Five Bulldogs to watch vs Florida in week 10

Five Georgia Bulldogs to watch vs Florida in week 10.

RB Trevor Etienne #1

Let’s get this one out of the way! Former Gator Trevor Etienne is the lead running back for Georgia and is putting together another solid season. He’s carried the ball 82 times for 422 yards and seven touchdowns. His 5.1 yards per carry is the lowest of his three-year collegiate career (first two with Florida). Etienne is also heavily involved in Georgia’s passing game, combining for 20 catches and 130 receiving yards. The 5’9, 205-pound running back is a dynamic runner with elite explosiveness off the line of scrimmage. Etienne is one of the best running backs in the SEC at making defenders miss and creating yards after contact. Etienne is Georgia’s highest rated offensive player, per Pro Football Focus.

Edge Mykel Williams #13

Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams has been battling an ankle injury this year, which has limited him throughout the 2024 season. However, Williams has presumably returned to full strength after logging a season high 38 snaps against Texas in week eight. Williams created four pressures and two sacks vs the Longhorns.

“He’s one of the more talented defenders in the country this year and most years I would say. He’s been that way for a while,” Billy Napier said on Williams. “He can be a challenge. Obviously slippery on the rundowns. Very versatile in terms of where he rushes on third down as well. So he’s got the height, length, and the bulk to be an inside rusher and edge rusher.”

Williams has a unique build standing at 6’5, 265 pounds and will lineup anywhere from the B gap interior spot to outside of the offensive tackle. Williams has great size and athleticism coming off the edge, which makes him one of the top 2025 NFL Draft prospects. NFL Draft Buzz lists Williams as the 6th overall prospect.

S Malaki Starks #24

Georgia’s top-rated defender among players with 150+ snaps is safety Malaki Starks, per PFF. Starks is the Bulldogs leading tackler and holds an impressive missed tackle rate of just 9.1%. In coverage, Starks has allowed 136 yards with an NFL passer rating against of 65.7. He’s totaled one interception and one pass break up. Starks’ athleticism and skillset allow him to line up just about anywhere in Georgia’s defense, logging a healthy number of snaps in the box, at free safety, and in the slot as a nickel. The 6’1, 205-pound junior is the top safety prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, according to NFL Draft Buzz.

DB Daylen Everette #6

Former five-star cornerback Daylen Everette leads Georgia’s cornerback room in snaps through seven games. The junior has allowed far and away the most receptions on the team, allowing 28 for 335 yards for two touchdowns on 32 targets. I’m looking forward to the matchup of Everette vs Elijhah Badger on Saturday night.

QB Carson Beck #15

Carson Beck is one of the more highly regarded quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft class but isn’t playing nearly as well in 2024 as he did a year ago. After losing Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey to the NFL, Beck’s numbers have slipped across the board. After throwing just six interceptions in all of 2023, Beck already has eight through seven games this season, seven of which have come with a clean pocket.

Beck is at his best when Georgia’s running back is working and he can go off the play action pass. Beck is completing nearly 70% of his passes off play action and has thrown seven touchdowns to one interception.

Georgia’s pass catchers haven’t done Beck many favors this year by totaling 16 drops, 8.8% of Beck’s passes. Beck has accumulated 350 ‘drop yards’ though seven games, which leads the SEC.

The key to stopping Georgia’s offense will be to stop the run and take away the threat of the play action pass. Win on 1st and 2nd down.

 

 

Nick Marcinko
Nick is a recent graduate from the University of Florida with a degree in Telecommunications. He is passionate about all sports but specifically baseball and football. Nick interned at Inside the Gators and worked part time with Knights247 before joining the Gator Country family. Nick enjoys spending his free time golfing and at the beach.