Georgia ILB Smael Mondon not expected to play vs. Vanderbilt

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia will be shorthanded at inside linebacker when it plays Vanderbilt on Saturday. DawgsHQ has learned that Smael Mondon, a sophomore from Dallas, Ga., is not expected to be available vs. the Commodores.

Smael Mondon suffered an ankle injury during Georgia’s win over Missouri two weeks ago. He finished that game but Kirby Smart attributed that to adrenaline. He hasn’t practiced much at all over the past two weeks.

If he is unable to play, it’ll be the second time in as many weeks that the Bulldogs have had to give it a go without one of its top tacklers. Smael Mondon ranks No. 3 on the team in tackles with 22 total and 17 solo. He also ranks third on the team in tackles for loss with 3.5. If you look at the tackles-per-game stat, Mondon ranks two since he has piled up all of his stops in five games.

The same sources who informed DawgsHQ that Smael Mondon isn’t expected to play on Saturday expect him to be back at full speed in time for UGA’s annual showdown with Florida in Jacksonville.

Trezmen Marshall, who has been the No. 3 inside linebacker for Georgia this season, has a chance to play against Vandy. Marshall also missed the Auburn game with a knee injury but trusted sources believe he’ll be in plan if everything goes well during pregame warmup.

Georgia vs. Vanderbilt is set for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff. The SEC Network will televise the game.

Georgia injury report for Vanderbilt

Out…

RB Andrew Paul (knee): The late addition to a No. 3-ranked 2022 haul for Georgia was pushing for a spot in the rotation before suffering a torn ACL in the second and final preseason scrimmage. Paul had surgery to repair that injury and will miss the entire 2022 season.

ILB C.J. Washington (neck): We don’t know when Washington might make a return to the football field. The true freshman suffered a neck injury during spring practice and while we’re told that he’s doing well, he hasn’t been able to practice since.

DL Jalen Carter (ankle): UGA’s most gifted defender has been banged up since the first game of the season. First it was an ankle injury that limited him against each of the last four Georgia opponents. He won’t play in this one after suffering a sprained MCL in his left knee against Missouri. Carter is likely out until after the bye week.

Doubtful…

OL Jacob Hood (lower body): The mammoth offensive lineman has been banged up to some extent since spring drills and maybe before that. He missed Georgia spring practice with a foot injury and had a tough time staying healthy in the preseason. Hood hasn’t been available for a game yet this season.

Questionable…

RB Kendall Milton (groin): Milton came into the Auburn game last week as the leading Georgia rusher on the season but he sustained a groin injury in the first quarter. He did not return to that game and Smart said earlier this week that the junior tailback was “probably probable.” That indicates that he’ll be available but we won’t be at all surprised to see him held out of this game.

OLB Chaz Chambliss (hamstring): The reserve outside linebacker didn’t travel to Missouri because of the soft-tissue injury. Smart says that it isn’t as major as the one that kept Nyland Green out for three games. Georgia would love to have Chambliss on special teams for this one but that’s very much up in the air. Unlike Smael Mondon and Trezmen Marshall, Chambliss isn’t a major part of the regular rotation at his outside linebacker position.

Probable…

WR AD Mitchell (ankle): The sophomore wideout was injured on UGA’s first play from scrimmage against Samford. He missed the rest of that game and the next three before making a return to the playing field against Auburn. He’s dealing with a thumb injury now as well. Smart told us this week that Mitchell hasn’t looked as good on the practice field as pregame warmup last week, so we’ll see if he gets into his second straight game.