Georgia football: top five seniors from the 2018 Bulldawgs
Georgia football unfortunately lost to Alabama last week in the SEC Championship Game. But the Bulldogs are 11-2 and the senior class has a 42-12 record.
5. Jonathan Ledbetter – DE
Each defensive group had one strong senior leader this season. On the defensive line, that leader was Jonathan Ledbetter. Overcoming discipline issues early in his career, he matured under Kirby Smart and was a bonafide star and leader as a junior and senior. This year, he led all defensive linemen with 51 tackles and was second on the team with 5.5 tackles for a loss.
4. Lamont Gaillard – C
Lamont Gaillard led one of the best and deepest offensive lines in the nation this season. That line allowed its running backs to combine for 2,641 yards on the ground. Jake Fromm was only sacked 14 times, down 20 from last year and down from Jacob Eason’s 21 sacks taken in 2016.
3. Terry Godwin – WR
Because of a preseason injury, Terry Godwin’s 2018 season began painfully slow. Going into the off-week before the Florida game, Godwin only had seven catches for 150 yards. After the break, in Georgia’s last six games, Godwin caught 13 passes for 190 yards. And Godwin was integral in helping Georgia cushion their lead over Auburn before halftime, turning that game from a close rivalry game into another 2018 blowout.
2. D’Andre Walker – OLB
Georgia’s total amount of sacks decreased this season by a lot this season. The 2017 Bulldogs made 34 sacks, this year’s team has just 22. Despite that drop, D’Andre Walker sacked opposing quarterbacks 7.5 times, good enough for seventh in the SEC. His four forced fumbles also ranked third in the conference and seventh nationally. Walker terrorized QB’s more than anyone else on the team. He might be the toughest player to replace next year.
1. Deandre Baker – CB
No one else could be no. 1 on this list. Deandre Baker earns this spot, but it’s a minor accomplishment compared to other accolades he earned this week. First, the Associated Press had him as the only Bulldawg on the All-SEC First Team. Then he became the first Georgia player to win the prestigious Jim Thorpe Award. He earned these honors after a year of shutting down the best receiver on the opposing side.
dark. Next. Top 30 players of the Mark Richt era
These players leaving signals the end of an era in Athens. These are the last players to suit up for a Mark Richt coached Georgia team. Every player from here on out was signed by current head coach Kirby Smart.