Georgia Football All-Time Dream Team
What better way to celebrate the day of Thanksgiving than to sit back eat some turkey, and reminisce on the greatest to ever don the Red & Black?
Today, we here at SI's Bulldog Maven take the time to get a little nostalgic, as we put together the All-Time Dream Team for Georgia Football.
Offense
QB - David Greene: Upon leaving Athens, David Greene had the NCAA record for most wins by a starting quarterback, only to be broken later by Kellan Moore at Boise State. Nonetheless, Greene is the all-time winningest quarterback in school history. He's second on the all-time passing list behind only Aaron Murray.
RB - Herschel Walker: I mean, if any other name were in this spot on this list you'd most likely stop reading or at least I hope you would. Arguably the most dominant college football player of his era, Walker is still to this day the most beloved Dawg of all-time. Delivering a national championship tends to do that.
WR - A.J. Green: To this day, A.J. Green is the highest-rated wide receiver to ever play at the University of Georgia according to 247sports.com. He dominated from the day he stepped foot on campus, still holding the record for most catches by a true freshman, 56. His 27 career touchdowns place him 2nd on Georgia's all-time list behind only the next guy on our list. Since leaving UGA, Green has put together seven pro-bowl seasons in the NFL.
WR - Terrance Edwards: Still the only man to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in a single season at Georgia, Edwards is widely considered the best to ever do it for the Bulldogs. He's Georgia's all-time leading receiver with 3,093 yards and 30 Touchdowns.
WR - Lindsay Scott: Could Fred Gibson be in this spot? Absolutely, but it goes back to the discussion with Herschel. No one is loved more than a champion, and that 1980 championship is not delivered back to the classic city without Lindsay's game-winning touchdown reception against Florida. Not to mention he's the only player in the top-10 on UGA's all-time receiving list that played before 1990. It would be a dream to see what the speedster could do in today's game.
TE - Leonard Pope: The leading receiver for the 2005 SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs, Leonard Pope will go down as one of the biggest playmakers in UGA history. His 16.1 yards per reception are higher than any other TE in Georgia history. His 541 yards in 2005 are still the most in a season for any Georgia TE.
OT - Matt Stinchcomb: The better of the two Stinchcomb brothers, Matt was a shining star in an otherwise dim period of Georgia football. He was a consensus All-American in his last two seasons as a Bulldog and was taken with the 18th pick of the 1999 NFL Draft.
OG - Pat Dye: Before he was a hall of fame coach for the Auburn Tigers, Pat Dye was an All-American guard for the Georgia Bulldogs. Dye played a pivotal role on the 1959 SEC championship team for Georgia and was also a two-time All-American selection for the Dawgs.
C - David Andrews: Before he was a two-time super bowl champion with the New England Patriots, Andrews was a three-year starter at the center position for the Dawgs. Andrews had big shoes to fill as he assumed the role at the center position following the four-year starter Ben Jones. You could easily make the argument for Jones here, but the super bowls win us over.
OG - Royce Smith: Royce Smith was voted All-SEC twice and in 1971 was voted as the best offensive lineman in the conference. Smith went on to be a first-round draft pick in the spring of 1972. Smith was famously known for being the first Georgia Bulldog to seriously partake in weight lifting. Back in the late '60s and early '70s, the idea of lifting was feared by coaches because they thought it'd make players slow. Smith removed the fear of lifting and went on to be a catalyst for Georgia's "Glory Years" of the late '70s and early '80s
OT - Andrew Thomas: The only active member of the Georgia Bulldogs to make this list, Thomas is more than deserving. Barring some type of injury, Thomas will leave for the NFL draft this spring having started every single college football game. He's set to be a first-round pick this spring, and despite being snubbed by the Outland Trophy, is regarded as the best available tackle in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Defense
DL - Richard Seymour: The great Richard Seymour arrived at the University of Georgia's in 1997 and immediately earned a spot in the team's defensive line rotation. By the time he graduated in 2001, Seymour was a decorated two-time All-SEC performer and one time All American. He parlayed his success into a first-round draft selection by the New England Patriots and became a building block for the Pats dynasty. Seymore was recently selected as a semifinalist for the NFL Hall of Fame.
DL - Bill Stanfill: Bill Stanfill was a defensive tackle for the Dawgs from 1966-1968. He was an All American every season in Athens and won the 1968 Outland Trophy as the nation's best lineman. He is a member of the College Football and Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. Stanfill, a native of Albany, Georgia was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in round one of the 1969 NFL draft. There he became a two time Super Bowl Champion, five-time Pro Bowler, and three-time All-Pro.
DL - Jimmy Payne: Payne was a key member of the Georgia Bulldogs 1980 Championship team. He is one of the best pass rushers in UGA history amassing 28 career sacks, which ties him for third on the all-time list. 12 of those sacks came during the 1981 season. Payne who is said to have had the athletic ability of a linebacker in the body of a defensive lineman was a three-time All-SEC performer. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1983 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills.
OLB - Jarvis Jones: Jarvis Jones only spent two seasons as a Georgia Bulldog pass rusher, having transferred in from USC, but man did he make them count! Jones burst onto the scene in 2011 and made a tremendous impact racking up 13.5 sacks as a sophomore. His encore performance was even better as he produced a single-season record 14.5 sacks. After setting the school season sack record, Jones headed for the professional ranks and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in round one of the 2013 NFL Draft. Jones currently is a student assistant coach, helping to tutor the team's current edge rushers.
OLB - David Pollack: David Pollack walked onto campus as a two-star recruit. By the time he left Athens, Pollack was one of the most accomplished defensive players to ever play football at the University of Georgia. He is the University of Georgia's All-Time sack leader. He was a three-time First-Team All-SEC selection. Amazingly he joined Hershel Walker as the only Georgia Bulldogs player to be named a First Team All-American three times. David is the only two time Tedd Hendricks Award winner, recognizing him as the nation's best edge defender. Pollack was drafted in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft before suffering a career-ending neck injury. Pollack now works for ESPN's College Gameday.
ILB - Roquan Smith: Roquan Smith was recruited by former head coach Mark Richt but it was under current coach Kirby Smart, that he took his game to the next level as a sophomore. By his junior season, Roquan had morphed into one of the best defensive players in the entire nation. Using phenomenal instincts and incredible closing speed, Smith compiled 137 tackles, 14 TFLs, and 6.5 sacks. The stat-stuffing performance earned Roquan SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors as well as the prestigious Butkus Awards as the best linebacker in the country. Smith departed Athens for the NFL after the monumental season and was selected eighth overall in the 2018 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears.
CB - Champ Bailey: Champ Bailey is likely the most versatile athlete to play football for the Georgia Bulldogs. He was a shutdown cornerback, while also playing wide receiver. He had 978 receiving yards and five touchdowns in three seasons as a Bulldog. Bailey also added 99 rushing yards and 511 kick return yards. Champ was a two-time All-SEC performer and a 1998 consensus All American. He won the Bronko Nagurski Award that season as well. Like many of our All-Time UGA defenders, Champ Bailey was selected in the first round of the NFL draft. He had a phenomenal NFL career, becoming a 12-time Pro Bowl selection and seven-time All-Pro. He was also named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. Last year Champ Bailey received the ultimate honor, being enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame. What an amazing career for a Damn Good Dawg.
CB - Deandre Baker: Deandre Baker was quite simply the best cover cornerback to play at UGA since Champ Bailey. Pro Football Focus awarded him a three-year coverage grade of 95.0 out of a possible 99.9. Baker had seven career interceptions but that number would have been much higher had offenses decided to actually throw his way. Instead, they smartly decided that it would be more fruitful to go elsewhere with the pigskin. Baker was a two-time All-SEC selection. He was a key member of the 2017 SEC Championship squad that barely missed out on winning a national championship. He won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back in 2018 and parlayed it into being a 2019 NFL first-round pick. Amazingly Deandre Baker only allowed one touchdown as a Georgia Bulldog in over 1000 coverage opportunities. Now that's sticking to your opponent like glue.
Safety - Thomas Davis: Thomas Davis was one of the most feared hitters to ever put on a Georgia Bulldogs jersey. Davis was a versatile player who was able to cover as a safety but was also very effective as a blitzing linebacker racking up 10.5 sacks in his three seasons as a Dawg. Davis was a two-time All-SEC selection and was named as a consensus All-American in 2004. He is the seventh member of our All-Time team to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Davis was drafted in 2005 by the Carolina Panthers and is currently plays for the San Diego Chargers. He was recognized as not only a great player but for his great work in the community by being chosen as the 2014 Walter Peyton NFL Man of the Year.
Safety- Jake Scott: Many younger Georgia Bulldogs fans might not be aware of Jake Scott, but he is certainly someone who should be honored as an All-Time UGA great defender. He applied his trade as a defensive back in Athens in 1967 and 1968. He intercepted 10 passes as a sophomore, the second-highest single-season total in Georgia Bulldogs history. His career interception total of 16 is tied with Bacarri Rambo and Dominick Sanders for the most all-time at UGA, playing just 22 games. He was named as a consensus All American in 1968. Jake Scott had a great NFL career as well, being chosen as a five-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl player. He won two Super Bowls and was the MVP of Super Bowl VII.
Rover - Terry Hoage: Rover is a position that doesn't exist in football anymore, but the job of a rover was to stop the opponent's best player. Terry Hoage filled that role better than any Georgia Bulldogs defender ever. He holds the Georgia Bulldogs and SEC single-season interception reconds with 12 in 1982. Hoage was a two-time consensus All American in 1982 and 1983. He also finished fifth in the 1983 Heisman Trophy voting. Hoage played under legendary coach Vince Dooley who said this of Hoage, "He is the best defensive player I've ever coached and maybe the best one I've ever seen." Terry Hoage went only to be selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 1984 NFL Draft and had a 13 year NFL career.
