Winter workouts have begun for Georgia, as the Bulldogs prepare for the 2024 season.
It’s an important part of the Georgia football calendar, as players begin to form the bonds and strength necessary to carry them through what will be a more difficult season.
So with that in mind, let’s go position by position to see who could really benefit from a strong showing during these workouts. The pads for Georgia won’t come on until some point in March, so the players will have plenty of time to get their bodies and minds into tip-top shape.
Quarterback: Ryan Puglisi
Puglisi is the newcomer in the room, as he signed with Georgia as a member of the 2024 signing class. Head coach Kirby Smart spoke the want to bring in a fourth quarterback for depth purposes and the Bulldogs nearly did in UNLV’s Jayden Maiava.
With Carson Beck back as the starter and Gunner Stockton as the clear backup, Puglisi will need to adapt quickly to give the Bulldogs a capable option as the third quarterback.
Running back: Trevor Etienne
Etienne is one of six transfers the Bulldogs brought in this offseason. The former Florida running back is the most accomplished of the six and has the biggest opportunity in front of him, with Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards off to the NFL.
One only needs to look at last season’s transfer adds to see the importance of starting quickly at Georgia. Dominic Lovett had a great start and ended up as Georgia’s No. 2 receiver. The same could not be said for Rara Thomas and Smoke Bouie.
Georgia is counting on Etienne to be a key contributor and leader in 2024.
Wide receiver: Anthony Evans
Similar to running back, we could’ve gone with one of the transfers at this position. Instead, we’ll go with a player entering his second year in the program who concluded the 2023 season with a lot of promise.
Evans had a big punt return in the loss against Alabama and then scored his first touchdown in the win over Florida State. If Evans wants to play an even bigger role for the Georgia offense in 2024, he’ll need to continue to add strength to go along with his impressive speed.
Tight end: Lawson Luckie
Luckie knows how to have a strong offseason. He did so as a true freshman, impressing coaches during spring practice with how quickly he picked things up. An ankle injury prevented Luckie from building off that season, but he’s fully healthy entering his sophomore season.
Georgia has to replace Brock Bowers and while just one player won’t be able to do so, Luckie can position himself to be a much bigger piece of the offense in 2024.
Offensive line: Monroe Freeling
Georgia must replace two starting offensive linemen in Sedrick Van Pran and Amarius Mims. Jared Wilson is a lock to step in for Van Pran. The same though can’t be said for Freeling, as Xavier Truss did start for Mims when the offensive tackle missed time due to an ankle injury.
While many may want to see Freeling start given his high upside, he’ll need to earn it. That starts with how he works in the offseason, as he’ll need to continue to get bigger while not losing any of his athletic ability.
Defensive line: Jordan Hall
Expectations were high for Hall a season ago, as he arrived as a 5-star prospect. He had an up-and-down first season and wasn’t able to emerge as an impact player.
Another offseason working with Scott Sinclair should only help his body better hold up to the rigors of the SEC. Georgia will need Hall to be a difference-maker in 2024, as the Bulldogs hope to have a defensive line closer to what Georgia had in 2021 than it did in 2023.
Outside linebacker: Damon Wilson
Wilson missed the Orange Bowl after having his knee scoped to end the season. The first priority will be getting Wilson fully healthy and then further allow him to add mass.
Georgia didn’t get much production out of its outside linebackers in 2023. An improved Wilson would go a long way towards helping the group in 2024.
Inside linebacker: Smael Mondon
Entering his fourth season, Mondon doesn’t need to prove much. What he does need to do is get fully healthy and get his body to the point where he can make it through the entire 2024 season.
A foot injury limited Mondon during the 2023 season and he was ultimately held out of the Orange Bowl win. Georgia has a lot of talent in the inside linebacker room, but Mondon is the best when fully healthy. Having Mondon at that level for the 2024 season would be significant.
Defensive back: Ellis Robinson
We could’ve gone with JaCorey Thomas here as he tries to step in for Javon Bullard at safety. But there’s been a ton of hype around Robinson and what he might be able to do for Georgia at the cornerback position.
It won’t be easy to play right away with Daylen Everette, Daniel Harris and Julian Humphrey all more established, but Robinson is a rare talent. With a strong offseason, Robinson can set himself up to really make some noise this spring.
