Georgia football: Here is every returning starter for 2023

The 2023 Georgia Bulldogs will be replacing a lot of experience on both sides of the ball — especially on offense. The Bulldogs do return 10 starters this fall, and

The 2023 Georgia Bulldogs will be replacing a lot of experience on both sides of the ball — especially on offense. The Bulldogs do return 13 starters this fall, and many of them are All-SEC candidates. That roster remains loaded with veteran talent. For reference, Georgia returned 10 starters on its 2022 National Championship team, 14 starters on its 2021 National Championship team, and 10 starters on its 2020 squad.

As the expectations remain sky-high on Kirby Smart to defend his back-to-back national championships and return to the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff, the Bulldogs once again have a roster that gives them a legitimate chance to contend. Even with several players leaving early for the 2023 NFL Draft, Smart has a lot of proven talent at his disposal at almost every position.

Using the criteria for a returning starter as a player who started seven or more games in 2022, here is every returning starter on Georgia’s roster in 2023.

McConkey had established a strong connection with Stetson Bennett during the 2021 season, and that paid major dividends in 2022. McConkey started in 13 games last season and 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.

A Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC Team selection, McConkey played in all 15 games in 2021, starting in the wins against Clemson, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, Florida, and Missouri, and finishing second on the team with 31 receptions for 447 yards and five touchdowns. He would add four runs for 44 yards and a touchdown along with five punt returns for 82 yards.

Georgia football: Here is every returning starter for 2023

He redshirted in 2020. A late addition to the 2020 class, the Chatsworth (Ga.) North Murray playmaker took an official visit the final weekend and committed that Sunday. McConkey, who played wide receiver before moving to quarterback during his senior season, accounted for more than 3,000 all-purpose yards, including 924 rushing yards in his final campaign. He also had four interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns, and scored on two punt returns and one kick return. At The Opening Regional as a rising senior, he ran a verified 40-yard dash time of 4.56 and a shuttle of 4.12 seconds. He also had a vertical leap of 36.6 inches.

He signed with Georgia as the No. 1,158 overall prospect and the No. 167 wideout in the nation per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. He was the No. 120 overall player in Georgia.