The Georgia Bulldogs HC had to make the final call on Rodarius “Rara” Thomas. The WR was awaiting Kirby Smart’s decision after his arrest on July 26. As shocking as it might sound, Thomas will “no longer be a part” of Smart’s tribe. What made the HC make such a swift decision about the WR?

Of course, he already had someone who would be the best candidate to fill Thomas’s spot. Hence, the Georgia fam should brace themselves for Thomas’ replacement. It’s none other than Colbie Young. The player has enough qualities to make the program count on him. 

Thomas’ time in Georgia ends as Young steps up

On Thursday, August 1, Smart took the podium and faced the camera. By the time he had hit the stage, it was clear that the Georgia HC would confirm what disciplinary action had been taken against Thomas. Smart had a face-to-face interaction with the WR after he was out of jail. And the HC declared his endgame move, “I let him know that he can no longer be a part of the football team. He understands that. We wish him nothing but the best moving forward.” And this was enough for the Dawgs247 podcast co-hosts to bring up the topic for an in-depth analysis. 

And co-host Jordan Hill seems to be sure that no one other than Colbie Young would do the honors, taking up Thomas’ place. “I still think that even if Rara was here that Colbie Young might have surpassed him. Colbie had such a big spring,” highlighted the analyst. While he stressed how Smart’s WR struggled without a strong offense, to the analyst, Young stands the maximum chance of replacing him. “Colbie Young benefits quite a great deal because I think he is for sure your starting.” But why so?

Is Young Smart’s new weapon?

The Binghamton, N.Y., native earlier have been a part of the Miami Hurricanes. But Smart decided to add Young to the Georgia roster last winter to bolster the wide receiving corps. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 215 pounds, back in Miami, the WR snagged an 11-yard with a fourth-quarter touchdown in one-on-one coverage against the projected first-round NFL draft pick, Nate Wiggins.

Besides Smart, Young has already wooed his teammates. For instance, Georgia cornerback Julian Humphrey has been deeply impressed after watching the WR’s playing clips from his stint in Miami, “He’s like a good jump ball guy. He’s going on top of people. He’s a big guy. He’s really going to be a big piece of us for this fall.”

According to the records, in 2023, Smart’s Georgia’s red zone opportunities dropped from 98.67% to 89.71%. As passing efficiency has declined, it’s now to be seen if Young can use his ability to boost the numbers, being the ultimate replacement for Thomas.