a state powerhouse for developing college-ready players.

After two seasons of playing behind a wealth of talent at the outside linebacker positions, most recently Azeez Ojulari, Anderson broke out significantly in 2020. Anderson rotated with Ojulari at the JACK outside linebacker position and recorded 6.5 sacks (2nd best on the team) and a second-best 24 QB pressures in just 10 games.

Anderson was a major name showing up on the stat sheet when he didn’t get the starting reps at his respective position. Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has recruited their edge rushers (Outside Linebackers) very well. Anderson will lineup opposite of another formerly highly touted five-star edge rusher Nolan Smith.

After racking up 6.5 sacks without recording a single start in the 2020 season makes the prospect of a 2021 season that will see him as the full-time starter even more exciting. Anderson flashes his athleticism and speed on the field, blowing by SEC offensive tackles to pressure the quarterback.

Hopefully, with an entire season as a starter, Anderson will raise his NFL Draft stock as a senior and an essential piece to the Georgia defense in 2021.

Darnell Washington

Credit: Brynn Anderson

Georgia fans have long been yearning for an offense that brings out the very best in the tight end position, aside from being an extension of the offensive line as an added run blocker and at times extra pass protection.

Landing Darnell Washington out of Las Vegas, Nevada, seemed like a statement of intention from the Dawgs to use the tight ends in a more versatile way. At 6’7 260 pounds, Darnell Washington is a vast athletic freak too big to be a receiver.

In his time in the NFL, Todd Monken worked with a rookie tight end out of Alabama, OJ Howard, in 2017 when they were together in Tampa Bay with the Buccaneers. As a rookie, Howard found success with his third most successful season in the league with 432 yards receiving and six touchdowns on 29 receptions.

Monken has worked before with athletic, pass-catching tight end like Washington and Howard. As a true freshman, Washington played in all ten games while starting in seven of those ten games. Washington went much of the season without much fanfare as he was barely targeted.

Things would change with the breakout of JT Daniels at quarterback. Washington’s stock would rise after racking up 61 yards receiving against Missouri in the regular-season finale; weeks later, Washington would begin the new year with a career-high three receptions in the Peach Bowl.

While missing out on former LSU tight end Arik Gilbert in the transfer portal, Washington will help lead a young tight end room that will welcome four-star tight end Brock Bowers, another athletic pass-catcher. Just within the last two years, we've seen the likes of Kyle Pitts, Thaddeus Moss, and Jaheel Billingsley used to success as tight ends. Washington has the talent to be up there with those guys just mentioned.