Players to Watch vs Missouri

A list of players to watch for Georgia as they head into their week five matchup against the Missouri Tigers.

Author:
Jonathan Williams
Updated:
Sep 29, 2022 9:07 AM EDT

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Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia is heading into their second SEC matchup of the season against the Missouri Tigers and as a heavy favorite. As the Bulldogs look to build upon their eight-game win streak against the Tigers, here are three Georgia players to watch heading into this week five conference matchup:

Malaki Starks, S

He may be labeled as a true freshman on the depth chart, but he certainly doesn't play like one. Georgia's secondary has been impressive up to this point in the season and a large part of that has to do with what Starks has done early into his collegiate career. It all started with his immaculate interception against the Oregon Ducks, and hype has only continued to build ever since.

Missouri quarterback, Brady Cook, is currently averaging an interception per game, and with a ball hawk like Starks roaming around in the secondary, there's a good chance that trend continues for Cook. Starks excels at making plays on the ball while it's still in the air which has resulted in him already having two career interceptions in just four games. Saturday could be another big game for the Jefferson, GA native.

Ladd McConkey, WR

McConkey had a rough go at things against Kent State in week four but it was the first time in his career in which he noticeably struggled. The redshirt sophomore has consistently been one of the more reliable players for the Bulldogs on offense and it would not be surprising to see him bounce back in a big way on Saturday.

With Adonai Mitchell looking to be held out another week due to injury, McConkey will be a crucial piece for Georgia finding success in the passing game. In 2021 against Missouri, the Bulldogs had a lot of success throwing the ball deep and hitting on their explosive plays and McConkey is a player who is known to make the big plays when his number is called. The ball is going to keep coming McConkey's way and Saturday could be a big one for 84.

Jamon Dumas-Johnson, LB

Georgia's game against Kent State might not have been the best showing from the team but none of it had to do with Dumas-Johnson. Against the Golden Flashes, JDJ racked up six total tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks. An eye-popping performance from the sophomore linebacker and a lot of momentum for him to build off of.

As a freshman, Dumas-Johnson pieced together a pretty solid game against the Tigers as he recorded four total tackles and a sack. Georgia's pass rush will be crucial against Cook, who is known to use his legs to extend plays outside of the pocket and Dumas-Johnson will play a big role in containing Cook. Dumas-Johnson has proven his ability to rush the passer and a similar performance to the one he put on a week ago, would be huge for Georgia's defense.