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Georgia Football: Four Bulldogs named AP All-Americans

Palmber-Thombsby:Palmer Thombs•08/22/22•

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Steven Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images

The Associated Press released its 2022 Preseason All-American team on Monday, and four Georgia Bulldogs in total made the two teams. Brock Bowers, Jalen Carter and Kelee Ringo found themselves on the first-team while Nolan Smith was the Bulldogs’ lone second-teamer.

Bowers returns to Athens after a spectacular freshman season that saw him break many Georgia receiving records. Bowers hauled in 56 catches for 882 yards, more than any other tight end in school history has ever before, and 13 touchdown, a school record regardless of position. But in speaking with Bowers this fall, there should be no concern for a sophomore slump. Bowers won SEC and national Freshman of the Year awards, earned First-Team All-SEC honors and still has two more seasons before he can consider going pro. The sky is the limit for Bowers and his college career.

Showing signs of maturity and growth to an already excellent game, Carter could be – and probably should be without three first rounders playing alongside him – even better in 2022. Still, his 2021 version wasn’t bad either. Carter was named to an All-SEC team last season with 37 tackles, 33 quarterback pressures and finished top three on the team in both tackles for loss (8.5) and pressures. He was also one of 20 players in the country to block multiple placement kicks.

Regardless of what Ringo does for the rest of his career, he’ll forever be shown on the big screen at Sanford Stadium thanks to his interception and ensuing return in the National Championship Game this past season. However, he doesn’t want to just be remembered for that. Ringo returns to Athens for a third season as the unquestioned top player in the secondary for the Bulldogs and as one of few players that contributed greatly to Georgia’s dominant defense last fall. That puts more pressure than ever before on the former No. 1 cornerback in the country. Ringo appears ready though.

We mentioned Kelee Ringo as one of few players that contributed greatly to Georgia’s dominant defense last season. Well, Smith would be another of those, finishing fifth on the team in tackles. And a case could be made that he is the biggest leader that returns for Georgia in 2022. He was asked at times to speak for the entirety of the unit. This year, it could be the entirety of the team, like he did at SEC Media Days this summer. The No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2019 according to the On3 Consensus, Smith will look to cap off his collegiate career with another successful season for his home state school.

Georgia, the No. 3 team in both the AP and Coaches polls behind Alabama and Ohio State in each at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively, once again finishes behind the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes here. Nick Saban’s squad had four first-teamers and six on the two teams overall while Ryan Day’s team paced the Big Ten with three first-team selections and five overall. Notre Dame also had four players like Georgia but two came on the second team.

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