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Kirby Smart comments on E.J. Lightsey, replacing talent off to the NFL

Palmber-Thombsby:Palmer Thombs•02/05/22•

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(EJ Lightsey/Instagram)
(EJ Lightsey/Instagram)

Kirby Smart spoke about seeing empty rooms throughout the Georgia Football building at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall during his press conference on Wednesday with one of those certainly being that of Glenn Schumann and the inside linebackers.

Gone are the days of Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Channing Tindall as the trio is off to the NFL. And while there is certainly still talent, the experience that the Bulldogs have gotten used to is absent. For the first time in a long time, the entirety of the inside linebacker rotation will be made up of individuals that weren’t a part of it the previous season.

Sure, Rian Davis and Trezman Marshall have been around the building for several seasons now. However, the pair of players entering their fourth season has struggled to stay healthy. And yes, there is a former five-star Smael Mondon, and Xavian Sorey too if he sticks inside like he was in 2021, along with Jamon Dumas-Johnson who shined in limited action last fall, but the action has been just that, limited. That’s why the Bulldogs could be counting on any of the three signees that they are brining in for the Class of 2022: Jalon Walker, C.J. Washington and E.J. Lightsey.

“He’s a kid we had in camp. He’s a kid we never stopped recruiting. We felt very strongly about him,” Smart said of Lightsey. “He ran really well at our camp, and we put a lot of value on camp evaluations. It’s the only thing we see with our eyes. Once the character checks out, academics check out, play tape checks out, everything goes to the camp. This guy did a great job at our camp and is not afraid to work in this day and age of speed and space play, covering people. He’s a tremendous athlete.”

While Lightsey, ranked the No. 48 linebacker in the country and No. 482 overall player according to the On3 Consensus, could have a chance to come in and earn playing time based on the remarks of Smart, he won’t be on campus until the summer. However, that’s not the case for Walker and Washington, both among the group of early enrollees that Georgia has going through spring practice.

“Every year, you go into that team meeting, the meeting after you’re through with your season, regardless of how your season ended, and you’re looking around going, “Where is everybody at?” he added. “There’re 19 guys in the back of the room that are filling big holes in the front of the room. That doesn’t happen over night.”

The Bulldogs typically begin spring practice the Tuesday after the University’s spring break. That would have them back on the practice fields on March 15, taking the first step towards defending their National Championship.

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