Post-spring depth chart: Skill positions

Georgia hasn’t yet released an official depth chart – and why should it, considering most position rankings will be moot once the recruits step on campus. But we’ll take a stab at where things stand after G-Day.

For the purposes of this blog, we will not include the incoming players on the depth chart. But they bear mention with each grouping. I also assign a percentage to the chances the depth chart looks like this when Georgia runs onto the Georgia Dome field to take on Boise State.

We weigh in today with the offensive skill positions. Not that the linemen don’t need skills. But we didn’t make up the term. So anyway:

QUARTERBACK
Starter: Aaron Murray, (R-Soph.)
Top backup: Hutson Mason (Soph.)
Also: Christian LeMay (Fr.), Parker Welch (walk-on, R-Fr.) Greg Bingham (walk-on, R-Fr.).

CHANCE IT STAYS LIKS THIS: 95 percent. … The 5 percent is for whether Mason will actually play this year or the team will try to get him his redshirt back. But there’s no doubt right now that Murray is the starter – after all, many consider him the SEC’s top returning quarterback – and that Mason is best equipped to play next.

LOOMING: None. … LeMay is the only quarterback recruit, and he enrolled early.

TAILBACK
Starter: Caleb King, (Sr.)
Top backup: Washaun Ealey (Jr.)
Also: Carlton Thomas (Jr.), Ken Malcome (R-Fr.), Alex Parsons (walk-on, R-Soph.), Brandon Harton (walk-on, R-Soph.)

CHANCE IT STAYS: 10 percent. … There’s at least one newcomer who should vault into one of the top two spots. King had a better spring than Ealey, who was hurt the vast majority of time. But coaches said no one separated themselves, and no one else really stood out. King gets the edge because of his better spring and experience, but you get the feeling that everything will reset to zero once preseason camp begins.

LOOMING: You may have heard of Isaiah Crowell. He’s still the best bet to be the starter against Boise State. Yes, that’s not a certainty. But let’s put it this way: Of the five scholarship tailbacks, almost any of them could start the opener, but the one who seems certain to at least get multiple carries is Crowell.

FULLBACK
Starter: Zander Ogletree (Soph.)
Top backup: Bruce Figgins (Sr.)
Also: Dustin Royston (walk-on, R-Soph.), Chris Young (R-Soph.)

CHANCES IT STAYS: 50 percent. Ogletree and Figgins should both get plenty of time. Figgins is likely to get the nod if he masters the blocking scheme after his move from tight end. For now, Ogletree gets the (slight) nod because of his experience.

LOOMING: None.

FLANKER
Starter: Tavarres King (Jr.)
Top backup: Israel Troupe (Sr.)
Also: Rantavious Wooten (Jr.), Chris Conley (Fr.), Taylor Bradberry (walk-on, Jr.)

CHANCES IT STAYS: 60 percent. … King is set at the top spot, but the rest is up in the air. Bennett seems likely to play somewhere, as does Conley. Troupe gets the nod as the top backup because of experience, but his playing time is far from assured. Wooten didn’t help himself in the spring, and missed G-Day with an undisclosed injury. Wooten and Troupe should play too, but it could be at split end, or the third receiver spot. And how much any of the backups play depends on whether they can hold off the recruits in August.

LOOMING: Malcolm Mitchell is likely to play receiver and not cornerback, and is just as likely to see the field against Boise State. Justin Scott-Wesley could also figure in the rotation, though that could take longer. Don’t count out Sanford Seay either.

SPLIT END
Starter: Marlon Brown (Jr.)
Top backup: Michael Bennett (R-Fr.)
Also: Bennett, Wooten, Conley.

CHANCES IT STAYS: 45 percent. … Brown will be the favorite entering camp, but he’ll have to hold off Mitchell, Bennett and possibly Conley. Wooten and Troupe can also switch to the other side of the field too.

LOOMING: See above.

TIGHT END
Starter: Orson Charles (Jr.)
Top backup: Aron White (Sr.)
Also: Arthur Lynch (R-Soph.)

CHANCES IT STAYS: 85 percent. … Charles had the edge entering spring and separated himself through a strong set of practices. But White, who was injured, will still see plenty of time. Lynch made the smart decision by redshirting last year, but will still be fighting to see the field at the team’s deepest position.

LOOMING: Jay Rome was one of the team’s highest-rated recruits, but whether he plays this year remains an open question. The Bulldogs don’t really need him unless there’s an injury, but Rome is also so good he may force the team to use him.