Tag: Nolan Smith

UGA linebacker named breakout player for 2020 season

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean has been named a defensive breakout player heading into the 2020 college football season.

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean has been named a defensive breakout player heading into the 2020 college football season. ESPN and SEC Network Analyst Cole Cubelic named Dean one of the SEC’s breakout players for the upcoming season.

We have to agree with Cubelic here. Nakobe Dean is an impressive athlete with excellent awareness. Dean is great at recognizing plays and has elite speed.

Here’s an example of some of Dean’s best traits. He quickly diagnoses the hand-off to the wide receiver on this play and gets out on the edge, forcing Auburn to settle for a short gain.

Dean will benefit from the departure of New York Giants linebacker Tae Crowder. Dean should have more opportunity this season. He impressed whenever he played last season.

Cubelic puts Mohamoud Diabate, Christian Barmore, Nakobe Dean, Damone Clark and Christian Tutt as his top five SEC defensive breakout players in 2020.

Who else from Georgia will breakout on defense next season? I think one of the top candidates in the country is Nolan Smith. Smith is a former five-star recruit, who flashed immense ability as a true freshman last season. Look for Smith to be a dominant force along with Azeez Ojulari.

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Georgia Bulldog OLB named 2020 SEC breakout player

Georgia Bulldogs defensive end/outside linebacker Nolan Smith will be a SEC breakout player next season

Respected college football analyst, Dr. SEC, believes that Georgia Bulldogs defensive end/outside linebacker Nolan Smith will be a SEC breakout player next season. Smith came to Athens as a five-star recruit. Some scouting services rated him as the top player in the country coming out of IMG Academy.

Smith has immense potential and was a key piece of Georgia’s defense, which held opponents to the fewest points per game in the NCAA last season. Smith and Georgia’s front seven were remarkable in stopping the run, but have room to improve in their pass rush.

If Dan Lanning and Georgia’s defense can improve their pass rush, then the Dawgs will be incredibly disruptive to every offense they face. Georgia’s 31.0 sacks last season ranked 60th in the NCAA. Nolan Smith’s progression could go a long way towards helping the Bulldogs have the best pass rush in the SEC.

Georgia’s defense returns the majority of their starters and key depth players. In fact, according to PFF, Georgia football returns the second most quarterback pressures in the FBS.

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Projected 2020 Georgia football depth chart: Linebackers

We project what Georgia’s line-backing core will look like in 2020 after a record breaking year for the Bulldogs defense in 2019.

The 2019 Georgia defense might have been the best in program history. The Bulldogs finished the season ranked No. 1 in scoring defense, No. 3 in total defense and only allowed two rushing touchdowns all year.

The Georgia defense in 2020 will look a little different, mainly because of the departures of safety J.R. Reed and linebacker Tae Crowder to the NFL. However, Georgia returns a majority of starters from the record-setting unit in 2019, led by coach Kirby Smart and one of the most experienced linebackers in the SEC, Monty Rice.

Here is our projection of what the linebacker depth chart will look like in the Fall:

MIKE 

Monty Rice (32) – Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

1. Monty Rice (Sr.)

2. Quay Walker (Jr.)

3. Rian Davis (RFr.)

WILL

Nakobe Dean (17) –  Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

1. Nakobe Dean (So.)

2. Channing Tindall (Jr.)

3. Trezmen Marshall (So.)

SAM

Jermaine Johnson (11) –  Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

1. Jermaine Johnson (Sr.)

2. Walter Grant (Sr.)

3. Adam Anderson (Jr.)

JACK

Azeez Ojulari (13) – Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

1. Azeez Ojulari (RSo.)

2. Nolan Smith (So.)

3. Mekhail Sherman (Fr.) / Robert Beal (RJr.)

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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UGA linebacker no longer in NCAA’s transfer portal

Talented Georgia Bulldogs outside linebacker and redshirt sophomore Robert Beal in no longer in the NCAA’s transfer portal.

Georgia Bulldogs outside linebacker Robert Beal Jr. in no longer in the NCAA’s transfer portal. Beal, who put his name into the portal, is electing to stay in Athens. Beal practiced with UGA before the Sugar Bowl against Baylor.

Beal, a redshirt sophomore, will be a junior next season. It’s understandable for Beal, who saw much less playing time in 2019. After playing in eleven games in 2018 as a freshman, Beal played in only four this season. He had an offseason incident and UGA added ultra-talented freshman Nolan Smith, so he didn’t see the field as much.

Beal was considered a four/five-star prospect entering Athens. He’ll continue to fight for playing time in Georgia’s talented core of linebackers. UGA is returning several defenders, who were considering entering the 2020 NFL Draft. Dan Lanning will prepare the Dawgs for another excellent season on  that side of the ball.

Beal will give Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs a boost to their depth at linebacker and edge rusher. Beal ending up not playing in the Sugar Bowl, but as an experienced defender, he can step in at any time and there will be little if any drop off.

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