Georgia Football: Incoming Freshmen Most Likely to Start This Season

Once again, the Georgia Bulldogs will bring in a top-10 recruiting class this fall (via 247Sports), and a handful of the new recruits will have a chance to play right away. For the most part, the Bulldogs are set with their starting positions, and it's unlikely a true freshman will break into the starting lineup when the Bulldogs open the season in September.

But there will be a time when a few of the young players will rise to the top of the depth chart due to injuries to veterans or their own progress during the season. But which freshmen have the best chance to do more than just be part of the rotation?

Here’s a look at the incoming freshmen likely to start this season.

DL Trent Thompson

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Trent Thompson is the top recruit of this year’s class, and with the defensive line not as strong as the linebackers and the secondary, there is no reason to believe Thompson won’t start this season.

Thompson has a great first step, he’s aggressive at the point of attack and he’s very strong. The only factor working against him is that he'll need to get up to speed with the playbook and learn where to line up. But once he gets his feet wet, he will be making plays left and right, and he could be an All-SEC freshman selection at the end of the season.

DL Jonathan Ledbetter

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Another defensive lineman with a chance to start is Jonathan Ledbetter, who enrolled in January to get a head start on the competition. Ledbetter was able to be productive at defensive end this spring. He even had a few quarterback hurries in the spring game, according to Jake Rowe of 247Sports.

Ledbetter will have some competition at defensive end, as Josh Dawson is listed as the starter at the position on Rowe's projected depth chart. But because of his talents and the way he was able to produce in the spring game, it will be hard to keep Ledbetter off the field.

WR Terry Godwin

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There’s no telling if Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley will be the players they were a couple years ago. That’s why it was important for the Bulldogs to grab Terry Godwin and put him in the mix at receiver.

Godwin can play a number of positions on the field. But because of the depth at receiver, he will be most needed there, and he will have a great chance to be a starter.

Godwin is only 6’0’’ and 168 pounds, but he has great hands, he’s explosive and he knows how to fight for the football. Whoever the quarterback is this season is going to love what Godwin brings to the table.

DB Rico McGraw

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Rico McGraw is in a good position once fall camp starts because he can play both cornerback positions and the star position if needed (via Rowe of 247Sports). Aaron Davis and Devin Bowman played well last season, but there is room for improvement, which is why McGraw will have a great shot at winning a starting position.

Because of his physicality, size, speed and mental toughness, McGraw has the tools to be a great defensive back for the Bulldogs. Defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt is not shy about starting freshmen, and McGraw is an example of what Pruitt wants in his defensive backs.