Great Wall of Georgia gets bigger: Average size of UGA’s incoming offensive linemen is 6-foot-7, 340 pounds

Wendy’s, the American fast food chain, used to a run a series of commercials in a which a bemused subject, when presented with a competitor’s hamburger, would ask “Where’s the beef?” That simple inquiry transcended into a cultural phenomenon that’s still frequently quoted to this day, almost four decades later. 

Now, curious minds finally have a solution to that seminal question. The answer resides in Athens, Georgia, where the Bulldogs are stacking gargantuan offensive linemen like the beef patties on a Dave’s Triple.  

Georgia coach Kirby Smart clearly knows what it takes to build a great football team. He’s won two national titles in the past three years and has dominated a majority of the SEC since taking over for Mark Richt. 

To have that level of success in the SEC, one must build from the lines of scrimmage back. Smart gets a ton of credit for the work that he’s done with Georgia’s defense — and deservedly so — but his development of Georgia’s offensive line often gets overlooked. 

Georgia has and an offensive lineman selected in the first round of the last two NFL Drafts, and in three out of the last five. Smart has produced at least one offensive line draft pick in all but one year of his tenure. 

That development doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. The Bulldogs are an early favorite to win the 2024 Joe Moore Award, given annually to the top offensive line in college football. Offensive tackle Earnest Greene III and guard Tate Ratledge each earned a spot on CBS Sports’ list of the top 150 players in college football, and 2023 second-team All-SEC selection Xavier Truss is back to man one of the tackle spots. 

This positive outlook isn’t shortsighted. Few schools are recruiting the offensive line better than…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/great-wall-of-georgia-gets-bigger-average-size-of-ugas-incoming-offensive-linemen-is-6-foot-7-340-pounds/

Author : Will Backus

Publish date : 2024-07-08 15:51:15

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