Jonathan Ledbetter Will Be Suspended for Georgia's Season Opener After Arrest

Police in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, arrested Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter on March 20, per Seth Emerson of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. As a result, CollegeFootballTalk's John Taylor noted that Georgia confirmed Ledbetter will be suspended for the season opener against North Carolina on Sept. 3.

According to a police report, Ledbetter, 18, attempted to enter a bar in Athens, Georgia, using a fake ID. The officer on the scene characterized the freshman as "very inebriated" and added that he heard Ledbetter talking about his ID, per Emerson:

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The officer said he could see a Georgia driver's license "protruding from his wallet," which the officer then "retrieved" and noticed a 1997 birthday.

"Due to Ledbetter's inebriated state and stature I asked him to step away from the entrance and I took possession of his wallet finding a fraudulent photo copy Georgia Driver's License with Ledbetter's information but with a date of birth of [redacted] 1992," the report states. "I requested another unit to my location due to Ledbetter's stature and inebriation."

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Ledbetter is charged with possessing or making a false ID and underage possession/furnishing alcohol, both of which are misdemeanors, per Athens-Clarke County arrest records.

The Georgia student-athlete handbook for 2015-16 outlines that a first-time alcohol-related arrest carries an automatic suspension for no less than 10 percent of the athletic season.

“'He made a huge mistake,' first-year head coach Kirby Smart said after practice, also noting that the player embarrassed not only himself but his family and team as well," according to Taylor, who also noted Ledbetter apologized to his teammates.

The Tucker, Georgia, native appeared in seven games in 2015, making four total tackles. He was the No. 5 strong-side defensive end and No. 66 overall in the 2015 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite ranking.

Jake Rowe of 247Sports' Dawgs247 projected Ledbetter to start on the Bulldogs' defensive line in 2016: "Hawkins could seriously push to be the starter at nose while Ledbetter, if he puts on the necessary weight, could be a dynamic 3-technique—especially in pass-rushing situations."