Freshman making impact at wide receiver
Freshman wide receiver Jalen Camp has been opening eyes during the first week of camp.
Camp, a 6-foot-2, 213-pound freshman from South Forsyth, could end up working his way into the regular rotation.
“Jalen has made some nice catches,” head coach Paul Johnson said. “He’s strong. His body is not that of a normal freshman. He’s a big, strong kid.”
Camp’s father, Richard Camp, played football at West Georgia and is a personal trainer. It’s obvious that Jalen has been a beneficiary.
“He’s an athletic kid,” Johnson said. “Hopefully he can transition into play.”
Camp had 84 catches and 25 touchdowns in his final two seasons of high school. He averaged 17.4 yards per catch as a senior, when he had 15 touchdowns.
Ricky Jeune and Brad Stewart are the two starters, with Antonio Messick and Mikel Lands-Davis currently at No. 2 on the depth chart. Redshirt freshmen Christian Philpott and Harland Howell and freshmen Stephen Dolphus (Westside) and Jair Hawkins-Anderson are also competing for time.
A-back update
It sounds as if several players are doing well at this competitive spot, although Johnson wouldn’t name any one particular standout.
“Clinton Lynch had a good day or two, but if you starting pick them out there are other guys, too,” He said. “I think we’ll be OK that that position. We’ve got pretty good depth … probably got five or six guys who can play.”
That includes J.J. Green, who sat out last season after transferring from Georgia. The junior from Camden County rushed for 384 yards as a freshman at Georgia but was moved to strong safety the next season. He wanted to play running back and transferred to Georgia Tech.
“J.J. has had a couple years in the system. He’s comfortable with what to do,” Johnson said. “He’s a confident guy that’s got good ability, and I think he’ll help us. I’m glad to have him eligible. I wish we’d had him last year.”
Injury report
Injury report: No serious injuries have taken place the first week of camp, although a few players have missed time after getting dinged up, among them leading rusher Marcus Marshall. Redshirt freshman Nate Cottrell tweaked his hamstring but should be back early next week.
Visiting the sites
After a couple of tough days, the Yellow Jackets were in shorts Wednesday and made a field trip to the College Football Hall of Fame. Many of the players had never visited, and Johnson had not been there since it moved to Atlanta.
Practice schedule
The Yellow Jackets worked in full pads Thursday and will be in shells Friday. The team will have its first scrimmage Saturday morning, which is closed to the public.
This story was originally published August 11, 2016 at 8:44 PM with the headline "Freshman making impact at wide receiver."