Georgia Football: 4 Freshmen Who Must Shine in Fall Practices

Fall practices are less than a month away, which means the Georgia Bulldogs are close to getting their 2015 season underway.

The Bulldogs will be one of the favorites to win the SEC East, but they will need the young players to step up in order for that to happen.

The recruiting class that is coming in will be expected to make an impact right away, because the group has a chance to be the most talented in the Mark Richt era. However, there are four freshmen who need to have outstanding fall practices in order to not only be key contributors, but also help the Bulldogs have a great season instead of a good season.

Here’s a look at the four freshmen who must shine in fall practices.

DT Trent Thompson

247Sports

The defensive line does not have a dominant player, but that could change with the addition of Trent Thompson.

Because he is the top recruit in the country, according to 247Sports, Thompson has all the tools to be a dominant defensive player. But he will need to learn the playbook quickly, especially with him not taking part in spring practices.

Because there are already experienced players on the depth chart, he won’t start right away no matter how well he practices during the fall. But give him time and he could be starting by the beginning of October.

LB Natrez Patrick

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Natrez Patrick was able to participate in spring practices, so having a strong fall practice should not be an issue.

However, Patrick needs to continue to progress, because the inside linebacker position is vital for the Bulldogs to improve on defense.

Patrick will not make an impact right away. Because Reggie Carter and Tim Kimbrough already have significant experience at inside linebacker, he may not start at all this season. But Patrick could be what Lorenzo Carter was last year—a contributor off the bench—and make a huge impact.

DB Rico McGraw

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Having depth at both cornerback and safety is huge, and that’s what Rico McGraw brings to the table.

The secondary has made great strides under defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, but it still needs more depth. McGraw has the size (6'0", 192 lbs) to play the run game, and he has the athleticism to defend the pass.

Pruitt is known for putting young players in the fire, so McGraw will need to have a huge fall camp if he wants to play cornerback, safety or the star position in the fall.

WR Terry Godwin

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If Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley can stay healthy (which could be a challenge, especially for Scott-Wesley, who just had knee surgery, according to Jake Rowe of 247Sports), the Bulldogs will be strong at receiver. However, they still need some added depth, and that’s where Terry Godwin comes in.

Godwin could play on both sides of the ball, but he’s better suited for receiver. Because of his natural talent, Godwin can play either from the slot or the outside, so he will have a good chance to be a part of the rotation.

However, he will need to learn the playbook quickly and translate it on the practice field, because as talented as he is, there are plenty of young receivers, such as Jayson Stanley and Shaquery Wilson, who have the ability to help the Bulldogs' air attack.