Jaden Reddell puts it all together to emerge as star of Georgia football spring game
ATHENS — No one on either Georgia sideline was surprised that Jaden Reddell had a standout performance on Saturday.
He had done so in just about every practice this spring.
“He been really grinding,” safety KJ Bolden said. “And just, you can tell he’s hungry for something. And the coaches see it, I think everybody sees it.
“He’s explosive, he’s just doing things the right way, and I’m proud of Jaden.”
Reddell scored the first touchdown of the afternoon during Georgia’s spring game. He hauled in a seven-yard slant from Gunner Stockton. He finished through contact from Clemson transfer Khalil Barnes.
It was one of three receptions Reddell had on Saturday, finishing with 38 receiving yards and the touchdown.
He wasn’t just a threat as a receiver, with his first touch of the afternoon coming on a 23-yard jet sweep. He took advantage of some great blocking by fellow Georgia tight end Elyiss Williams, but Reddell demonstrated great patience on the run.
That’s been a key attribute for Reddell in his time at Georgia. This is his third year in the program, and this spring was easily his best extended stretch of practices.
Even before G-Day, Reddell was one of the winners of spring practice. His performance on Saturday only made it obvious for Georgia fans.
“He had a really good spring,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “I would say he was probably one of the most explosive, most improved players. He played twitchy, he played fast. He played with a chip on his shoulder, and we had not seen that before out of him.”
Georgia’s tight end room is perhaps the best on its team. Between Williams, Ethan Barbour and Lawson Luckie, playing time is hard to come by. Even freshman Kaiden Prothro made an impact on Saturday.
It would have been easy for Reddell to look elsewhere for playing time. He’s a long way from home, as he’s from Missouri. Williams and Barbour both seemed to pass Reddell on the depth chart last season.
Yet he stuck it out at Georgia. This spring, he showed the value of growing within a system rather than searching for instant gratification elsewhere.
“I’ve seen him grow not only as a tight end, but as a person,” linebacker Justin Williams said. “And that’s the best thing, and I’m so happy for him, and so glad he scored today.”
Reddell might be the best athlete in Georgia’s tight end room, which is really saying something. Williams noted that Reddell reached a GPS speed of 23 miles per hour this offseason. Anything above 22 miles per hour is considered elite for a skill player.
The biggest key for Reddell getting on the field this spring has been his improved blocking. That comes from understanding the Georgia playbook and adding strength via the weight room.
Saturday was a big win for Reddell in his career. But the list of G-Day heroes who turn into zeros come the regular season is long. Luckie himself was a one-time G-Day star, only for his freshman season to be derailed by an ankle injury.
Everything fell into place for Reddell this spring, who emerges as a clear winner of spring practice.
But the redshirt sophomore knows he has to keep stacking good days if he is to make plays and experience the full roar of Sanford Stadium, as opposed to simply doing it on a warm spring day.
“I feel like the guys who do everything right, it goes their way later down the road,” Bolden said of Reddell.
Lawson Luckie raves about Jaden Reddell
About the Author
Connor Riley has been covering the University of Georgia since 2014 before moving to DawgNation full-time before the 2018 season. He helps in all areas of the site such as team coverage, recruiting, video production, social media and podcasting. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2016.
