Georgia football: Ladd McConkey named No. 9 returning WR in college football

Looking ahead to the 2023 college football season, Pro Football Focus attempted to rank the 10 best wide receivers returning to the field this fall, using its rating system that the site claims is used by all 32 NFL teams and 70 FBS programs. Georgia junior Ladd McConkey was named the No. 9 player on the list, behind only LSU's Malik Nabers in the SEC.

Like his former quarterback Stetson Bennett, McConkey has an incredible underdog story. Coming out of high school in 2020, he was the No. 1,143 recruit and the 188th-best wide receiver, according to On3 Sports’ consensus ratings.

This year, the redshirt sophomore was the seventh-most valuable receiver in the country, according to PFF’s wins above average metric. His 42 combined receiving first downs and touchdowns trailed only Malik Nabers among SEC wide receivers. He has also added 178 rushing yards over the past two seasons, which ranks fourth for Power Five wide receivers.

McConkey had established a strong connection with Stetson Bennett during the 2021 season, and that paid major dividends in 2022. McConkey was named to the Coaches All-SEC second team after catching 58 passes for 762 yards and 7 touchdowns, all of which led the way for Georgia’s wide receivers. His 7 touchdown receptions tied Brock Bowers for the team lead. McConkey ended the 2022 season on a high note thanks to a strong performance in the national title game against TCU. The redshirt sophomore caught 5 passes for 88 yards and 2 touchdowns, the first being a wide-open 37-yard score in the first quarter and a 14-yard catch late in the third quarter.

Georgia will look to replace Kearis Jackson, Dominick Blaylock, and AD Mitchell, its No. 3, No. 5, and No. 6 wide receivers in terms of production from the 2022 National Championship season. Mitchell, who has transferred to Texas, would finish sixth on the team with only nine receptions and seventh in receiving yards, playing in only six games. Blaylock, who finished fifth among Georgia wide receivers with 15 receptions, is also in the transfer portal but has yet to announce a destination.

Wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon signed a trio of four-star wide receivers this cycle in Tyler Williams, Anthony Evans, and Yazeed Haynes. The position room got a big boost in December when Dominic Lovett transferred in from Missouri and RaRa Thomas transferred in from Mississippi State, giving Georgia two players who led their respective SEC programs in receiving last season. Now, with the SEC's second-best returning receiver in McConkey, a healthy Arian Smith, a dependable option in Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, a more experienced Dillon Bell, the incoming freshmen, and two SEC leading wideouts in Lovett and Thomas, McClendon is ready to get back to work this spring.

"I am really excited," McClendon said. "All of these guys, everything in the room that we have coming back, I'm excited about everybody that's going to be a part of it. This offseason is going to be important. It will be vital. So making sure that we understand that we don't have days to lose in the offseason as well."