Which UGA receiver will be Jacob Eason’s top target in 2017?

Posted 4 years ago

Welcome to your one-stop shop for all the relevant UGA football news and takes every Monday through Friday. UGA needs a receiver to step up and be Jacob Eason’s top target in 2017. Who will it be?

In need of a helping hand

One of myriad problems Georgia must find a solution to this offseason is its current lack of a top receiver for Jacob Eason. Georgia’s top receiver from 2016, Isaiah McKenzie, has left the program early to pursue his NFL dreams, but even he wasn’t that great last season, with 633 yards in 44 catches. Eason has all the potential in the world, but in order to reach it, he needs a go-to receiver he can count on in big situations, something that was sorely lacking in 2016.

Luckily for the Bulldogs, McKenzie is one of only two receivers from last season who won’t be around in 2017. (Reggie Davis is the other.) None of the current guys on the roster have stood out, but they each have shown flashes of potential, despite a nasty case of butterfingers from all of them. And they each bring something a little different to the table. So, who do I think will be Eason’s No. 1 target in 2017? I’ve ranked them below from five to one:

5) Jeremiah Holloman — This is a bit of a leap since Holloman has only been on campus for a few weeks at this point. But with no true standouts returning at wideout, the early enrollee has a chance to learn the system and forge a connection with Eason. It would take a lot to for him to jump ahead of the guys who have been playing with Eason for a season, just maybe not as much as we think. And since no one else has stepped up yet, why not him?

4) Javon Wims — I had high expectations for the JUCO transfer this season. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he’s the kind of big-bodied target every team needs at least one of. He showed a few glimpses last season, but largely underwhelmed, with 17 receptions for 190 yards and a TD. Last season was only his first in Athens, and maybe with a year in the program under his belt, he’ll be more acclimated and ready to contribute. At the very least, he should be a consistent red zone threat with his size.

3) Terry Godwin — The former 5-star recruit has underwhelmed in his first two seasons, with just 776 yards and 2 TDs, none as a sophomore. But Godwin earned those 5 stars in high school because of his immense talent, and that talent hasn’t left him. UGA just needs to find out how to utilize him best. If Godwin takes over McKenzie’s spot in the slot, it could open some of the facets of Godwin’s game he wasn’t able to display on the outside, namely his speed in the open field.

2) Riley Ridley — I was shocked when I saw that Ridley caught only 12 passes last season. Maybe that’s because he was targeted much more often than that; he just dropped it all the time. But we all saw his potential. We saw that heave-ho from Eason to Ridley against Tennessee (try not to think about what happened next). He also was one of UGA’s few big-play guys last season, averaging nearly 20 yards per catch. If he can fix the drop problem, Ridley has what it takes to be something special.

1) Isaac Nauta — This one is a no-brainer in my mind. Even though Nauta didn’t have the most receiving yards last season (361 yards, 3 TDs), he did seem to have Eason’s trust, which makes sense considering the two are roommates. Nauta was already the No. 3 at UGA based on yards gained last season. Between the No. 1 guy leaving and that strong connection between receiver and QB likely grow stronger with another offseason working together, there’s no reason to think he won’t be the No. 1 guy for Eason in 2017.

Gymdogs win home opener

The Gymdogs opened their Stegeman Coliseum slate on Monday against N.C. State with a sweep in all events against the No. 25 team in the nation. Sydney Snead won vault and all-around, her fourth and fifth titles of the season. Rachel Schick won her second and third of the season on beam and bars. Freshman Sabrina Vega took home the crown in floor exercise.