Three rising sophomores who could have bigger roles in 2017

Several true freshmen were asked to contribute for Georgia this past season.

Among those were quarterback Jacob Eason, receiver Riley Ridley, tight end Isaac Nauta, running back Brian Herrien, and four defensive linemen in Julian Rochester, Tyler Clark, David Marshall and Michail Carter.

The Bulldogs had a fairly young team in 2016 and return a great deal of experience on both sides of the ball. Even so, Georgia’s 2017 recruiting class, ranked third in the nation by the 247Sports.com composite, could see some freshmen earn plenty of playing time on the football field.

All that stated, Georgia figures to have at least three second-year players who could see their playing time jump in a major way. While Georgia rotated in a handful of true freshmen this past season, there were a lot who didn’t see time on the offensive or defensive side of the ball.

Here are three rising second-year players who have a chance to take on larger roles in 2017.

Cornerback Tyrique McGhee

Head coach Kirby Smart called McGhee a special teams “demon” during Liberty Bowl practices, which explains why the Peach County product played such a vital role in that phase of the game. McGhee has developed well as a cornerback during the season, too, but worked behind Deandre Baker, Malkom Parrish and Maurice Smith. Baker and Parrish return to the man the outside cornerback spots, with McGhee possibly being the next man up at nickel.

By all accounts, McGhee showcased his athleticism daily at practice. He just couldn’t get on the field due to the quality of play shown out of Baker, Parrish and Smith, along with the learning curve most true freshman experience.

With a full offseason of weight room workouts and spring practice, McGhee could find himself as the front-runner for the nickel position once August and preseason practice rolls around.

Receiver Tyler Simmons

Simmons was someone many thought would see a decent amount of playing time in 2016. His opportunities ended up being fairly limited as he caught only two balls for 19 yards in six games played.

But an opening may have opened up for Simmons, considering his speed at the position is why both Alabama and Georgia wanted to secure his commitment during the recruiting process. With Isaiah McKenzie declaring for the NFL draft and Reggie Davis graduating, Georgia could use a speedster both outside and in the slot.

Given Simmons’ speed and agility, he could find himself taking on some additional responsibilities in the passing game. While the playing time wasn’t there as a freshman, a full offseason could be pivotal for Simmons.

Offensive guard Solomon Kindley

Georgia has yet to announce whether Kindley will be a sophomore or a redshirt freshman in 2017. Kindley played one snap against Missouri, which was the only time he saw the playing field all year long. Georgia would certainly love to have an added year of eligibility for the Jacksonville, Florida native.

Kindley is a mammoth lineman at 6-foot-4 and 336 pounds, and could find himself in competition for one of the offensive guard spots. Lamont Gaillard figures to be the favorite to move inside to center, with a decision needing to be made on whether Isaiah Wynn plays left tackle or left guard in 2017.

A lot of factors still need to play out but Kindley would seemingly be one of the next men up. At one point during the year he was the seventh offensive lineman, although near the end of the season he became the eighth or ninth. A strong offseason could put Kindley in the Georgia coaching staff’s favor again, with the opportunity to fight for a starting spot a big possibility.

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 3:52 PM with the headline "Three rising sophomores who could have bigger roles in 2017."