Georgia Position Preview: Cornerbacks
Entering the spring, Georgia football is at dire straights at the cornerback position.
The Bulldogs lost their top three corners to the NFL Draft and a fourth potential corner to the transfer portal. For the first time since 2014, Georgia enters a season without any returning starters at cornerback.
That's not to say Georgia is devoid of talent at corner. On the contrary, the Bulldogs have plenty with three players who were among the best corners in the nation in their respective recruiting classes. Georgia's corners can start to bridge the gap between talent and experience this spring.
Cornerback Depth Chart
- CB1: Kelee Ringo, redshirt freshman
- CB2: Jalen Kimber, redshirt freshman
- CB3: Nyland Green, freshman
- CB4: Ameer Speed, redshirt senior
Despite having no games under his belt, Ringo is the biggest name at cornerback. He was the No. 1 recruit in Georgia's 2020 class and was considered an SEC-ready player coming out of high school. Unfortunately, labrum surgery forced him to miss the entire season.
Thankfully, it was only a shoulder injury so it should have little effect on Ringo's athleticism. When he finally appears in front of the Sanford Stadium crowd this April, the Bulldogs fan base will see a big, physical corner with speed to keep up with any receiver.
The second starting cornerback job is currently a tossup between Kimber, Green and Speed.
Kimber was the second corner Georgia signed in 2020. He's not the physical specimen Ringo is, but he has ideal size for the position, plays with toughness and technique and is a great athlete. Kimber was too far buried on the depth chart to contribute as a true freshman, but he has the tools and opportunity to contribute this year.
Green is now the talk of the fan base because he's the top corner in Georgia's most recent recruiting class. Green's high-school tape is impressive. He looks like an SEC-ready player, especially in man coverage, and he has incredible ball skills. According to sources, he's already nearing 195 pounds, after enrolling around 185 and was recorded at 22.0 MPH in offseason workouts. That is faster than all but one corner: Ringo's 22.3 MPH.
Speed is the forgotten man among the cornerbacks. He signed with Georgia in 2017. At 6-foot-3 and 211 pounds, he has the size to be a dominant corner in the SEC, but he lacks the well-rounded athleticism of the three men he's competing against.
What Speed lacks in athleticism, he makes up for with experience. He's appeared in 33 games, mostly on special teams. In 2019, he was co-winner of Georgia's Special Teams Most Improved Player award. Speed has a golden opportunity to end his Georgia career on a high note. It will be interesting to see what he does with that experience this spring.
You may also like
Georgia Athletics Department Pushing Chips All In for 2021
Georgia Freshmen Faces: Get to Know David Daniel
Join the community
Follow Brooks Austin on Twitter: @BrooksAustinSI
Follow Kyle Funderburk on Twitter: @DKFunderburk
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @BulldogMaven & follow us on Twitter at @BuldogsSI.
