Kirby Smart not worried about Georgia WR Mecole Hardman’s problem with drops
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Georgia sophomore WR Mecole Hardman only started playing receiver this year, and it has been a work in progress so far.
The talented kick and punt returner has made an impact as a receiver this year, with seven catches for 58 yards and a touchdown through six games. However, there have also been some growing pains, as Hardman has dropped several passes, including a couple in Saturday’s win at Vanderbilt.
Still, coach Kirby Smart remains optimistic about Hardman’s future, saying on Tuesday that the Bulldogs would continue throwing the ball his way (via Rivals.com):
“He knows he’s got to catch the ball. We’re going to continue to throw it to him. We’re not going to not throw it to him,” Smart said after practice Tuesday. “I think Mecole’s a work in progress. He’s getting better each week.”
Smart added that changing positions is never easy, so Hardman has time to learn the ropes before the Bulldogs completely give up on him at his new spot:
“Nobody said it was going to be easy. It’s not natural for a guy that didn’t play receiver his whole life to go play receiver,” Smart said. “I know some of you guys in this room compare it to Terry Godwin. That’s not true. Terry Godwin played receiver. I recruited him. Mecole did not. It makes it very different for him.”
The Bulldogs host a Mizzou team with a porous defense on Saturday night, so Hardman should get a few more looks.
See whether the sophomore receiver can make a bigger impact when the game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
