ATHENS — Georgia football fan-favorite Nate McBride made official what many had expected, that he has fulfilled his life-long dream as a Bulldogs’ football player and will be moving on with the outgoing senior class.
Nate McBride Instagram
McBride was part of an outgoing class that tied the school record for most victories (44) with last Friday’s 24-21 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win over No. 8-ranked Cincinnati.
RELATED: 5 takeaways from Georgia bowl win, glance into program future
McBride, who played in all 10 tackles this season and made five tackles, has been a strong presence in the program throughout his career in the linebackers room and as a special teams warrior.
RELATED: Nate McBride displays championship attitude
Indeed, the 6-foot-2, 223-pound McBride played in all 53 of UGA’s games from the time he arrived.
A former UA. Army All-American Bowl selection and 4-star prospect from Vidalia, McBride carried a team-first attitude throughout and embrace his special teams role while playing behind NFL talents Monty Rice and Tae Crowder.
RELATED: McBride arrives ready to play with hair on fire
McBride’s sprinter-like speed — he ran a laster-timed 10.5-second 100 meters in high school, could give him a shot at making the NFL as a special teams ace.
.“I enjoy special teams because it helps me get on the field,” McBride, a former state champion in the 100 and 200 meters, said last year. “Everybody notices the quarterbacks and DBs, but special teams can get you to the pros by itself.”
McBride is the sort of talent that could have chosen to transfer and start at several other schools. Earlier this season, he explained why he chose to remain a Bulldog.
“I love it here, I love the guys here, the coaches are awesome,” McBride said. I believe they are the best coaches in the conference, and the nation, so who better to learn from?
“Also, I look past football because I know that football doesn’t last forever,” McBride said. “The connections here that I would get, the networking that I would get, will set me up for a great job afterward, and the education here is really good.”
The NCAA did not count the 2020 season toward players’ eligibility clock, and some seniors are expected to return for another season. Underclassmen have until mid-January to declare their intentions for the 2021 NFL Draft, which takes place April 29-May 1.
Georgia defensive tackle Julian Rochester, who suffered a season-ending knee injury on Oct. 31 at Kentucky, is among the UGA seniors who might return.
To date, UGA underclassmen Azeez Ojulari and Eric Stokes have declared for the NFL Draft.
DawgNation will continue to monitor the Bulldogs’ players decisions, comings and goings.
RELATED: Georgia football roster movement
