Although COVID-19 developments could capsize Georgia’s season before its Sept. 26 opener at Arkansas, The Red & Black is analyzing the depth chart of every position group to find its key player, its sleeper, and its player with something to prove. Part two of nine focuses on the offensive line.

Key player

Some might have concerns that Georgia’s key offensive lineman, Jamaree Salyer, has only two career starts heading into his junior season. Others might worry that he’s switching to left tackle after spending the majority of his freshman and sophomore seasons at guard.

But Salyer doesn’t see it that way.

“I’m excited for this season,” Salyer said in a press conference on Aug. 16. “It’s the opportunity I’ve been waiting for, being a guy who was here for two years and sitting behind two great players — two first-rounders — I feel like this is the season for me to try to go out and prove myself and do a lot of things that people say I can’t do.”

The 6-foot-4, 325-pound junior has big shoes to fill at the left tackle position. Both of his predecessors, Isaiah Wynn and former teammate Andrew Thomas, were first-round selections in the 2018 and 2020 NFL Drafts, respectively.

One of Salyer’s challenges this offseason has been cutting weight, and he said taking sweets out of his diet and regularly eating Chick-fil-A salads were part of his process. He also spent some of the offseason training with Thomas as well as former NFL guard Kynan Forney.

The No. 1 offensive guard prospect in the country out of high school, Salyer certainly has the talent, and his performance while starting at right tackle against Baylor in the Sugar Bowl is enough to be optimistic about his future as Georgia’s next left tackle. 

Sleeper

Senior Justin Shaffer has patiently waited for his chance to be the every-game starter at left guard for the Bulldogs. Although a year older, Shaffer has the same experience as Salyer — two starts in 26 total appearances.

Heading into this season, Shaffer still isn’t guaranteed starting status in what could be his final season in Athens. Redshirt sophomore Warren Ericson and redshirt freshman Clay Webb are both possible starters at left guard. But Shaffer’s time backing up fourth-round 2020 NFL Draft pick Solomon Kindley could prove its worth throughout this season.

While a neck injury kept Shaffer out of the final eight games of last season, the 6-foot-4, 330-pound guard was medically cleared to continue football activities on Jan. 16, giving him a full offseason of preparation.

Something to prove

Redshirt senior Ben Cleveland joins junior Trey Hill as the Bulldogs’ only two returners on the offensive line to have started in at least half of last season’s games. But while Hill started in all 14 games at center, Cleveland shared starts at right guard with Cade Mays, who transferred to Tennessee on Jan. 8.

Cleveland’s career at Georgia resembles much of what he experienced last season. The question isn’t whether he will start — it’s how often?

The 6-foot-6, 335-pound guard played in all 15 games during the 2017-18 season and started at right guard in the final five, including the College Football Playoff National Championship. He extended his stretch of consecutive starts to nine in the following fall, but has only started in seven of Georgia’s 24 games since.

Mays’ transfer from Georgia seemed to solidify Cleveland’s place at right guard for this season. But he’ll need to hold off the young talent waiting behind him on the depth chart if his first full season as a starter is in store this fall.

Printed with permission from The Red & Black independent student media organization based in Athens, Georgia; redandblack.com/sports