ATHENS — Apparently when it comes to Ahkil Crumpton, Georgia has no problem with continuing the Isaiah McKenzie comparisons.
Not only does Crumpton resemble the departed McKenzie in size and position, but he’s been given the same jersey number: 16. Although even from afar it is apparent that Crumpton is a wee bit bigger; Crumpton is listed on the brand new roster at 5-9 and 175 pounds, a couple inches and about 10 pounds bigger than McKenzie played at during his three years at Georgia.
Crumpton stood out, but that was far from the only observation at Georgia’s first preseason practice on Monday:
- No sign of Robert Beal or Devonte Wyatt yet. The two signees have yet to get their official qualifying results. There was a defensive lineman named Wyatt on the roster – but it was walk-on Kolby Wyatt from Snellville.
- Sophomore Jaleel Laguins is playing outside linebacker, after working at inside linebacker and occasionally safety last year, when he played sparingly.
- Jaden Hunter, the freshman who was listed as an outside linebacker when he signed, was with the inside linebackers. Also of interest: Hunter is wearing jersey no. 88, the number his father Brice wore as a Georgia Bulldog in the 1990s. Brice Hunter passed away in 2004, when his son Jaden was five years old. (Here’s the story Chip Towers did about Jaden and Brice.)
- Michael Barnett, the redshirt sophomore who has moved between offensive and defensive line, was with the defensive linemen on Monday. Perhaps not surprising given that there are now 17 scholarship offensive linemen, and about 10 on the other side of the line.
- D’Andre Swift, the freshman tailback, was working with the slots during a passing drill. So were fellow tailbacks Brian Herrien and Sony Michel, and tight ends Isaac Nauta and Jackson Harris. The latter four did so in the spring, and it’s no surprise that Swift, whose reputation goes along with his surname, is joining them.
- The media only got two periods, a total of about 11 minutes, so unfortunately there aren’t too many other observations at this point.
- But fresh off the roster, some updated jersey numbers for freshmen: CB Ameer Speed (9), DL Malik Herring (10), DB Tray Bishop (12), WR Trey Blount (14), WR Matt Landers (15), ILB Nate McBride (22), DB William Poole (31), DB Latavious Brini (36), CB Eric Stokes (41), OL Justin Shaffer (54), OL Andrew Thomas (71), OL Netori Johnson (72), OL Isaiah Wilson (79), WR Mark Webb (81), LB Walter Grant (84).
- Graduate transfer kicker David Marvin is wearing 91.
- And among notable walk-ons, quarterback Stetson Bennett is wearing 22, and kicker Brooks Buce is in 97.
- New heights and weights are on the updated roster too. Among the freshmen offensive linemen, all the heights are the same since they signed, but all have also dropped weight: Thomas dropped 18 pounds and is now listed at 320, Wilson and Shaffer both dropped five pounds, and each is now listed at 345, and Johnson dropped nine pounds, down to 325.
- Among other players, Stokes, one of the freshman cornerbacks, is listed 12 pounds heavier, now up to 185 pounds. (He’s 6-foot-1.) Grant, the outside linebacker, is also up 13 pounds, up to 245.
