Spring Practice Countdown: Tight guard

Each year spring practice is the best indication of the depth, starters, and players at each position on the team. Even with Georgia’s personnel losses due to graduation and the NFL, the Bulldogs are strong at many positions, and tight guard is one of them. It is one of the strengths of the Bulldogs going into this spring. In fact, it might be the deepest single position on the team in terms of talent and experience.

2004 Starter: Max Jean-Gilles (26 career starts)

Jean-Gilles will, without a doubt, be the starting tight guard in 2005. His somewhat surprising decision to return to Georgia for his final season was pleasantly received by the staff as well as the Bulldog Nation.

Russ Tanner was the backup a tight guard in 2004, but Fernando Velasco (1 career start) gets the nod there this spring. Look for Bartley Miller’s (9 career starts) return to the lineup to give this position more depth. Miller might fight away the backup spot from Velasco, but that will depend on his return from a shoulder injury that prevented him from playing during 2004.

Seth Watts will continue to develop behind while spending this spring at the bottom of a very deep tight guard spot. Watts was not depended upon at all in 2004, but he needs to start getting ready for 2006 and beyond this March.