Georgia Football brings three unique stories to SEC media day

Georgia Football brought three players that have very unique stories to SEC Media Days.

I’m going to give Kirby Smart some credit here. I thought that his decision to take the three players that he did to SEC media day was a very wise one. Not only are Jonathan Ledbetter, JR Reed and Terry Godwin all well spoken. They all have very interesting stories and have something interesting to share.

It was a great way for Smart to show that there isn’t one blueprint for success at Georgia. Each of these three guys has become a success at Georgia in a different way. They’ve overcome a series of challenges that makes all of them DGD’s in my mind. It’s worth looking back at why they were chosen to represent their school this past week.

Terry Godwin, WR:

Godwin is the only one of the 3 that was a 5-star prospect when he arrived in Athens. Like a lot of young players, he had to learn a new position. Having been a quarterback in high school, Godwin became a receiver in college. After a decent freshman year, he had a difficult first season under Kirby Smart in 2016.

But he turned things around in the spring of 2017 and became a strong position group leader. during that offseason, Godwin stepped up to the plate and became the clear guy that the youngsters listened to. He embraced the changes that Kirby Smart brought and fully bought into the new culture.

That change led to him becoming one of UGA’s best weapons in 2017. He accounted for over 600 yards and 6 touchdowns last season including the incredible one-handed catch against Notre Dame.

His decision to stay for his senior season and become one of the official leaders of the offense will hopefully pay dividends for both Godwin and Georgia. He’s a fantastic example of how hard work and buying into the program can put a player on the right track for the future. While he might never be a first-round pick, Godwin has become a very well rounded young man at Georgia. He has a very successful future in front of him and in that way, is a great ambassador for UGA right now.

JR Reed, S:

This time last year, none of us had heard of JR Reed. The safety who is cousins with DeAngelo Gibbs was seen by many as a player brought in to give UGA an edge in the Gibbs recruitment. Fast forward a year and it’s Reed who has become a feature of Georgia’s defense and not the 5-star prospect.

Reed didn’t have many offers coming out of high school which is why he ended up in Tulsa. He won the starting safety job next to Dominick Sanders last summer and has never looked back. During the year, Reed was one of the most consistent players on the Georgia defense. He will be one of the most experienced leaders of that unit in 2018.

This is a player that has climbed his way to being an All-SEC level player the hard way. Say what you want about Smart, but Reed is an example of how he really doesn’t play favorites. If you’re the best guy for the job, Smart will give it to you. He rewards hard work and his coaches can help players tap into skills many didn’t think they had.

Jonathan Ledbetter, DE:

Ledbetter has the most interesting story of the three. Having arrived in Athens as a 17-year-old, he ended up having some struggles with alcohol. Shortly after Smart arrived, he was arrested for his second alcohol-related offense. It was then that Smart spoke to him very frankly and he spent some time away from the team as he went to councilling.

Fast forward 2 years and Ledbetter has become one of the undisputed leaders of this team. His play of the field has continued to get better and better and I really do think that he has a chance to be a first-round draft pick. It’s been a tremendous rise for a player who many thought was about to run out of options.

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Having someone who has been through what Ledbetter has and come out the other side is huge for Georgia. Young people make mistakes and that’s going to continue to happen with football players. Ledbetter is a fantastic example of how players can turn those mistakes around and become the person they hoped to be. It’s one of the main reasons he’s on his way to becoming a Dawg legend.