ATHENS — As Georgia moves on from the Leonard Floyd-Jordan Jenkins era at outside linebacker, it will be Lorenzo Carter who gets the most attention as a potential breakout star. But it’s another outside linebacker who could actually emerge as the star.
That’s according to Floyd and Jenkins.
“You definitely gotta watch Davin Bellamy,” Floyd said at UGA’s Pro Day on Wednesday. “He might be better than me. Don’t tell him that though. But yeah he’s going to be a great player. I’m expecting big things from him next year.”
Jenkins wasn’t quite as effusive, but when asked to name some potential breakout players this year, other than the obvious names, Jenkins mentioned Bellamy and another outside linebacker.
“Don’t sleep on Bell and Chuks Amaechi,” Jenkins said. “They might shock some people.”
Bellamy, who will be a fourth-year junior this season, started two games last year, finishing with three sacks, nine quarterback pressures and 5.5 tackles-for-loss. He was a three-star recruit (according to 247Sports) coming out of Chamblee High School, and has seen action in 10 games each of the past two years.
Carter was a five-star recruit two years ago, an intriguing blend of size and athleticism. He’s shown flashes, starting five times as a true freshman, when he had 4.5 sacks, 18 QB pressures and seven TFLs. But he appeared to take a step back last year, recording zero sacks or TFLs and just six QB pressures.
So what happened?
“He’s most definitely got the work ethic,” Jenkins said. “The coaches pick who plays week in and week out, he’s just got to figure out what the coaches want to see from him, and just do it.”
Either way, Floyd and Jenkins sounded very confident about their unit being left in very capable hands. There’s also Amaechi, who started one game last year as a junior college transfer, and sophomore D’Andre Walker.
“Next year, that outside linebacker unit could be the future,” Jenkins said. “I mean Lorenzo, he’s what you want as an athlete, he’s what you want as an edge guy. He’s about 6-5, 6-6, 240 pounds, four or five percent body fat. He’s got all the tools, he’s just got to go out there and show it.”