ATHENS — Sedrick Van Pran-Granger doesn’t want to put too much on the plate of center Jared Wilson.
Van Pran-Granger knows everyone will be watching how Wilson goes about replacing Van Pran-Granger this spring. Replacing an All-American is hard enough and that’s before factoring in the massive leadership role Van Pran-Granger filled for Georgia.
But from an athletic standpoint, there’s real confidence that Wilson can more than adequately replace Van Pran-Granger
“He’s quick and he’s fast. He can jump really high. His lateral quickness is ridiculous,” Van Pran-Granger said of Wilson. “I’m trying not to say too much. You’re just going to have to see for yourself.”
Georgia offensive lineman Tate Ratledge echoed what Van Pran-Granger had to say about Wilson. The All-American guard called Wilson a freak athlete, something that has long been apparent to those who have seen him practice and play.
While Wilson may be an unknown to many, he’s not a young option. This will be his fourth season in the Georgia program, as he signed in the same recruiting class as Amarius Mims.
Wilson has been slow-cooking in Georgia’s developmental system, like a juicy Boston Butt marinating for hours in a Crock-Pot.
“Just him running. The way he can get to a linebacker, things like that,” Ratledge said. “Things you don’t normally see out of a center. He can get to a linebacker with helping your guard too at the same time when a lot of centers just have to climb straight up. The way he just has great footwork and can get things done up front.”
The next step for Wilson in his development will be mastering the mental aspect of playing center. Calling out protections, making sure the snap is correct and other areas that come with being the team’s starting center.
Ratledge himself has been taking some extra reps as a center so Georgia can have better depth. He recognizes how hard the position can be, especially for someone who hasn’t been playing it for years.
Wilson wasn’t a center when Georgia signed him out of North Carolina back in 2021. But he’s been able to watch and mirror what Van Pran-Granger has been able to do over the last couple of seasons for Georgia.
And that hope is that he’s now ready for the task at hand. Wilson has already earned the belief of his teammates, as well as Van Pran-Granger.
“Jared Wilson will probably step up the most, along with Earnest Greene,” Van Pran-Granger said. “I think it’s huge to have Tate and [Xavier] Truss back because once you get those young guys who are hungry - Jared isn’t really young, but he just hasn’t had his opportunity to shine yet - so once you get those kind of guys with guys who are experienced and have really seen it all through the league in the SEC, I think the sky is the limit for those guys.”
When Georgia takes the field against Clemson to open the 2024 season, Wilson could very well be the only new starter on Georgia’s offensive line. Ratledge will enters his third season as a starter, while Greene, Fairchild and Truss were all key starters for the Bulldogs in 2023.
There is pressure on Wilson, starting this spring. But there’s plenty of belief in the promising center as well.
“Being able to work with him this year and then going into spring ball will really be the first time we really get to work together and see what he can do,” quarterback Carson Beck said. “I’m really excited. He’s really athletic guy, it’s insane some of the things he’s able to do. Super excited to see what he can do and have a lot of confidence in him.”
