Ladd McConkey leadership a bonus to production in his decision to return
While Brock Bowers and Dominic Lovett were bigger parts of the discussion surrounding Georgia this week at SEC Media Days, Ladd McConkey received some love too on Friday. The fourth-year Bulldog wide receiver was named preseason First-Team All-SEC by media in attendance. It comes as yet another sign of the big expectations for him and the Bulldogs ahead of the 2023 campaign.
Those kind of expectations haven’t always been the case for McConkey though. A three-star recruit who wasn’t heavily recruited and received an offer from Georgia late in the process, McConkey redshirted in his first year on campus without seeing action in any games. That’s why it came as a surprise when his name started to be mentioned more and more ahead of his second season in 2021.
McConkey lived up to the hype in 2021, being named to the Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC team as he hauled in 31 passes for 447 yards and five touchdowns. He also added a rushing score on one of his four carries.
Then, in 2022, McConkey finished as the team’s second-leading receiver with 58 catches, 762 yards and seven scores, once again adding some contribution on the ground with seven carries and two touchdowns. For that, he earned Second-Team All-SEC honors.
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“Ladd is a great guy. I was really, really excited that he decided to come back, but it’s been amazing to see his growth,” Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran said. “I remember Ladd always talked about, he was so excited to just be able to travel, and then you know years later, man, he’s really, really been a big piece for us making plays down the field. I’m super, super proud of him and really happy for him because he’s taken some amazing strides in his game and also as a person.”
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McConkey made the decision to pass up on the NFL after another year and return to Georgia for his fourth season. Not only was that big news for the Bulldogs as it pertained to their offense in 2023, adding another weapon to a loaded receiver room, but it’s been big for Georgia from a leadership standpoint.
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“Man, I would say this: It’s amazing. I know a lot of people talk about my decision to come back, but I think his decision to come back is something that really, really will help the team,” Van Pran said. “I think it was essential for the team to really on a good start as far as work outs and things like that.”
“He’s an awesome leader,” Bowers added. “He’s kind of like me, kind of leads by example, and he does a really good job at it. He just comes in with a positive mindset and smile on his face every day. So I feel like he kind of brings the whole team’s vibe up a little bit, and he just does everything right.”
McConkey and Georgia get underway with fall camp in less than two weeks before kicking off the season at Sanford Stadium on September 2nd against UT-Martin (6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+/SECN+).
