According to UGASports.com‘s Anthony Dasher, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart told a group of supporters in Charlotte on Monday night that redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis has been cleared for practice going into spring drills.

“He’s been cleared, he’ll be able to practice,” Smart told the group. “Coach (Todd) Monken had been watching tape of him before he got injured and he’s excited about him and thinks he’s’s going to be in the midst of that competition. He’s really a talented young man.”

Mathis underwent emergency cranial surgery last May to remove a cyst from his brain. He was back on the field for fall camp participating in warmups and workouts but was not cleared for contact drills.

During the 2019 preseason, Mathis competed in seven-on-seven workouts and began working in full pads as a member of the scout team midway through Georgia’s 2020 schedule. Mathis even dressed out with the team in the final two games of the year against Texas A&M and Georgia Tech.

In Georgia’s 2019 G-Day game, Mathis threw for 113 yards and caught a touchdown pass in the scrimmage.

Mathis, who was originally committed to Ohio State, flipped to Georgia on Early National Signing Day in 2018. The news came as quite of a surprise as the former four-star prospect was committed to the Buckeyes for nearly eight months before changing his decision.

At this point, he will be allowed to participate fully in spring drills but won’t receive contact due to the fact that Smart doesn’t let his QBs get hit during those practices. However, this will prepare him for game-like scenarios in the fall.

Once spring camp begins on March 17th after UGA’s spring break, D’Wan Mathis will compete with Wake Forest graduate transfer Jamie Newman, junior Stetson Bennett IV, and true freshman and early enrollee Carson Beck along with walk-on redshirt freshman Nathan Priestly and junior John Seter for playing time.