Georgia football: This year’s WR room will be better than last year

Georgia football isn’t known for having the best wide receivers because usually, the Dawgs like to run the ball first. However, in 2022, there will be some changes, and that receiver room will end up better than the 2021 version.

Some Dawg and opposing fans alike believe losing Jermaine Burton, and a few other receivers in the portal will hurt Georgia’s production next year, but they are wrong.

One of the best moves Georgia did was bringing back Bryan McClendon to be the passing game coordinator and receivers coach because he will be a big reason Georgia’s receivers hit the next level. 

Georgia football will see a more productive receivers room in 2022 than 2021.

Burton leaving was a tough pill to swallow, especially with him going to Alabama, but it’s not detrimental to the program. It doesn’t mean Georgia will struggle in 2022, either. He was a talented receiver, but not generational.

Georgia returns its Brock Bowers, the freshman tight end who dominated the SEC last year and led the Dawgs in receiving. He doesn’t seem like someone that would have a sophomore slump because Bowers is too physically gifted to struggle.

We waited on him to slip up last year, and while there were some freshman tendencies, for the most part, he made plays and proved he would be a force for years to come.

Now opponents will prepare for him better in 2022 because they know what to expect, but great players always find ways to make big things happen.

The Dawgs also return the third, fourth, sixth, and seventh leading receivers, who are another year older and wiser. Two of them are veterans, but most are first- and second-year students looking to cause a storm.

There are guys like Ladd McConkey, who has speed like Burton, and in my opinion, better hands. He recorded 31 catches for 447 yards and five touchdowns.

McConkey had five more catches than Burton and scored the same touchdowns. Burton was better after the catch, but McConkey wasn’t supposed to be this talented. He has an opportunity to impress some people in 2022 and grow as a wideout.

AD Mitchell recorded 29 catches for 426 yards and four scores. He had three more grabs than Burton and one few touchdowns.

If he didn’t have the catching issues at the beginning of the season, there is no telling what those stats could have been,  but drops happen when you have a freshman wideout.

Veteran Kenny McIntosh may be a running back by trade, but he is also a weapon in the passing game. He had 22 catches for 242 yards and two passing touchdowns.

McIntosh has patiently waited for his turn to start at running back, and now he can continue to get more reps through the air because starting quarterback Stetson Bennett knows he can trust ole Kenny Mack.

We can’t forget about Kearis Jackson, who fought injuries all season long and still put up some numbers. He chose to come back for another season, and it’s time for Jackson to remind people what kind of player he is when healthy.

Those are just a handful of guys in the receiver room that return in 2022. Dominick Blaylock is back. Darnell Washington, Oscar Delp, Arian Smith and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint are other names that could spark some excitement in the fall.

Outside Delp, those young men were some of the ones bitten by the injury bug, and now it’s their chance to stay healthy and be weapons.

Georgia returns almost all of its receiving production in 2022, so no, I hate to say it — Burton leaving isn’t going to hurt this program. His departure will make it better because it allows another player to take that spot.

McClendon’s ability to develop will also improve this room tenfold. He knows how to use guys’ strengths, so they perform better. Plus, McClendon will be able to teach them his stuff that we’ve seen put Georgia receivers into the NFL.

One of the things Georgia fans should be excited about is that receivers room because the production out of it will be monumental.

The future of this program will thank this year’s squad because future recruits will realize Georgia is an excellent school to a receiver at because it gets you to the NFL.