The face of the Georgia Bulldogs’ wide receiver room isn’t a former five-star recruit from a high school football powerhouse in Texas or Florida. He’s not some six-foot-three 220-pound physical specimen like Julio Jones. This guy wasn’t even a Georgia fan growing up, but regardless everyone and your mama loves him, and he goes by the name of Ladd McConkey. 

The Chatsworth, Georgia native and previous practitioner of Tennessee Volunteer fandom, Ladd McConkey, leads the team in receptions, tied with Brock Bowers at 46 on the year. With his ability to move in space in addition to his speed, he’s proven to be an exceptional target for Georgia’s starting quarterback Stetson Bennett. 

But it wasn’t always glitz and glamor for the curly-headed pass catcher. 

McConkey left high school ranked as the No. 169 wide receiver in the nation and the No. 121 player in the state. Not only that, but he was the fifth best receiver in Georgia’s 2020 recruiting class behind names like Jermaine Burton, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Arian Smith and Justin Robinson. 

He told us in an interview on Tuesday that as a freshman when it wasn’t looking like he was going to get much playing time, he was inspired seeing his teammates on the field. He saw them out there having a good time and simply wanted to do the same thing himself. Then once he got comfortable in practice going up against those same guys he started building the confidence needed to grow into the player he is today. 

“I knew I could do it. I was doing it,” 

McConkey said when he was describing that practicing against the players he looked up to would eventually translate onto the field.

Now that he’s an established player on this team he’ll help lead the team as they play in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium this Saturday. He’s made sure to keep a level head in the process saying that he knows the challenge that LSU presents and is taking things one game at time. 

He has yet to win one, so he’s looking forward to the opportunity. “SEC Championships are hard to come by,” McConkey said. Hopefully he and the Dawgs can cash in this go ‘round.