Georgia football has an ample amount of 5-star athletes on its team, but the guys not many people thought would turn into anything were three key pieces to the Dawgs going 14-1 this past season.
The guys no one thought would be relevant by this time of the season or ones who don’t even realize they were 3-stars out of high school.
The narrative that head coach Kirby Smart and his staff cannot develop should never be heard again after the way those men got their team to step up no matter the adversity that came their way.
Growing these three-stars into the playmakers, we all love today was monumental to the Dawgs’ success. Without them, Georgia may not have won it all, so these guys stepping up was necessary. Not every player has that ability, even some 5-stars don’t, but these three underdogs did.
There are quite a few 3-stars on this team, but at least three deserve to be better than 3-stars and have flat outplayed their rankings.
Georgia football developed these 3-stars and proved that sometimes the rankings are wrong.
The Dawgs turned to whoever practiced the hardest and proved themselves when the injuries piled up. There is also a veteran 3-star that is Georgia’s secret weapon.
We wanted to discuss three guys the fans know but maybe didn’t realize they weren’t ranked higher. Sure, Brock Bowers was a 4-star on 247Sports, and Jordan Davis was a 3-star, but those guys are known around the fanbase that they outplayed their rankings. One of these guys, the fans, knew he was a risk the staff took, but still, of all the guys, he should be on this list.
Here are three players who proved that even 3-stars could become stars.
Former 3-star Jake Camarda
Georgia football starting punter Jake Camarda was a 3-star out of high school as he was a member of the 2018 class. In contrast, it is hard for punters to get better rankings than that because usually, other skill players do the punting duties in high school, and it’s harder to rank.
However, Camarda is the Dawgs’ secret weapon. He has a monster leg, and since he got to Georgia, he has proved that despite not being a 5-star, he played like one. Camarda was Georgia’s secret weapon during his time in Athens and especially in 2021.
His ability to punt and do the kickoff duties kept opponents deep in their territory so the Georgia defense could get to work.
Camarda averaged 46.74 yards a punt, with 17 inside the 20-yard line and 18 going 50-plus yards. He had quite the leg on him, and when the Dawgs needed him to pin an opponent, Camarda answered.
Georgia will miss him next season, but he is a prime example that recruiting kickers and punters coming out of high school is misconstrued because sometimes they pan out, and other times they are just average. Camarda was a massive asset to the Dawgs and proved even with a 3-star ranking, and he could become one of the best punters in the country.
Former 3-star Ladd McConkey
Georgia football wideout Ladd McConkey is the next name on this list, and while some may say he could be included in the group of players that people know weren’t highly recruited out of high school.
Yes, he can, but at the same time, Georgia took a chance on this guy when not many others would, and that reason alone is why he makes this list. Plus, as a redshirt freshman, to be able to step up and be the third-best receiver the Dawgs had this past season is pretty impressive.
Starting quarterback and fellow underdog Stetson Bennett has a tight bond with him, and McConkey was a favorite target of the Mailman. It was understandable because, for a while, McConkey proved if he got his number called, something good would happen.
Teams eventually wised up down the season’s stretch, but he has a lot of football left to play to learn how to adjust when defensive backs cover you well.
McConkey finished with 31 catches for 447 yards and five touchdowns this past season. He averaged 14.42 yards a catch and showed how much an asset he can be. The Dawgs will use him next season in a potentially bigger role because he stepped up in times of need when other wideouts were hurt.
Georgia took a risk with the 3-star in high school, and it already paid off because McConkey is far better than his rankings suggest.
The Dawgs could have said no. He isn’t quite up to our level of play, but instead, they brought him in, and with a bit of development, look at him now. McConkey will be fun to watch next year with the experience under his belt.
Former 3-star Adonai Mitchell
Adonai Mitchell has made a few of our lists recently, but the Georgia football wideout has done so much in his first season it’s hard not to include him.
Out of high school, according to 247Sports, Mitchell was a 3-star that ranked as the No. 387 overall prospect in the 2021 class, the No. 64 receiver and the No. 10 player in Tennessee.
Some may not have realized the freshman sensation wasn’t a four-star in high school, which makes his performance in 2021 so special. He proved to the world that it didn’t matter what his rankings were. He could play and do his job.
Mitchell did just that on two of the biggest stages in college football. He isn’t a 3-star anymore, but a guy who quickly emerged himself into the lineup and proved that he could be a deep threat for Georgia.
Last season he finished with 29 catches for 426 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 14.69 yards a catch. Starting quarterback Stetson Bennett knew he could trust him by the end of the season, and those two were in sync. This pair will appreciate each other in the 2022 season and could become a lethal duo.
Georgia has had more 3-stars step up, but these three being ranked that low out of high school should make people realize these rankings don’t always matter. Are they a good indication? Yes, but some kids prove them wrong and shine in college.