Georgia trio included on Walter Camp All-American teams
July is here, and that means the last month in 2024 without football. Making the season feel even closer, the Walter Camp Football Foundation announced its preseason All-American teams on Monday with
Quarterback Carson Beck was included on the organization’s first-team, joined by offensive lineman Tate Ratledge. Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, safety Malaki Starks earned first-team honors as well. No Bulldogs were named to the second team. Starks was a first-team selection at the end of the 2023 season, and as is the case with the other two too, his inclusion shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Beck earned Georgia’s starting spot last season and never looked back. Throwing for nearly 4,000 yards on a school record 72.4% completion rate, Beck was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the league’s 14 coaches, behind only Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels of LSU. After spring practice, both Draftkings and FanDuel listed Beck as the favorite to win this year’s Heisman Trophy while NFL scouts are already talking about his a possible first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
As for Ratledge and Starks, both earned some sort of All-American nod last season. Starting all but one game last season, Ratledge was included on the Associated Press’ second team while Starks was just one first team nod away from earning unanimous honors. He was a finalist for both the Bronko Nagurski and Jim Thrope awards, each of which goes to an outstanding player on the defensive side of the ball.
It’s the latest in what’s becoming a long list of preseason accolades for Georgia, and that list is certain to grow with award watch lists and several other All-SEC and All-American teams still to be announced. Kirby Smart’s squad enters 2024 as the favorite according to oddsmakers in Las Vegas to a win a third title in four seasons, but it won’t be easy with the schedule UGA must face. The Bulldogs have road tests at Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss over the course of the season in a new-look SEC. That’s not all though. Also on the slate is a season-opener against ACC favorite Clemson as well as a home date with Tennessee. All five of those teams are expected to be in the top 15-20 of preseason rankings.
Georgia is coming off of a 13-1 season in 2023, defeating Florida State 63-3 in the Orange Bowl after the Bulldogs and Seminoles both narrowly missed out on the College Football Playoffs. UGA was seeking a third straight National Championship – something that remains unmatched since the 1930s – after the only back-to-back titles of the four-team Playoff era.
