Monroe Freeling may not start but he has ‘all the tools’ to be a difference-maker (2024)

ATHENS — Monroe Freeling would probably be a starting offensive tackle on most teams.

But most teams don’t have four offensive linemen populating the Preseason All-SEC team, as is the case with Georgia. Tate Ratledge made the first team, Dylan Fairchild and Xavier Truss were slotted onto the second team and Earnest Greene landed on the third team.

Freeling might not yet have a place in Georgia’s starting lineup, but the sophom*ore offensive tackle will be a factor on Georgia’s offensive line. He’s too talented not to.

“Monroe has all the tools to do everything that he needs to do,” Greene said. “Growing up pretty well. He’s doing a good job.”

Freeling isn’t the first former 5-star offensive tackle who has had to wait his turn in Athens. Broderick Jones and Amarius Mims were not starters for Georgia to start their respective second seasons.

But both ultimately found a way into the starting lineup when it mattered most. The insertion of Jones at left tackle in the 2022 National Championship Game helped get Georgia’s offense moving. After becoming a regular starter as a junior, he became a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mims didn’t make his first career college start until the College Football Playoff semifinals. But Mims was flawless when called upon and ultimately taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Georgia didn’t just throw Mims into the deep end. He had worked as part of an offensive tackle rotation throughout the 2022 season, sliding in for Warren McClendon. Occasionally McClendon would kick over to left tackle, forcing even someone as gifted as Jones onto the bench.

The Bulldogs are very likely to employ a similar rotation this fall, given the glut of talent they have at offensive tackle. Georgia will find playing time for Freeling, Truss and Greene.

“Monroe has definitely gotten better. We’ve both gotten better a lot,” sophom*ore outside linebacker Damon Wilson said. “We’ve been able to see each other improve. Coming in, we both were roommates. We talked a lot about football. Football is one of our biggest things, how we connected. Just being able to have an offensive tackle who’s a close friend to me and then we can talk about just the small little details, we’re going to be good together for the next three to four years.”

Just because Freeling doesn’t start the season as one of Georgia’s top five offensive linemen does not mean it will end that way. Injuries are always a factor, as Georgia saw firsthand last season. Mims missed time after an ankle injury. During the Vanderbilt game, Truss went down with an injury as well, thrusting a freshman Freeling into the lineup. He held up well, which only further inflated expectations.

The rotation Georgia employs at tackle this fall will likely be used at guard as well, where Ratledge, Fairchild and Micah Morris form perhaps an even more powerful trio.

Some might get discouraged by the lack of early playing time. Consider that Alabama started Kaydn Proctor — who like Freeling was a 5-star prospect in the 2023 signing class — started as a true freshman at left tackle.

But Georgia has shown an ability to foster development at the offensive tackle position. And with the draft success of Jones and Mims as proof, Kirby Smart, Stacy Searels and the Bulldogs will likely continue the rotation with Freeling.

They known the value in patience and look forward to seeing the continue development of one of their most promising offensive linemen.