By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

So, you have the Georgia Bulldogs coming three points shy of a national title in 2017 and trying to maintain the momentum of the unexpected title run. The Dawgs are now the hunted instead of the hunter moving forward in year three of the Kirby Smart regime in The Classic City.

Here are 5 Dawgs to watch in 2018:

Deandre Baker: The senior cornerback, when set up against SEC opponents last season, allowed a passer rating of 38.7. That was the second-lowest rating allowed by an SEC cornerback. In his junior season with the Bulldogs, Baker was targeted 42 times and allowed 18 receptions for 209 yards. Baker played in 15 games and also recorded 44 total tackles, 3 interceptions and 9 pass deflections.

When Baker decided to return for his senior season Georgia DC Mel Tucker’s job got a little easier because Baker will shut down one side of the field while UGA gets the other defensive backs some valuable snaps early to get ready for the SEC slate.

Look for Baker to contend for All-American honors and be contender for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the top defensive back in college football.

Richard LeCounte III: The five-star Liberty County product is being counted on to step into a leadership role on the Bulldog defense that lost Roquan Smith to the Chicago Bears.

Kirby Smart has been speaking directly and indirectly to LeCounte through the media about stepping up to being the player the coaching staff envisions him being. Expect a huge year out of LeCounte as he responds to his head coach and the mental side of the game catches up to his fantastic athletic ability.

Monty Rice: How do you replace the best linebacker in UGA football history? Well Monty Rice had 14 tackles in the G-Day game in April and has the confidence of his head coach, who had this to say about Rice after the game: “He’s a great kid, man, He’s one of those that when the lights come on and he gets the chance to play in front of somebody, he flashes more. He just loves the game. He loves contact. He likes to hit.”

That’s all I needed to hear about Rice who will lead this young linebacker group in the fall. Rice will have three years to make his mark in Athens.

Terry Godwin: The former five-star recruit from Hogansville came back for his senior season. Godwin has been the second leading receiver on the team for each of his three seasons and has shown flashes of the lofty recruiting ranking at times during his UGA career.

Godwin is the man and needs to play like the man at WR in 2018. Godwin leads a talented position group that returns two other starters in Riley Ridley, and Mecole Hardman. UGA is loaded at every position on offense.

Justin Fields: The top rated QB in the last recruiting cycle looked the part in the G-Day game. He played better than Jake Fromm in the contest and brings a skill set to the offense that UGA has not seen since DJ Shockley which is the ability to make plays with his feet.

Plug in Tim Tebow’s freshman highlight tape at Florida and you will see how Fields will be used in Athens this year. Justin Fields will have an impact on this football team in the fall in red zone situations. This kid is special.

Kirby is building a monster in Athens, Georgia. Who else can’t wait for September to arrive?