Pre-Camp Position Battle: Left Tackle

With fall camp on the horizon, Georgia will have some intense, interesting position battles to figure out before Sept. 4.

This time a year ago, many figured that Georgia would have questions at the tackle positions. Rightfully so, as the Dawgs were entering the 2020 season with the question of how to replace two first-round NFL draft picks. 

Andrew Thomas (N.Y. Giants) and Isaiah Wilson (Tennessee Titans) were both taken in the first round after playing left and right tackle, respectively, between the hedges. While Thomas is still with the Giants and started 15 games last season, Wilson struggled and has quit football to pursue a career as a hip-hop artist. 

With the 2020 season in the books and the 2021 season just in sight, Georgia will once again have to fill in the blank at left tackle. However, this time it isn't because of a player departure; rather, it's about trying to move former starter Jamaree Salyer back inside to guard, his natural position that NFL scouts want to see him play in the pros. 

Salyer started nine games as the left tackle for Georgia and played well last season. In fact, Pro Football Focus rated Salyer as one of the top returning tackles in the country heading into 2021. Last season was a huge success story for the former five-star guard, who lost weight to play the position following the transfer of Cade Mays. 

Now, Salyer looks destined to be putting weight on to move back to his natural position. Salyer's potential move to guard leaves the door open for another starter at tackle. Redshirt freshman Broderick Jones is the immediate choice and preference of Dawgs fans to replace Salyer. 

The former five-star tackle in high school is arguably one of the most talented linemen Georgia has brought on campus, right there next to Thomas. But Jones will not win the job without competition. 

Third-year reserve tackle Xavier Truss started at left tackle in the Peach Bowl against Cincinnati. Truss's performance was not on par with what was expected from him, but it was on par with the rest of the unit that day as the offense struggled with the Bearcats up front. 

With Jones and Truss the two perceived front-runners, it leaves room for a dark-horse selection in true freshman Amarius Mims. Mims is a fellow five-star who came out of Bleckley County High School, where he impressed with his stature at 6-foot-7, 330 pounds. Mims was playing like a man among boys in his high-school career. 

Sources have already stated that "it's not a matter of if Mims starts at left tackle for Georgia, but rather when." While it not often that a program, better yet a playoff contender, would start a true freshman at left tackle, Mims brings the physical tools to do so. At the same time, it is worth remembering that Mims was taking the second- team reps at left tackle during G-Day over Jones. 

Georgia's battle at left tackle will be one to watch throughout fall camp as it could be one that has a major impact on the outcome of Georgia's 2021 campaign.

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