Every Georgia fan knows who JT Daniels is at this point in time. He led the Bulldogs to a 4-0 record to end the 2020 season. He jump-started what had been a stagnant offense, as the Bulldogs topped 30-points in their final three SEC games. He then led a game-winning drive against Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl.

Daniels is a big reason the Bulldogs will likely open the 2021 season as one of the nation’s top teams, with ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 putting the Bulldogs at the No. 4 slot.

ESPN went through and also identified who would be the breakout player for each of the teams in the Top-25. For Georgia, they went with the easy choice in Daniels.

“It took some time for him to finally see the field, and only then did we catch glimpses of Daniels’ talent,” ESPN’s Alex Scarborough said. “There were solid performances against Mississippi State and Missouri, but those had to be balanced against so-so outings against South Carolina and Cincinnati. Still, there was enough to see his potential and how he could unlock a perennially disappointing Georgia offense.”

In four starts, Daniels threw 10 touchdowns to just two interceptions while completing 67 percent of his passes.

Daniels did have the option of declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft, but he was the first Georgia player to announce that he would be returning for the 2021 season. He used the term “unfinished business,” in his announcement, something that fellow returnees Jordan Davis, James Cook, Zamir White and Jamaree Salyer all used.

In addition to bringing back Daniels, Georgia is set to return its top six receiving leaders from last season, with players like George Pickens and Darnell Washington looking to build off strong finishes to the 2020 season. Georgia will also get Dominick Blaylock and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint back from injury as well as a full offseason with speedster Arian Smith.

Prior to the Peach Bowl win over Cincinnati, Daniels spoke about the optimism for Georgia’s 2021 team. Something that he will now officially be a part of.

“I think you have a really good class of young guys that aren’t just talented but are also guys that enjoy the game of football,” Daniels said. “They show up every day with a good attitude. They’re here to learn and get better.

“It’s something good to see, something I think you’ll get to see as they grow. You’ll see a lot of it next year.”

Georgia and Daniels will have a tough test to open the 2021 season, as the Bulldogs will face Clemson on Sept. 4. The Tigers were the No. 1 ranked team in ESPN’s rankings and fellow California quarterback DJ Uiagalelei as their breakout player. Uiagalelei started two games for Trevor Lawrence this past season, throwing for 781 yards and four touchdowns in those two starts.

More Georgia football stories from around DawgNation