ATHENS -- Brent Benedict remembers the exact date of the surgery: Oct. 18, 2009. He remembers how it was classified: knee reconstruction. He remembers what he perceived people to be thinking about his pro career.

“A lot of people said that, ‘He’s done, and won’t be able to get back out there.’ That’s been motivation to get back out there though,” Benedict said.

Benedict did make it back, and as Georgia spring football practice kicks into gear, he is competing for a position on the offensive line. He still wears an ankle brace, a reminder of the torn knee he suffered while redshirting in 2009. Otherwise, he says he’s a “full-go.”

“You never know how a guy’s going to recover from some kind of a nerve issue,” Georgia head coach Mark Richt said. “But the good thing on him there was always something going on good that made you think he was going to recover.”

Asked if Benedict is recovered enough to compete for a job now, Richt replied, “Well yeah, he’s out there.”

Benedict said he’s working at right guard, a starting spot that is currently vacant. He can also play tackle, but will not be particular.

“We knew it was a pretty serious injury, especially with nerve involvement,” Benedict said. “Came back though. I don’t know if anybody ever put a percentage on it. But it was a pretty serious injury, and being back feels good.”

Dowtin, Gray updates

Along with a number of current players, two who are transferring were also at Tuesday’s pro day.

Logan Gray said he will visit Colorado in a couple of weeks. Gray played receiver last year but hopes to get a chance to try quarterback and play immediately somewhere this season. He would be eligible to do so because he is graduating.

Linebacker Marcus Dowtin said he’s aiming to go to a Division II school and also play right away. He said he has visited Texas A&M-Kingsville, Northwest Missouri, North Alabama, Carson-Newman. Dowtin, who isn’t enrolled at Georgia anymore, was the Bulldogs’ fourth-leading tackler last season.

“I just felt like it was a business decision,” Dowtin said. “I needed to be somewhere where I can just show what I’ve got, where I can really play and give it my all, and I wasn’t going to get the opportunity here.”

More from Green

A.J. Green’s reported low score on the Wonderlic exam -- given by NFL teams to prospects -- has been the cause of some derision. Green shook it off Tuesday, attributing his score to only answering 20 of the 50 questions.

“I didn’t even finish,” Green said. “I was thinking too much. I didn’t want to skip any questions. … If you come back here and look at my grades, you know I’m not dumb.”

Green also said he hasn’t decided what to do about attending the draft in New York. The NFL players association has called for top prospects to avoid it.

“I don’t even know. Right now that’s a big blur,” Green said. “I hope they come to a conclusion and that’d be nice to go to New York. That’s a dream come true right there.”

He said it

“I tell you what man, the SEC’s everywhere. They’re everywhere. There’s Georgia people, there’s everybody else too. I’m not lying to you: The first time we laid down our stake at the beach -- laid it down -- just barely, I hadn’t even sat down yet, I was just trying to get it aligned with the sun, two Gators are right (next) to where my chair was, right where I was looking. … No one said a word, but I said, man, I’ve gotta go back to Honduras.” -- Richt on being recognized during his family’s spring break vacation to Jamaica