Eric Stokes running with first-team, finishes climb with potential start vs. UMass
As Eric Stokes swatted a pass in the end zone against Auburn, the redshirt freshman made something clear.
He might have once been a track guy who set state records at Eastside, but he’s now a legitimate football player — and potentially a starter.
“I slowly faded away, and being around more football helped me learn the system,” Stokes said. “I’m now comfortable in it and don’t second-guess myself anymore.”
Stokes has entered the game as a replacement twice this season in favor of freshman Tyson Campbell. It was first a blocked punt against Missouri, and he made a “huge play,” according to head coach Kirby Smart, in Saturday’s win over Auburn.
Suddenly, the speedy defensive back’s climb is now complete. It started with not being on the depth chart, suddenly in a backup role and he’s now running as a first-team cornerback in practice and in line to start Saturday vs. UMass (4 p.m., SEC Network).
“He’s just smart. He’s really bright,” Smart said. “He understands leveraging, coverages. You tell him something once and go out to practice and he goes. A lot of the guys they need reps and reps. Stokes gets it in the meeting. He’s very bright, very diligent and works very hard.”
Smart and players have had beaming remarks about Stokes since the beginning of preseason camp in August, but the contributions have come sparingly. The turning point came when Campbell had a pass-interference penalty and wasn’t playing to the favor of Georgia’s coaching staff.
Enter Stokes with 9:40 in the second quarter and he never left. Smart said Campbell is still a “very good football player,” but sees the learning curve that has to take place — especially when running with the second-team in practice.
“We both help each other out,” Stokes said about being supportive of his younger teammate. “I know he’s got my back like I’ve got his. We can both help each other grow.”
Stokes, on the other hand, hasn’t dealt with that problem too much. But now his real test comes when opponents target him. Deandre Baker, the Bulldogs’ star cornerback who has worked his way into becoming a first-round NFL draft pick, is rarely thrown at.
Stokes stands on the other side, and knows the responsibilities to come with it. Baker, in fact, sees similarities between them and says he “lives in the moment.”
“You have to have confidence going into it,” Stokes said. “You know he’s going to do his job, so I have to do mine. You can’t be fearful of the moment, even though you have an All-American corner on the other side.”
He’s ready for the challenge, and his teammates expect more of the same production. Even when Stokes had his days of learning with scout team in practice and splitting time between track and football, something was obvious to his teammates.
That former track guy could play.
“Stokes has never changed, I’ve been seeing this for a long time,” Georgia sophomore Mark Webb Jr. said.