Earnest Greene favorite to step up according to NFL bound linemen
INDIANAPOLIS — Georgia has two offensive linemen at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine – Broderick Jones and Warren McClendon. Both are tackles. The logical next thought to have would be, ‘Well, who is going to replace them?’ Amarius Mims has starting experience and played just over 35% of offensive snaps this season. That’s an easy one for one of the spots, but the other void, that’s been harder to predict. However, both Jones and McClendon had the same guy in mind: Earnest Greene.
Greene is a guy that Georgia fans were excited about when he picked the Bulldogs back in January 2022. Not only was he talented, but he hailed from a spot that isn’t necessarily a UGA pipeline, Southern California. ranked a top-50 player overall according to the On3 Industry Ranking and No. 3 among players at his position, Greene chose Georgia over the national contenders like Alabama, Ohio State and Texas, among others.
“My guy Earnest. I like Earnest a lot,” Jones told reporters on Saturday at the NFL Combine when asked who his replacement might be. “He was hurt this past season, but I believe when he is back healthy, he gets everything in order, he’ll be alright.”
“Man Earnest came in, he was ready. He was very physical, heavy hands, good pass sets, good run blocking, good finisher. He showed all the attributes to play at a level like the SEC,” he continued. “If I’m being honest, I feel like he came in on a higher level than I did. Just because he had experience, his dad, trainers. Coming out of high school I wasn’t really training a lot with people. I feel like he really had an upper hand on me coming in.”
McClendon also shouted out the Bellflower, Calif. native and St. John Bosco product. After saying that he thought Mims would be among the biggest leaders on the offensive line next season, Greene was the first name that came to mind for him at offensive tackle.
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“Earnest Greene, he got injured before the season so he sat out for a little bit. But he’s coming back,” McClendon said. “He had a great spring, especially for an early enrollee. He shocked me. Earnest Greene for sure, Austin Blaske, Micah Morris, there’s a bunch of talent there.”
“You know when freshmen come in, and early enrollees at that, they have a lot to learn. But he picked up on everything quick,” he added. “In his pass pro, you come in and you have to learn how to kick-slide and stuff like that. He had it down pat day one when he first came in. Just seeing stuff like that, just little things like that, you’re like, okay, he’s going to be good.”
Greene spent the 2022 season sidelined after a back surgery that head coach Kirby Smart announced in October. Prior to that, Greene battled hamstring issues and did not make an appearance for the National Championship winning Bulldogs.
Greene’s availability for the spring remains to be seen. Georgia begins spring practice on March 14, the first of 15 sessions over the course of 31 days.
