Jalen Kimber to undergo shoulder surgery, out for season
Georgia cornerback Jalen Kimber has played in two games so far this season, but won’t be available for any more. Sources close to the situation have confirmed to DawgsHQ that Kimber will have surgery on his shoulder and miss the remainder of the season. DawgNation was the first to report.
Kimber, a redshirt freshman from Mansfield, Texas, was in the running for a starting position before the season started. He, Kelee Ringo and Ameer Speed competed throughout the spring for the two starting spots. After the Bulldogs brought in Clemson transfer Derion Kendrick, those three were working for one spot. Then, Kimber suffered a setback during the summer and was limited during preseason practice, allowing Ringo and Speed to take hold of the spots in the primary rotation.
In 2020, Kimber saw action in three of Georgia’s 10 games (Arkansas, Tennessee and Cincinnati), being credited with a tackle against the Volunteers. He got the start with the first-team defense during G-Day, and in 2021, has appeared in Georgia’s two most recent games against UAB and South Carolina. Kimber had a solo stop against the Blazers.
This is the third season-ending injury for the Bulldogs so far in 2021. Tate Ratledge, also a redshirt freshman, started for Georgia in the win over Clemson, however, was injured on the first drive of the game. His was a foot injury. Then, just last week, reserve linebacker Rian Davis had surgery for what Kirby Smart called a “quad injury” that will keep him sidelined until spring.
What It Means
Kimber’s injury is unfortunate for him, as well as a blow to the little depth Georgia already had in the secondary. After Kendrick, Ringo and Speed, the Bulldogs are left with just Kamari Lassiter, Nyland Green and Lovasea Carroll at cornerback. All three are true freshmen. Lassiter has appeared in all three games, primarily on special teams. He recorded a pair of tackles in the most recent outing against South Carolina. Meanwhile, Green, a former five-star according to the On300, and Carroll, who made the move to defense this spring after being recruited to Georgia as a running back, both have only seen action against UAB. Green made two tackles against the Blazers.
Furthermore, that group was already at a depth disadvantage elsewhere having seen five players (Tyson Campbell, DJ Daniel, Richard LeCounte, Eric Stokes and Mark Webb) head to the NFL after last season plus another three (Daran Branch, Major Burns and Tyrique Stevenson) leave the program. Both Burns and Stevenson decided to go closer to their respective hometowns, now playing for LSU and Miami.
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