Georgia football had the nation’s best offensive line in the country during the 2019 season, with three of last year’s starters expected to hear their name called at the NFL Draft.
From Georgia’s 2019 offensive line, the Dawgs lost starters Andrew Thomas, Solomon Kindley and Isaiah Wilson to the draft. Additionally, Cade Mays, who was a starter last year and was viewed as the centerpiece to Georgia’s future o-lines, left to become a Tennessee Vol.
And then there’s Sam Pittman, Georgia’s offensive line coach who left to become head coach at Arkansas.
Related: Watch: Georgia OT Isaiah Wilson explains what it’s like blocking for D’Andre Swift
There were a few days there where Georgia fans went into panic-mode, not sure what the future held for the Bulldogs’ offensive line.
But Smart was able to replace Pittman with Matt Luke, who most recently held the position of head coach at Ole Miss. That settled Georgia fans’ nerves.
But there’s no getting around the fact that Georgia lost four starters from last year’s line. I don’t care how good your backups are or how much depth you have, that’s a tough obstacle to hurdle.
No, next year’s line will not be as good as 2019’s, but it should still be one of the elite units in the SEC and in the country in 2020.
Thankfully, before Pittman left for Arkansas, he built something that we call “The Great Wall of Georgia.”
So, yes, there are a ton of talented blockers waiting on the depth chart for their chance to showcase their talents.
There’s still Trey Hill, Ben Cleveland, Jamaree Salyer, Justin Shaffer, Warren Erickson, Xavier Truss, Warren McClendon, Clay Webb and Owen Condon returning to the program.
And to make things even better for Georgia, Kirby Smart just landed the nation’s No. 1 ranked recruiting class that included 5-star offensive tackle Broderick Jones and two other 4-star linemen.
The panic-level in Athens has dropped significantly since the news of the mass exodus on the line.
And one player who left the program to head to the NFL, two year starter at right tackle Isaiah Wilson, has no doubt that Georgia’s offensive line in 2020 will be one of the premiere groups in the country.
“If you’re sleeping on them, then they’re going to wake you up,” Wilson said at the combine. “And I can’t wait to watch them wake you up.”
Next year, expect Hill, Salyer and Cleveland to lead the Georgia line.
And speaking on Hill and Salyer, Wilson says Georgia is in good hands.
“They’re young kids but they work so hard,” Kindley said, speaking of Salyer and Hill. “They’re leaders and if you go around them, they have great character. If you go around them, you’d think they’re one of us.
“We think they could come out this year because of the way they walk and carry themselves.”
We’ll have to wait and see what Luke is able to do with Georgia’s talented group of linemen, but based on who is returning and how the Dawgs have recruited, UGA should be just fine.
Isaiah Wilson got a voice like a whistleblower that wants to stay anonymous pic.twitter.com/0JMXBspenx
— Mike Renner (@PFF_Mike) February 26, 2020