Category: Player Profiles

Georgia Bulldogs player card: OLB Nolan Smith

Georgia Bulldogs outside linebacker/defensive end Nolan Smith came to Athens as an elite five-star prospect from IMG Academy.

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Nolan Smith Outside Linebacker (#4):

Class: Sophomore

Height: 6-3

Weight: 235 pounds

Hometown: Savannah, Georgia

High School: IMG Academy

Georgia Bulldogs outside linebacker/defensive end Nolan Smith came to Athens as an elite five-star prospect. He was the nation’s top prospect according to some sites. He played both defensive line and running back in high school (he transferred to IMG Academy for his senior season)

Smith saw a bunch of playing time as a freshman. He played in all 14 games and was around the quarterback a lot (15 pressures), but only converted those pressures into 2.5 sacks. Look for Smith to have a breakout season as a sophomore, even though he made a big impact as a freshman and was arguably UGA’s best pass-rusher.

Smith helped Georgia have the number one scoring defense and the nation’s top run defense in 2019. Kirby Smart, Dan Lanning and the Bulldog defense should be elite once again in 2020.

Jan 1, 2020; New Orleans: Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nolan Smith tackles Baylor Bears quarterback Jacob Zeno in the Sugar Bowl. Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

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Georgia Bulldogs player card: RB James Cook

Georgia Bulldogs running back Jame Cook is projected to start as the third down back for Todd Monken and UGA’s offense in 2020.

Running Back James Cook (#4):

Class: Junior

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190 pounds

Hometown: Miami, Florida

High School: Miami Central High School

Nov 30, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back James Cook  runs the ball against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Bulldogs running back Jame Cook is projected to start as the third down back for Todd Monken and UGA’s offense in 2020. Cook has a unique skill-set and is a versatile back, who is a threat as both a runner and a receiver.

Cook gained 320 yards on 47 total touches in 2019. Look for him to be more involved in Georgia’s rushing attack in 2020 following the departure of D’Andre Swift. Zamir White is projected to start, but Cook offers more in obvious passing situations. Cook came to Georgia as a four-star recruit.

As Dawg fans know, James Cook is the younger brother of Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook.

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Georgia Bulldogs player profile: RB Zamir White

Georgia Bulldogs running back Zamir White came to Athens as an elite five-star recruit. He has some impressive high school highlights.

Running Back Zamir White (#3):

Class: Redshirt Sophomore

Height: 6-0

Weight: 215 pounds

Hometown: Laurinburg, NC

High School: Scotland High School

Georgia Bulldogs running back Zamir White came to Athens as an elite five-star recruit. White was the top-rated RB prospect in the class of 2018.

He put up insane numbers in high school. In his career he scored over 100 touchdowns and finished his career as the ninth highest rusher in North Carolina High School history with over 7,000 yards. He averaged over fourteen yards per carry during his senior season. His high school highlights are certainly worth a watch:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NWa6HolpNg&w=560&h=370]

Unfortunately for White, he tore his ACL in the high school playoffs as a senior and tore it again before his Georgia freshman season in 2018.

Zeus was the co-winner of David Jacobs Award for overcoming injury during the 2019 season along with QB D’Wan Mathis.He changed the script last season and stayed healthy throughout the season. He gained 408 yards last season on 78 carries, including 18 carries for 92 yards in a Sugar Bowl victory over the Baylor Bears.

White is projected to start for UGA at running back in 2020. He will share the backfield with James Cook, Kendall Milton, and Kenny McIntosh. Georgia’s running back competition for carries will be interesting to watch throughout 2020.

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Georgia football player profile: CB Tyson Campbell

Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Tyson Campbell came to Athens as a highly touted five-star recruit from American Heritage High School.

Cornerback Tyson Campbell (#3):

Class: Junior

Height: 6-2

Weight: 185 lbs

Hometown: Plantation, Florida

High School: American Heritage

Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Tyson Campbell came to Athens as a highly touted five-star recruit. Campbell helped lead American Heritage to a state championship in 2017.

Campbell is a key piece of UGA’s roster in 2020. If Campbell can step up, then Georgia will have two elite corners on the outside (Campbell would join Eric Stokes). Campbell has work to do before taking the starting job. Last season D.J. Daniel took over Campbell’s starting spot following the third game of the season.

Campbell is now a veteran and certainly has the talent to contribute to Georgia’s elite defense. Additionally, he missed five games last season with a turf toe injury. His position battle with D.J. Daniel will be one of Georgia’s most intriguing intra-squad competitions to start the 2020 season. Georgia has solid depth at cornerback either way.

Campbell and sad Georgia Tech fans will never forget his second career touchdown (video per GeorgiaHeroes):

Sep 8, 2018; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Bryan Edwards makes a catch covered Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Tyson Campbell  at Williams-Brice Stadium.  Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

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Georgia football player profile: QB D’Wan Mathis

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback D’Wan Mathis was Georgia’s co-winner of the David Jacobs Award in 2019 for overcoming his scary brain cyst

Quarterback D’Wan Mathis(#2):

Class: Redshirt Freshman

Height: 6-6

Weight: 205 lbs

Hometown: Oak Park, Michigan

High School: Oak Park High School

Apr 20, 2019; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback D’Wan Mathis (2) passes during the Georgia spring game at Sanford Stadium.  Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback D’Wan Mathis was Georgia’s co-winner of the David Jacobs Award in 2019 for overcoming his scary brain cyst. Mathis contributed as a scout team quarterback for the Bulldogs in 2019, but was never fully cleared to play until after the season.

As a freshman in 2019, Mathis enrolled early and played in the G-Day game, where he was 15-28 for 113 passing yards. Mathis committed to the University of Georgia after originally being committed to Ohio State. He was a good flip for Kirby Smart and the offensive staff.

Mathis will participate in UGA’s quarterback competition heading into the 2020 college football season. He was a four-star prospect as a recruit.

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Georgia football player profile: DB Richard LeCounte

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Richard LeCounte will be the leader of the Bulldog defense in 2020.

Safety Richard LeCounte (#2):

Class: Senior

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190 lbs

Hometown: Riceboro, Georgia

High School: Liberty County High School

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: Richard LeCounte of the Georgia Bulldogs intercepts a pass against the Baylor Bears during the Allstate Sugar Bowl. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Richard LeCounte will be the leader of the Bulldog defense in 2020. He returned to Athens for his senior season instead of entering his name into the NFL Draft. He’ll have another shot at the college football playoffs in his final year.

LeCounte has been playing since he was a freshman, but he began starting as a sophomore. In 2018, LeCounte was the University of Georgia’s leading tackler with 74 total stops.

LeCounte has established himself as a playmaker on Georgia’s elite defense. Georgia had the top-ranked scoring defense in the nation last season. LeCounte does lose his partner in crime at the safety position, J.R. Reed. LeCounte will miss Reed, but now he’s ready to run the back-end of UGA’s defense.

Riceboro, Georgia product has forced a combined nine turnovers over the last two seasons. LeCounte recorded the second most interceptions in the SEC last season with four. He recovered the most fumbles (three) in the league as well. It’ll be a pleasure to watch his last season between the hedges.

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