Five Freshmen To Watch in Fall Camp
When you recruit at a level like Georgia has under head coach Kirby Smart over the last seven years, your talent pool certainly comes deeper and deeper. However, that makes it that much harder for freshmen to go from walking high school hallways to starting on Saturdays in year one.
So, as Georgia has all of (30) of their freshmen enrollees on campus priming for their first ever fall camp at the University of Georgia, we bring you five freshmen you need to be watching closely.
1. Mykel Williams, DE
The anticipation for Williams' freshman campaign began back in January of 2022 in San Antonio, Texas at the Adidas All-American Game. Against the best offensive linemen high school football had to offer a year ago — including Earnest Greene who will be on this list — Williams was unblockable for the entire week.
Smart has acknowledged Williams' star potential, recalling a story from this summer at SEC Media days where he looked out his window only to find Williams striking the one-man sled in the heat, getting extra work. Though at the same time, Smart is quick to hamper any expectations for young players. Saying in the spring that Williams has "a long way to go." We will see just how far he's come this fall.
2. Christen Miller, DT
If there's anything we've learned watching Smart's defense over the years it's that he's going to rotate a lot of defensive linemen. And no matter your age, if you can make plays as one of the best 6 or 7 guys in the rotation, you are going to get playing time. So, that's what Miller has in front of him this fall. You know he's not going to be taking Jalen Carter's playing time, but can he get in the mix with the likes of Warren Brinson, Nazir Stackhouse, Jonathan Jefferson and compete for snaps as a freshman?
3. Daylen Everette, CB/Jaheim Singletary, CB
Georgia knows they have at least one box checked at corner in Kelee Ringo. The rest of the playing time is up for grabs, however. Daylen Everette and Jaheim Singletary will both be on the shortlist of corners, along with Kamari Lassiter and Nyland Green, that will be competing for the remaining spot and playing time. Everette has the upper hand early, having been an early enrollee and given the chance and time to absorb the defense to a slightly higher level, which could get him on the field quicker. Though, you'll be hard-pressed to find another corner as physically gifted as the 6'2 and lanky Singletary.
4. Earnest Greene, OT
My daddy always used to say, "Injuries are as much a part of football as touchdowns and turnovers." That's a great way to say, "You'd better have depth." As far as Georgia's offensive tackle room goes at the moment, it's not all that deep.
Warren McClendon and Broderick Jones will handle the first team unit this fall, and that leaves Amarius Mims and Earnest Greene manning the second unit. Greene showed during the G-Day scrimmage that he's SEC ready as far as pass protection goes, but how well can he prepare himself in case he's thrown into the fire this fall as a true freshman?
5. Malaki Starks, ATH
Starks is one of two football players on Georgia's roster listed as an "ATH". Athlete. That's a great way to describe the football player that is Malaki Starks. He won state in the long jump (23-7), he posted PRs in both the 200m (21.67) and 100m (10.55). During his evaluation period, Sports Illustrated's John Garcia Jr called him "pound for pound the best athlete in the 2022 class."
So, what do you do with such an athlete? Well, Georgia's planning to play him at safety at the moment, but you have to imagine they will find a way to get the ball in his hands on offense or special teams, right? Guess we will find out.
