ATHENS — Georgia will hold its first scrimmage of the fall, with the 2025 team eager to tee it up inside Sanford Stadium.

“We’re going to try to introduce kicking game, see where our freshmen are, give everybody an opportunity to go out there and play,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said on Wednesday. “Play three groups. I don’t see it being different. The outcomes have always been different, but not in terms of format.”

Saturday is a huge opportunity for members of this team, as they’ll get a chance to show they can help Georgia in 2025. Whether that be as a starter or a role player, these scrimmages often go a long way in determining who will be big-time contributors this season.

Below are five players who could greatly stand to benefit from a strong showing in Georgia’s first scrimmage of fall camp.

Five Georgia football players to watch ahead of first scrimmage

Quarterback Gunner Stockton

Analysis: This is perhaps the most obvious inclusion. Stockton is widely viewed as the team’s starting quarterback, with the opener against Marshall just three weeks away. A strong performance against Georgia’s first-team defense should only further instill confidence in the fourth-year quarterback.

Quote to know: “He’s getting more opportunities at the decision-making process with two-minute drives. He hasn’t had that many of them. He’s getting more now every day — red area. He’s just getting more opportunities to make good decisions. He continues to do that. I think avoiding catastrophic moments is what’s important." — Kirby Smart

Wide receiver Noah Thomas

Analysis: No player has generated more consistent buzz to this point in fall camp than the Texas A & M transfer. Given the lingering questions about the wide receiver position, another strong practice will further cement Thomas’ standing with the team.

Quote to know: “Noah, you know, through six practices it is starting to slow down for him. And the spring was probably a struggle if you ask him. New system, new terminology, trying to figure everything out and probably wasn’t playing as fast as he would like. And just, you know, our message to him was he’s going to be OK, just keep your head down, keep working and you’re seeing incremental improvements from him. He’s light-years ahead of where he was in the spring. He gives you he gives you another big, big body outside that can catch those balls that are contested.” — Mike Bobo

Outside linebacker Quintavius Johnson

Analysis: Much has been made of transfer addition Elo Modozie and what he might bring to the 2025 defense. But Johnson shouldn’t be overlooked. He’s got an experience edge over Modozie and has a better understanding of what it takes to perform well in a Georgia scrimmage.

Quote to know: “Q’s really bright. The guy really cares at a high level, he’s a good athlete. As an outside linebacker, there’s a lot asked of you, more than just setting the edge, and he’s able to do all those things. So he’s had a good camp, he had a good spring, and, you know, we need more out of him than what we’ve seen so far. But with the way he works, we’re confident we’ll get it out of him.” — Glenn Schumann

Cornerback Ellis Robinson

Analysis: Robinson has sky-high expectations, especially coming off a freshman season where he did not make the impact he hoped. He may be blocked out of the starting lineup by Daylen Everette and Daniel Harris but a big-time performance on Saturday could help push Robinson further up the depth chart.

Quote to know: “Ellis is a guy who has elite talent. He’s a guy that can do what we wants to do. He’s a physical player, and he’s having a good camp right now. So we’ve just got to continue to work through it and kind of figure out who’s going to be out there and all that kind of stuff.” — Travaris Robinson

Safety Zion Branch

Analysis: Branch was one of three transfer defensive backs Georgia added this offseason. JaCorey Thomas seems to have a hold on the starting job opposite KJ Bolden, but Branch’s and athleticism give him the opportunity to contribute in his first season at Georgia.

Quote to know: “We’ve really had some good guys when you look at Adrian Maddox, you look at Jaden [Harris], all right, and you look at Zion [Branch]. Those three guys that came in the portal, those guys doing a really good job and they’re competing and battling. And sometimes they have bad days, sometimes they have good days. Right now, we’re just trying to find that consistency and performance to get those guys doing what we need them to do.” — Travaris Robinson