UGA football: Re-ranking the Bulldogs’ 2016 recruiting class
814. . Wide receiver. Bulldogs . Javon Wims. 3. player
2016 national ranking: No. 11 (JUCO)
2016 class ranking: No. 13
Years at UGA: 2017-2018
Current team: Chicago Bears (NFL)
Needing wide receivers in the 2016 recruiting class, junior college transfer Javon Wims was initially seen as a valuable addition to the class. No one knew how valuable Wims would become. He showed some signs in 2016, catching 17 passes for 190 yards.
Wims had his break-out year in 2017, catching 45 passes for 750 yards with seven touchdowns, leading the Bulldogs in all three categories. He was also a solid blocker in the running game, making himself a fixture in Nick Chubb’s, Sony Michel’s and D’Andre Swift’s 2017 highlight films
Wims didn’t receive any major offers coming out of Jacksonville’s Ed White High School. He wound up at Hinds Community College where he impressed enough scouts to receive offers from Georgia, Oklahoma, Miami and South Carolina. He chose Georgia, had an excellent senior season, and is now a receiver for the Chicago Bears where he’s caught 22 passes in 20 professional games.
2. player. 814. . Left guard. Bulldogs . Solomon Kindley
2016 national ranking: No. 1,051
2016 UGA class ranking: No. 20
Years at UGA: 2016-2019
Current team: Miami Dolphins (NFL)
After a fantastic UGA football career, Solomon Kindley goes from near the bottom of the 2016 class to near the top. The 6-5, 330 lbs. Jacksonville native was an afterthought when he signed with UGA football. After his redshirt freshman season, Kindley was never an afterthought again.
Kindley started 33 games over the next three seasons, appearing in 43 games. He earned Freshman All-SEC honors in 2017 and was a preseason All-American in 2019. As a starting left guard, Kindley anchored one of the most dominant offensive lines in school history, helping lead the way for four 1,000-yard running backs and keeping Jake Fromm standing on his feet.
Kindley chose the NFL over his senior season at Georgia. While he hasn’t played a down of professional football yet, the decision has seemingly paid off. The Miami Dolphins drafted him No. 109 overall in the fourth round. Slightly behind most mock drafts, but the COVID-19 pandemic did cancel UGA’s Pro Day and took valuable time from Kindley.