Georgia's True Freshmen Showed a Promising Future in 2022
It has been about four weeks since the Georgia Bulldogs claimed their second consecutive national title and ended the 2022 college football season with one of the most lopsided victories ever seen. They now begin preparation for the 2023 season, and if there is one thing that last season showed, it's that Georgia will remain in good hands moving forward.
While Georgia on both sides of the ball was led by their veteran stars such as Stetson Bennett, Christopher Smith and Jalen Carter, there were also a good number of true freshmen that made early contributions as well.
One of the brightest true freshmen during 2022 was safety Malaki Starks. He was a valuable starter for the Bulldogs from start to finish. One of his brightest moments came during week one when he made an unbelievable interception while falling on his back to help his team defeat Oregon. Starks finished the season with 68 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. All signs point to a very bright future for the Jefferson, GA native.
Sticking with the defense, another freshman standout was defensive lineman Mykel Williams. The Bulldogs lost three starters from their defensive line to the NFL last season which led to Williams becoming a vital piece to Georgia's front seven. He finished the year with 28 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He is the first Georgia player since Lorenzo Carter in 2014 to have that many sacks and tackles for loss in his first college season.
It wasn't just on defense where first-year players were making a lot of noise for Georgia. Several of them made some big plays on offense throughout the year as well. Running back Branson Robinson made his name known early into the season. Robinson became the first true freshman Georgia running back to rush for 95+ plus yards in his first 10+ carry performance since Sony Michel in 2014. He finished the year with 330 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns during the national championship game.
Tight Oscar Delp didn't have the most impressive season statistically but he also did so behind two of the greatest tight ends to ever play for the red and black. He finished with just five receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown, but his biggest game came against Ohio State in the college football playoffs. Darnell Washington went down early with an injury and Delp got plugged in during his absence. A huge moment for a true freshman, but Delp held his own and stepped up in a dire time of need.
Georgia's list of true freshman contributors extends past the four names that have already been listed. Wide receiver Dillon Bell was impressive, linebacker Jalon Walker flashed throughout the year, defensive lineman Bear Alexander proved to be another interior force for the Bulldogs, and the list goes even further than that.
The overarching story is that Georga got a good glimpse of just how good their freshman class in 2022 was and that their roster will be in very good hands for the next two to three years.
Other Georgia News:
- Kirby Smart Gets Eyes on Several Top Targets in Latest Recruiting Rounds
- Ranking Every Team of the Kirby Smart Era
- WATCH: Georgia Releases Highlight Reel From 2022 Season
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