Mecole Hardman, WR:
Some might think this is a bit of cheating on my part. Hardman kind of broke out last season and established himself as a solid receiver as the season went on. He ended up accounting for over 400 yards of offense and 4 TD’s last year including two scores in the National Championship game. Hardman is already seen as a highly regarded returner and will likely be a serious threat to opponents on special teams.
But as a receiver, I think 2018 is going to be the year that Hardman comes of age. A lot of people are expecting thing about Demetris Robertson being the breakout weapon this year, but I personally think that Hardman will be the player that teams fear the most in the passing game.
He continued to get better as the year went on in 2017 and it’s worth remembering that he only fully moved to the position a month or so before the season started. As he became more familiar with the passing game, he got better and better and we saw improved hands as well, an issue that plagued him early on. It also shouldn’t be forgotten just how dangerous he was with the ball in his hands out of the Wild Dawg. I fully expect to see that look at least 5-10 more times this season.
What makes Hardman so dangerous is his quickness. When Georgia get the ball in his hands, he is almost always a threat to go the distance. He can attack teams underneath in the slot or go deep and burn past cornerbacks. The guy is an absolute weapon and he’s another that I expect to end up with double-figure TD’s. Whether it’s through the air, on the ground or on special teams, I think Mecole will be a player that all of us are talking about when the season ends.