Top-10 Players Georgia will face this season
When you play in a conference as prestigious as the SEC it's not a question of whether or not you're going to face off with the nation's most talented football players, it's when and where.
Today, we are gonna take a look at some of the top talents that Georgia will face off with this year, and no shocker, a bunch of them come from Bama.
1. Alabama CB, Patrick Surtain II
Surtain had a great year for the Tide in his sophomore season where he had 32 tackles, eight pass deflections, and two interceptions. The 6-2 203 pound defensive back is already being pegged as a 1st round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Surtain is now entering his third year with Alabama with two seasons of experience under his belt. The quarterback's job of getting the ball to his receivers becomes a lot harder when Surtain steps foot on the field.
2. Alabama WR DeVonta Smith
Many thought that Smith would forgo his senior season and enter the 2020 NFL draft but that was not the case. After reeling in 68 receptions for 1,256 yards and 14 touchdowns Smith decided to return to Alabama for his senior season. In the 2019 season, Smith led the Tide in receiving yards and touchdown receptions, and that was on a team with Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III who both were first-round picks in the draft. Georgia's secondary will have their hands full trying to cover Smith this September.
Alabama RB, Najee Harris
3. Alabama RB Najee Harris
Add another Bama player to the list. Harris was another player that many expected to enter the 2020 NFL but just like Smith, he decided he wanted one more go at college football. In his junior season, Harris had 1,224 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns. He ended the season with the fourth-most rushing yards in the conference and averaged nearly six yards per carry while doing so. He was hard to slow down last season and 2020 isn't looking to be any different.
4. Tennessee OL Trey Smith
Finally, a player that doesn't wear crimson red. Tennessee's Trey Smith is an absolute monster of a human being. 6-6 335 pounds is not easy to move and Smith has become one of the best linemen in the conference over the last three years at Tennessee. The accolades for this young man are endless. Just to highlight a few, Smith has won the 2019 Jason Witten Man of the year award, was named to the 2019 All-SEC first team, and was ranked No. 59 on SI's top 100 college football players in 2018. Any defense looking to get past Smith might want to rethink their decision.
Florida TE, Kyle Pitts
5. Florida TE Kyle Pitts
In 2019, Pitts had a breakout sophomore season for the Gators where he snagged 54 receptions for 649 yards and five touchdowns. Pitts became a major problem for defenses with his 6-6 239 pound frame that only made matters worse. Pitts led all SEC tight ends in receiving yards and ranked 7th nationally. The 2020 season looks to hold a lot for Pitts and one thing for sure is he will play a major role in Gator's offensive scheme.
6. South Carolina CB Israel Mukuamu
Georgia fans need no introduction to this Gamecock. The rising Junior played a big part in South Carolina's defense in 2019 which allowed him to stack up 45 solo tackles and four interceptions which ranked second in the conference along with a few other players. Mukuamu also added on nine pass deflections to that stat line. With his incredible length and ability to read the eyes of the quarterback, Mukuamu is set to have a great 2020 season.
7. Auburn WR Seth Williams
Williams was a problem for Georgia in their last matchup where he had 13 receptions and 121 yards alone in that game which added to his season total of 59 receptions, 830 yards, and eight touchdowns. Heading into his third year with the Tigers, Williams is looking for another big season after leading the team in nearly every statistical category a receiver could be measured by. After a full season of building chemistry with Freshman QB Bo Nix, Williams will be a problem for defenses this year.
Auburn LB, Owen Pappoe
8. Auburn LB Owen Pappoe
He may only have one season of experience but he proved that he belongs in the SEC in that one year. Pappoe had 24 solo tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks in the 13 games he played as a freshman. The Georgia native continued to improve as the season progressed and Pappoe will be a featured piece in the Tiger defense in 2020.
9. Missouri LB Nick Bolton
Bolton doesn't get a whole lot of attention from the media but he definitely should. IN 2019, Bolton ranked third in the conference in tackles with 100 and along with that, he had 74 solo tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. Not only can he wreak havoc in the backfield but in the passing game as well. Last season, Bolton had seven pass deflections and two interceptions as well. He may not make the national headlines but teams should not underestimate the disruption that Bolton can cause on a football field.
10. Virginia WR Terrell Jana
With senior receiver Hasise Dubois in the NFL now all eyes are on Terell Jana. the 6-0 190 pound receiver had 73 receptions, 878 yards, and three touchdowns last season. In his last game against Florida, Jana put up 126 yards and a touchdown off of seven receptions. Jana ranked 11th in the conference in receiving yards last season and with the WR1 spot open now all eyes will be on him to carry the load. With Georgia having Virginia as their season opener Jana could be an issue for the Bulldog defense.
The SEC is loaded with talent and Georgia is going to face a big portion of that talent this season. The Bulldogs have a hefty load of talent themselves in Athens and Kirby Smart and his team will get a good look at how their talent stacks up to some of the best in the country this season.
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