Last season, the Georgia Bulldogs needed a few massive plays from wide receivers to beat Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. Notably, Georgia returns speedster Arian Smith, but the Bulldogs lost star wide receiver AD Mitchell to the transfer portal.
Kearis Jackson went undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft. Georgia also lost Dominick Blaylock, who transferred to Georgia Tech.
Despite losing a few strong contributors, Georgia has a stacked wide receiver room in 2023. The Bulldogs have recruited the receiver position well and added a couple of very talented transfers.
Here’s how we project Georgia’s wide receiver room to look like for Week 1:
WR1: Ladd McConkey
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Ladd McConkey made the preseason first-team All-SEC. McConkey figures to be Georgia’s top receiving target in 2023.
McConkey has practiced with projected starting quarterback Carson Beck a bunch and is great at generating separation. McConkey added 134 rushing yards last season.
2022 stats: 58 receptions for 762 receiving yards and nine total touchdowns
WR2: Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint
Blocking and experience are big reasons why Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint will begin the season as one of the Dawgs’ starting outside receivers.
Rosemy-Jacksaint holds an edge over talented transfers like Rara Thomas and Dominic Lovett to start the season, but it will be interesting to see how the receiver room changes over time.
2022 stats: 29 receptions for 337 receiving yards and two touchdowns
WR3: Dominic Lovett
Dominic Lovett was a 2022 All-SEC wide receiver. Lovett should be able to replicate his success from Missouri. Lovett is a smooth route-runner and should be Georgia’s starting receiver in the slot.
2022 stats (Missouri): 56 receptions for 846 receiving yards and three touchdowns
WR4: Arian Smith
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Arian Smith could be in for a breakout season in 2023. Smith, who averaged a team-high 28.3 yards per reception last season, will be Georgia’s best deep threat. Smith will hope to have a healthy year after battling injuries throughout his career.
2022 stats: seven receptions, 198 receiving yards, and one touchdown
WR5: Rara Thomas
Wide receiver Rara Thomas, a Mississippi State transfer, could be Georgia’s most talented receiver. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound receiver has good size and is capable of winning contested catches. Thomas also displays promising explosiveness and the ability to break tackles after the catch.
Off-the-field issues could limit how much we see of Thomas early in the season.
2022 stats (Mississippi State): 44 receptions for 626 receiving yards and seven touchdowns
WR6: Dillon Bell
Don’t sleep on sophomore wide receiver Dillon Bell. Bell saw a decent amount of playing time as a freshman and has a lot of potential. Look for Dillon Bell to remain involved in the screen game and on short and intermediate routes.
2022 stats: 20 receptions for 180 yards and three touchdowns
Best of the rest
Georgia also returns receivers Cole Speer, Mekhi Mews (a walk-on), Jackson Meeks, and De’Nylon Morrissette. Each of these players hauled in a reception for the Bulldogs in 2022. Another name to watch is speedy redshirt freshman C.J. Smith.
In the class of 2023, Georgia signed four-star wide receiver recruits Tyler Williams, Anthony Evans, and Yazeed Haynes.
If we had to pick a wide receiver to have a large role from the seven players mentioned above, then it would be true freshman Tyler Williams.
