The highly anticipated G-Day game is just around the corner as the Georgia football team prepares to take the field for the first time since beating Alabama in the championship game.
For the last few weeks, the Dawgs have worked hard preparing for Saturday, and now the public will finally see the first glimpse of the 2022 squad. As the defending national champions, the buzz surrounding Athens grows by the day, and Saturday will only create more discussion.
There will be players who stand out, some who have bad days, but the most important thing to remember is this scrimmage game is just that, a fully-padded practice.
Even with it being a scrimmage, these performances will be what get fans through the offseason.
These five Georgia football players will cause mayhem after fans see their G-Day performances.
Both the Red and Black teams will have players that have good days, but we’re discussing three guys who will move the needle this offseason.
These guys have already created a buzz through the practice reports and comments from head coach Kirby Smart, so when fans get to see them in action, get ready for the usual discussion.
However, we must remember that G-Day and the performances don’t mean they will start, lose their starting job, or anything in between. The coaches use G-Day to evaluate the work they’ve put in this spring to see who has grown the most and who still needs work.
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Stetson Bennett will see some playing time, but don’t be surprised to see the backup quarterbacks get more because the coaches want to see who they can trust to come in if Bennett needs them to. If he doesn’t see a ton of snaps, has an okay day, or the Dawgs use the other quarterbacks more — it doesn’t mean his job is in jeopardy, and it doesn’t mean it isn’t.
The same can be said for each position. There will be a lot of shuffling around to see how people perform in different scenarios.
G-Day will provide plenty of discussions, but at the end of the day, summer and fall camp still matter, and the springtime is the start of it all.
However, these five guys will take full advantage of the opportunity on Saturday, and we predict that they will have incredible performances.
Georgia football linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson
Georgia football has to find its next defensive general since Nakobe Dean left for the NFL Draft, and we think Jamon Dumas-Johnson makes the first step in taking over that role on Saturday.
Dumas-Johnson has a wide-open path in front of him to take on the general role and keep it. He is an impressive linebacker who continues to grow and learn from co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann. Georgia is becoming LBU with Schumann in charge, and Pop is next on the list.
Another gritty linebacker who isn’t afraid to knock heads is always fun to watch, but what will make him stand out on Saturday is his ability to put the defense where they need to be to stop the offense.
Dumas-Johnson got some playing time last year and even recorded a pick-six against UAB. He finished last season with 14 appearances recording 22 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, one pass breakup, and two quarterback hurries.
Saturday will provide him with a significant opportunity to officially introduce himself to the fanbase. Can Schumann continue to develop these elite linebackers? The next test is Dumas-Johnson, and from the reports we’ve seen, he is all that and more.
Georgia football offensive linemen Earnest Greene and Micah Morris
This list wouldn’t be complete without including a couple of Georgia football offensive linemen. Stacy Searels will find who fits his system the best and run with them.
Two guys from that group who we think will have a strong performance on Saturday are true freshman Earnest Greene and redshirt freshman Micah Morris.
While losing a 5-star is never great, these are two players who likely beat him out and will get to show why on Saturday. After Amarius Mims announced he was entering the transfer portal, this group immediately got shoved into the limelight.
Greene is a massive offensive lineman who has excellent footwork and flexibility. It’s great to see him breaking into the lineup because it isn’t often a freshman tackle is ready to play in the SEC. Then Morris is someone who has had to grow some as a player, get better with his technique and earn his way up the depth chart.
However, Morris played both ways in high school, so learning Georgia’s way of playing the offensive line took time. He stuck it out, though, and Saturday will provide him an excellent opportunity to show how much he has improved.
Between Greene and Morris, these two are who we think will play strong against Georgia’s defensive front. Georgia needs to make sure they have strong offensive linemen and those who can handle the various blocking schemes. It’s great seeing young guys get playing time, and Searels find the players he knows can grow into being elite linemen.
This group will see a lot of rotation on Saturday, but these two will be the ones that get talked about the most.
Georgia football tight end Arik Gilbert
Arik Gilbert is a name that shouldn’t come as a surprise to be on this list for Georgia football fans. He is probably the most anticipated player fans want to see take snaps.
Gilbert has a unique story, but his physical talent is so incredible, so seeing him retake the field after overcoming so many adversities is a massive blessing. Coming out of high school, he was one of the most prolific players and the most talented ones. He went to LSU but transferred to Georgia, worked on himself, and is now ready to play football again.
He wanted to be a receiver, but Gilbert is a true tight end, and that is where he will shine brightest at Georgia. Last year, the Dawgs showed that they would use their tight ends frequently, so Saturday should provide plenty of opportunities for him to have a big moment.
Once Gilbert gets into game shape, the production will come easy for him. Saturday is his debut in the red and black, so Gilbert will create discussion regardless of what he does statistic-wise.
This fall, he and Brock Bowers will be quite the duo, but Saturday will be all about him and how he does. We think it will be a huge performance, creating more buzz around Georgia’s tight end room.
Georgia football defensive back Daylen Everette
Daylen Everette signed with the Georgia football program late in the 2022 cycle. Still, as one of the many early enrollees, he has already begun proving himself worthy of significant snaps.
His size and natural ability to play football help him, but something about his grit stands him out above the rest. The Dawgs have veteran corners like Christopher Smith returning, and guys like Kelee Ringo showed last year that he has his spot secure, so where does Everette come into play?
Georgia needs depth in the secondary, and while there are corners with more experience than him, he is naturally gifted. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him in the two to three deep lineup if he can learn the playbook.
Everette is 6-1 and 190-pounds on the Georgia website, so he is already at a great size for college ball. Saturday will be a big moment for him if he can make a few big plays. The secondary is all about taking advantage of opportunities, and Everette will do just that when his number gets called.
That competitive drive could push him past the guys ahead of him on the depth chart, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he didn’t pick off one of the quarterbacks Saturday. Georgia will likely use a group in the secondary, and starters will be fluid until Game 1 against Oregon, but if Everette shows no fear and can show maturity on the field, look out, world, here, he comes.
Georgia football could see impressive performances from more than the six players listed in this article. Still, these guys are some of the ones who continue to pop up in reports, so write these guys’ names down because Saturday is just the beginning for them.