Georgia Football: Ranking the 5 Best Candidates for Bulldogs' Team MVP

It was a wild weekend for the Georgia Bulldogs. After beating Georgia Tech to end the regular season with a 9-3 record, the announcement was made that Mark Richt would no longer be the head coach of the Bulldogs after the bowl game.

It’s sad that Richt will be leaving Athens after the bowl, but the players will have a chance to give Richt one last hurrah as he rides off into the sunset.

And speaking of the players, who would be considered the team MVP? Which player was the most consistent and made the biggest impact in 2015?

Here’s a look at the five best candidates for the Bulldogs' team MVP.

5. WR Malcolm Mitchell

The Bulldogs offense did not live up to expectations. It is ranked ninth in the SEC in scoring offense (26.6 points per game) and eighth in total offense (381.4 yards per game).

However, one of the few players on offense who stood out is receiver Malcolm Mitchell. The senior finished the regular season with 53 receptions for 751 yards and four touchdowns. Mitchell finished ninth in the conference in receptions and eighth in yards.

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Malcolm Mitchell leads #UGA in rec yards & was awarded the @HaierAmerica award for his community service & kids book pic.twitter.com/vSe0MF2T82

— Gameday HQ (@GamedayHQ) November 21, 2015"

Mitchell was the only threat the Bulldogs had at receiver, as he was the only one to have multiple touchdown receptions. He was also the only receiver on the roster to average over 50 yards receiving per game.

The Bulldogs will miss Mitchell next year because he was a constant player on the outside for the last four seasons.

4. LB Jake Ganus

If there is one player who surprised Bulldogs Nation, it is the transfer linebacker from UAB.

Jake Ganus emerged as the Bulldogs' best inside linebacker, leading the team in tackles with 96. He also had one sack, 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and one fumble recovery.

With Reggie Carter out for the year, Ganus got to step in and make a name for himself. He was a big reason why the Bulldogs finished fourth in the SEC in scoring defense and third in total defense. The bad news for Bulldogs fans is Ganus is a senior, so he will be another key player who will be missed.

3. S Dominick Sanders

Take a wild guess as to which team finished with the best pass defense in the SEC? That would be the Bulldogs, as they only allowed 146.1 passing yards per game.

Dominick Sanders was a big reason for the Bulldogs' success defending the pass, as he led the team with five interceptions. That total was good enough to tie for first in the SEC along with Eddie Jackson of Alabama and Donovan Wilson of Texas A&M.

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#Dawgs Dominick Sanders to the house! #GoDawgs #BeatSpurrier pic.twitter.com/s7hPafFzJ1

— GATA Dawgs (@BassinDawg) September 15, 2015"

Sanders picked off his fifth pass of the season last Saturday against Georgia Tech, and he now holds the school record for interception return yards in a season with 205, according to Evan Greenberg and Justin Hubbard of the Red and Black.

Sanders has intercepted eight passes the last two seasons. It would not surprise anyone if he’s a first-team All-SEC selection when it’s all said and done.

2. RB Sony Michel

When Nick Chubb went down in early October, it was up to Sony Michel to carry the load at running back. And while he did not make the same impact as Chubb, he was the Bulldogs' best offensive player.

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"Sony's gonna go to the house... They won't touch him! 5, 4, 3... TOUCHDOWN SONY MICHEL!" -@UGAVoice #WRTS https://t.co/68au3UM92y

— Georgia Football (@FootballUGA) November 29, 2015"

Michel finished the regular season with 1,076 yards and seven touchdowns. He also had 270 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Michel is one of only six players in the SEC to rush for over 1,000 yards, and he’s one of six running backs in the conference to average over 89 rushing yards per game. When Chubb is healthy next season, the two will make a dangerous combo.

1. LB Jordan Jenkins

Because of injuries, Jordan Jenkins’ numbers aren’t as good as they could have been. But he was the team’s best and most consistent defensive player.

Jenkins notched 56 tackles, four sacks, 10.5 tackles for loss and 11 quarterback pressures.

One of the most telling games Jenkins had was when the Bulldogs played Georgia Southern on Senior Night. Jenkins, a senior himself, had 13 tackles and a huge stop on a 4th-and-1 play in overtime.

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Senior Jordan Jenkins. pic.twitter.com/ErZMQDygNb

— Seth Emerson (@SethEmersonAJC) November 28, 2015"

Jenkins is the leader on defense, and he’s the leader of the entire team. He let his feelings be known about Richt getting fired on Sunday.

"It ain't right. Ain't no Georgia Football without Coach Richt," Jenkins told Seth Emerson of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (h/t Jake Rowe of 247Sports). "Just the way he dealt with everybody up here. And the way it went down just don't sit right. Just from what we've been hearing. We're meeting with (athletics director Greg) McGarity tomorrow. But it's just messed up."

Jenkins has been an outstanding player for the Bulldogs the last four seasons. The Bulldogs have talented players who will take his place, but nobody can really replace what Jenkins brought every time he stepped onto the field.