Broderick Jones aiming to get better as he takes on bigger role

Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones is stepping into a spot that gets talked about as the most important position in all of football: left tackle. Normally, a new left tackle would be cause for concern headed into a season. But for the Bulldogs, folks have seen enough out of Jones that they are confident he can step in and there be no sort of drop off. After all, he did just that in the National Championship Game against Alabama.

“Really just keeps me on the grind,” Jones said this week speaking to media members when asked if the previous experience gives him confidence. “I still feel like I haven’t accomplished anything here at Georgia because I’m trying to start from day one. I want to be able to be in that starting lineup from day one, game one all the way up until whenever we’re done, you know, and I feel like I’m able to do that. So I just come in and work, stay prepared mentally and physically just trying to stay at my top shape so I can be able to be that guy.”

Jones, a former five-star and the No. 1-ranked offensive tackle in his Class of 2020, started four games for Georgia down the stretch of last season when starting tackle Jamaree Salyer was dealing with an injury. He also played extensively against Auburn midway through the season with Salyer exiting the game due to injury. Then, in the second quarter of the National Championship, Georgia did what many had expected earlier in the season and moved Salyer inside to his more natural position at guard and inserted Jones into the lineup. That helped open things up for what had been a stagnant Georgia offense so far in the game and led the Bulldogs to their first National Championship in over four decades.

Still, as Jones said, he’s entering this season as the starter. It’s different than coming off of the bench. He’ll be in the lineup from the get go against Oregon on September 3rd and presumably through the last game. Does that make this offseason any different for him? According to Jones, not really.

“I would say I’m in the same boat. Just pushing myself to be better,” Jones said. “I’m working toward the season because it’s right around the corner so you know I’m pushing myself to be the best version of me that I can as a left tackle and as a leader of the team.”

“We just need more leaders on the team because most of our leaders left,” he continued on leadership. “We just have to uphold the standard of the people that left. Everybody that’s still here, it’s still the same thing. It’s still the University of Georgia. We try and hold everybody to the same standard … I embrace it. Coming out of high school, I was a top recruit, so it wasn’t my first time trying to be a leader. It’s something that I have done before in my life.”

Jones joins 15-game starters Warren McClendon (right tackle) and Sedrick Van Pran (center) on an incredibly talented offensive line. Those three seem set in their respective spots while the two guard positions are up for grabs. But according to Jones, there’s still room to grow for everybody, including himself.

“I feel like the o-line is, you know, we’re still progressing, but we have an amazing unit,” Jones said. “We’ve got a lot of talent, a lot of physicality, a lot of skillsets going on. I just feel like everybody on the o-line can contribute at any time and at any position. You know, it’s not just about one position. I know they say they’re battling at guard, but everybody’s working to get better every day. So, we’re just trying to keep that same mindset.”

“I feel like I’ve got a lot better in the run game,” he added. “You know, like just staying in the weight room consistently, staying on the grind, pushing the weight hard, trying to better myself. You know, like knowing my assignments, knowing what to do. Just staying on the same path and just keep pushing every day.”