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Brett Thorson shares hilarious story of first full-speed encounter with Ladd McConkey

On3 imageby:Jake Rowe•02/11/24•

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Ladd McConkey
Tony Walsh / UGA Sports Communications

Georgia wideout Ladd McConkey has generated tons of buzz during the early pre-draft process. He was dominant at times during Reese’s Senior Bowl practices, earning top wideout as voted upon by the defensive backs in attendance.

But what he did in Mobile, Ala. earlier this month didn’t shock his former teammates at Georgia. In a recent edition of the Real Talk Podcast with UGA offensive lineman Tate Ratledge and punter Brett Thorson, the latter shared a funny tale of his first on-field encounter with McConkey.

“He hit me in my first ever live rep,” Thorson said on the podcast. “Obviously when he was back to being the punt returner. He’d come back and he’s returning it. Obviously I’m just jogging through at the end and he hit me with this double move.”

“Did you fall?” Ratledge asked.

“No,” Thorson said. “He went one way and back the other and I was standing right there so it looked I meant to tag him off. I just hadn’t responded to the first move. So I was still in the same spot.”

You just hadn’t reacted yet,” Ratledge said laughing.

“Yeah,” Thorson continued, “I just hadn’t reacted yet. So it looked like I played it really smart and didn’t bite, but really I was just processing how quick he was moving and, yeah.”

In short, McConkey juked Thorson so badly that he made him look good on the play. That’s impressive but other players, both opponents of Georgia and teammates on the practice field, haven’t been so lucky.

“Ladd does that everyday in practice and in games to really anybody he goes against,” Ratledge said.

Todd McShay raves over McConkey…

Former ESPN analyst and Scouts Inc. co-founder Todd McShay was in Mobile for the entire week and he came away thinking that McConkey has the skillset to become an immediate contributor at the next level. McShay gushed over the Bulldog wideout in a recent interview on The Ryen Russillo Podcast, presented by The Ringer.

“His route running, his speed and acceleration, his ball skills are second to none in this class,” McShay told Russillo. “I think he’s got a chance to be maybe a late first-round pick. Somewhere probably more likely an early second round. But he’s one of those guys, plug play, slot receiver, right away, Puka Nakua type. I’m not saying he’s going to have that production. It was record-setting for a rookie, but I think he’s going to be a big-time contributor, plug-and-play starter right away.”

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