Georgia Football: Early Look at Bulldogs 2015 Roster

The 2014 season isn't even over yet, but the Georgia Bulldogs have already received good news regarding their 2015 campaign.

On Friday, the university announced that offensive lineman Kolton Houston has been granted a sixth year of eligibility and would be able to play again for the Bulldogs next year.  

Then on Saturday, Georgia head coach Mark Richt announced that star outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell and offensive tackle John Theus would return for another season rather than enter the NFL draft, per Marc Weiszer.  Weiszer also cited a source close to the program in saying that Jordan Jenkins (another stud linebacker) would "most likely" return.

With so many stars returning and yet another stellar recruiting class coming in—Georgia's current 2015 commitments trail only Alabama and Florida State, according to 247Sports—this team could be one of the most talented in recent memory.

Here's an early look at the 2015 roster.

Offense

Position	Starter	Top Backup
Left Tackle	John Theus	DeVondre Seymour
Left Guard	Brandon Kublanow	Josh Cardiello
Center	Hunter Long	Glenn Welch
Right Guard	Greg Pyke	Isaiah Wynn
Right Tackle	Kolton Houston	Sage Hardin
Quarterback	Brice Ramsey	Faton Bauta
Running Back	Nick Chubb	Sony Michel
Fullback	Quayvon Hicks	Detric Bing-Dukes
Wide Receiver	Malcolm Mitchell	Justin Scott-Wesley
Wide Receiver	Reggie Davis	Isaiah McKenzie
Tight End	Jeb Blazevich	Jay Rome

The return of Houston and Theus means Georgia's offensive line will return four starters who started every game in 2014, but replacing center David Andrews will be no easy feat.  Andrews has started the last 39 games for Georgia and on Saturday was named the team's MVP and overall permanent captain.  Additionally, a lack of depth at the tackle positions is a bit concerning, as the projection above has two incoming commitments as the top backups at the tackle positions.

David Stephenson/Associated Press

In the passing game, Georgia fans will get to see the man they clamored for at quarterback earlier this year, Brice Ramsey.  Ramsey has been heralded since his high school days, when he was the nation's third-best pro-style quarterback prospect, according to 247Sports.  He's shown flashes as a backup this season, completing 20 of 30 attempts for 282 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

And Ramsey will have some familiar targets running routes.  Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley should be even more healthy following 2013 knee injuries and will be able to stretch the field.  Meanwhile, speedsters Reggie Davis and Isaiah McKenzie will be utilized in space early and often.  And if Terry Godwin stays at receiver, the 5-star athlete could play immediately.

With Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, Keith Marshall and Brendan Douglas all back, the running game will once again be in capable hands.  Todd Gurley will be missed, but he was missed for most of the 2014 campaign, and the ground attack remained strong.  These four backs have combined for 3,918 career yards of offense and 36 touchdowns.

Defense

Position	Starter	Top Backup
Defensive End	Sterling Bailey	Jonathan Ledbetter
Nose Tackle	Trent Thompson	Chris Mayes
Defensive End	Lorenzo Carter	Chauncey Rivers
Outside Linebacker	Leonard Floyd	Natrez Patrick
Outside Linebacker	Jordan Jenkins	Davin Bellamy
Inside Linebacker	Tim Kimbrough	Ryne Rankin
Inside Linebacker	Reggie Carter	Shaun McGee
Cornerback	Devin Bowman	Shattle Fenteng
Cornerback	Aaron Davis	Malkom Parrish
Safety	Dominick Sanders	Tramel Terry
Safety	Quincy Mauger	Rashad Roundtree

Quite fortuitously, Georgia's pass rush should remain strong.  Sterling Bailey had a fine campaign in 2014 and if Lorenzo Carter can build on his phenomenal performance as a freshman, opposing offensive lines will have their hands full with an outside pass rush—particularly with Floyd and Jenkins back.

Their jobs will be a bit easier if Trent Thompson, a 5-star defensive tackle and the nation's second-best prospect according to the 247Sports Composite, lives up to the hype early on.

Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images

The front seven as a whole looks strong and chock-full of familiar faces, but depth at inside linebacker will be a concern.  Tim Kimbrough and Reggie Carter played well in 2014, combining for 60 tackles, but who plays after them?  Ryne Rankin has played well on special teams, but can he be an every-down linebacker if needed?  One possible candidate to help out is Shaun McGee, who may struggle to break into the rotation on the outside.

Meanwhile, the secondary returns a lot for the first time in years.  Damian Swann, a four-year contributor, will be gone, but three other starters return, and the surrounding depth (highlighted by the likes of Tramel Terry, a healthy Shattle Fenteng and incoming freshman Rashad Roundtree) is encouraging.

Special Teams

Placekicker Marshall Morgan will return as a senior.  He's converted 42 of 55 career field goals and should prove a steady leg on kickoffs and extra points as well.

Additionally, Collin Barber and his career 41.5-yard punting average will return.

With Isaiah McKenzie and Reggie Davis back to return kicks, special teams play should continue to take steps forward in 2015.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand, all stats courtesy of sports-reference.com and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.