Georgia football is stacked with talent at almost every position coming off a national championship season.
As that talent prepares for the 2022 season, which begins on Sept. 3 against Oregon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, it’s worth some reflection.
Exactly how does that talent compare to Georgia’s top statistical leaders?
Passing
Current Player
Stetson Bennett (4,301 yards, 39 TD, 291 completions)
Georgia All-Time Passing Leaders
Aaron Murray (13,166 yards, 121 TD, 921 completions)
David Greene (11,528 yards, 72 TD, 849 completions)
Eric Zeier (11,153 yards, 67 TD, 838 completions)
Jake Fromm (8,224 yards, 78 TD, 621 completions)
Matthew Stafford (7,731 yards, 51TD, 564 completions)
Bennett sits at the eighth spot in passing yards and completions, and the sixth spot in touchdowns entering his final year of eligibility.
If Bennett replicated his 29-touchdown season from 2021, he would pass Zeier for the fourth-most touchdown passes all-time.
Rushing
Current Players
Kenny McIntosh (753 yards, 6 TD)
Kendall Milton (457 yards, 1 TD)
Georgia All-Time Rushing Leaders
Herschel Walker (5,259 yards, 49 TD)
Nick Chubb (4,769 yards, 44 TD)
Sony Michel (3,638 yards, 33 TD)
Todd Gurley (3,285 yards, 36 TD)
Garrison Hearst (3,232 yards, 33 TD)
There is no tougher position to top the Georgia record book in than running back. Walker ranks head and shoulders above all other Bulldogs in what has become one of the most impressive running back record books in college football. With Zamir White and James Cook in the NFL, Milton and McIntosh will be trusted with continuing the UGA running back legacy.
McIntosh and Milton are not catching Walker, but surpassing Tim Worley’s career mark of 27 touchdowns to be in the top 10 seems very doable, especially if 2022 is not their last year in Athens.
Receiving
Current Players
Brock Bowers (56 receptions, 882 yards, 13 TD)
Ladd McConkey (31 receptions, 447 yards, 5 TD)
Adonai Mitchell (29 receptions, 426 yards, 4 TD)
Georgia All-Time Receiving Leaders
Terrence Edwards (204 receptions, 3,093 yards, 30 TD)
Brice Hunter (184 receptions, 2,373 yards, 19 TD)
A.J. Green (166 receptions, 2,619 yards, 23 TD)
Fred Gibson (161 receptions, 2,884 yards, 20 TD)
Tavarres King (136 receptions, 2,602 yards, 21 TD)
Edwards set the bar extremely high at Georgia, but Brock Bowers just might reach it.
The young tight end is on pace to break Edwards’ career receiving yards record (3,093) in four years at Georgia, and is on pace to break his touchdown record (30) by the end of his junior season.
Sophomores McConkey and Mitchell have years left to break into the top 10 in receiving touchdowns (16).
Total Tackles
Current Players
Nolan Smith (95)
Christopher Smith (71)
Jalen Carter (51)
Georgia All-Time Tackling Leaders
Ben Zambiasi (467)
Greg Bright (453)
Tommy Thurson (448)
John Brantley (415)
Nate Taylor (390)
Only two players in this top 15 played in the 21st century, and neither played under Kirby Smart.
As offenses spread the ball more and Smart continues to recruit talented tacklers at every position, this top 10 will get harder to reach.
Sacks
Current Players
Nolan Smith (8.5)
Robert Beal Jr. (7.5)
Jalen Carter (3)
Georgia All-Time Sacks Leaders
David Pollack (36)
Richard Tardits (29)
Jarvis Jones (28)
Jimmy Payne (28)
Mitch Davis (27.5)
It is tough enough to rush a quarterback before he gets rid of the ball, but to do it before three other first-round draft picks get there only adds more challenge.
UGA does return its 2021 sack leader in Beal along with Nolan Smith as both edge rushers enter their senior season.
With several members of 2021′s ‘Wolfpack’ defense gone, Beal and Smith may be able to rack up some numbers. Smith only needs six more sacks to join the top 15. Catching Pollack seems off the table, though.
Interceptions
Current Players
Tykee Smith (4)
Christopher Smith (3)
Georgia All-Time Interception Leaders
Bacarri Rambo (16)
Dominick Sanders (16)
Jake Scott (16)
Jeff Hipp (14)
Terry Hoage (14)
It would take a record-breaking season for Tykee Smith to become the new interceptions leader at Georgia. If he fell just short, though, he could catch Smart at 13 career interceptions.
Kicking
Current Player
Jack Podlesny (214 points, 35 FG, 81.39%)
Georgia All-Time Kicking Leaders
Rodrigo Blankenship (440 points, 87 FG, 82.47%)
Blair Walsh (412 points, 80 FG, 73.79%)
Billy Bennett (409 points, 76 FG, 79.10%)
Podlesny probably will not catch his predecessor, Blankenship, in points or total field goals in his senior season.
But Podlesny could beat Blankenship’s field goal percentage, making him the statistically most accurate kicker in Georgia history.
