Spring Position Battles: Offensive Line

Who will be in position battles to fill the holes on Georgia's offensive line?

Georgia is entering into spring practice without two of its most experienced linemen from a year ago; both Jamaree Salyer and Justin Shaffer are off to the NFL following the 2021 national championship season, leaving Georgia with two holes to fill this coming spring and offseason. 

The national championship-winning unit surrendered sixteen sacks through 15 games, placing them sixth in the country for the least amount of sacks allowed. Georgia's offense averaged 38.6 points per game; despite the uncertainty at quarterback and mass attrition due to injuries at the start of the season, Georgia's offensive line helped guide Georgia to its undefeated regular season. 

An exceptional performance against Michigan in the CFP Semifinal, and a standout second half of the national championship game against Alabama, showed everything that the unit was capable of. Broderick Jones coming into the game to play at left tackle in the first half, moving Jamaree Salyer inside to guard, really boosted Georgia's offensive production after halftime. 

Jones is the odds on favorite to take over for Salyer at left tackle after starting in the last four regular-season games for Georgia in place of an injured Salyer. The performance of the former five-star recruit earned him the trust of Coach Luke to put him in the national championship game off the bench. 

The competition will still be fierce for Jones as he will be fending off Amarius Mims, another former five-star recruit in his own right, featured in a reserve role last season as a true freshman, but at 6-foot-7 and 330 pounds, Mims has what it takes physically to start in the SEC. So much so that Mims will be on the heals of both Jones and Warren McClendon at right tackle. 

New offensive line coach Stacy Searles will get his first look at what the Bulldogs will have at offensive tackle; the battle for left tackle will undoubtedly be in the headlines, while Warren McClendon seems to be a lock at right tackle after two back-to-back strong seasons off the right. 

On the interior, Sedrick Van Pran looks to be the only penciled-in starter as of right now, coming off an impressive redshirt freshman campaign as the starting center. Van Pran earned his opportunity following an injury to Warren Ericson in fall camp. The former Warren Easton prospect never looked back, anchoring the middle of Georgia's offense. 

With Van Pran back at center, finding his two running mates at both offensive guard positions will be a huge focus. Tate Ratledge is not expected to participate this spring as he continues to battle back from a foot injury he suffered a few snaps into the season opener against Clemson last fall. While his replacement at right guard Warren Ericson will need to continue holding off a supremely talented group of young interior offensive linemen.

The main competition at guard for Ericson and Ratledge will be Xavier Truss and Devin Willock. The pairing featured heavily as Georgia's second-team offensive guards. Truss saw action off the bench last season at guard, showing off his ability to move in space and climb to the second level to take on linebackers. At 6-foot-7, 330 pounds, Truss brings the frame to impose himself on defensive linemen. 

With Ratledge set to miss out on spring practice, the spring game will provide fans with its first look at who will be in the running to challenge Ratledge come next fall.

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