Ladd McConkey Continues To Thrive
After a slew of injuries, Georgia needed a wide receiver to step up this season, and redshirt freshman wideout Ladd McConkey has done just that.
McConkey hails from North Murray High School in Chatsworth, Georgia. He was overlooked by scouting services and Power-5 programs alike, yet Georgia decided to take a shot on him.
The bet has paid massive dividends for this team. The Bulldogs did not have a healthy slot receiver entering this season. Wide receiver Kearis Jackson is still working his way back from knee surgery, and wide receiver Dominick Blaylock has yet to take the field this season after his second ACL surgery.
McConkey was given an opportunity to earn some playing time early in the season, and he has become Georgia's most reliable wideout to this point. After the Auburn game, he has 16 catches for 280 yards and two touchdowns.
He leads all Georgia receivers in catches and yards, illustrating just how far he has come since his high school days. Head coach Kirby Smart took the podium after the game and praised the second-year receiver.
"I saw the heart of a warrior. He didn't have one Power-5 offer. I said I want this guy on my team. Any player on our team will tell you Ladd McConkey will outwork any guy out there. He is everything right about college football."
McConkey has made several big plays downfield this season, including a 60-yard touchdown against the Tigers. With Blaylock and Jackson still not game-ready, McConkey will continue to see most of the reps in the slot.
Georgia now has a wide receiver that they can point to and say, "look, we took him and molded him into a starting-caliber SEC player." Anyone can take a wideout like George Pickens and make him look good, but McConkey's success speaks volumes about the developmental program of this staff, as well as his work ethic. That's a recruiting tool for Georgia at a position they've lost battles at over the years.
McConkey will not be overlooked anymore. The Bulldogs continue to head his way when they need an important play, and he continues to pull through. Expect to hear a lot more from him moving forward, regardless of when other wideouts get a clean bill of health.
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