MACON–Georgia put out a preseason depth chart today during its appearance at the Pigskin Preview gathering of state college football programs.

The biggest surprise is walk-on Merritt Hall listed as the first-team fullback. The 5-foot-11, 216-pound redshirt freshman from the Wesleyan School is listed ahead of Richard Samuel and Zander Ogletree.

“Merritt had a great spring,” coach Marl Richt said. “He learned what to do and he was striking people with a lot of enthusiasm. He would have earned the right to be the starter at the end of spring so we put it on the board that way.

Richt called fullback “a very high-contact position. Guys got to be very tough to do that. Richard Samuel certainly has gotten some reps at fullback and a guy that could do. Of course we’ve got Zander who has been playing the fullback position.”

Freshman Quayvon Hicks could make an immediate impact at fullback.

“Quayvon, just the looks test, I don’t know if y’all have seen him play,” Richt said. “He looks like a fullback. About a 255, 260-pounder. He’s really put togther. You can see it in his eyes he can’t wait to get after it. He’s got to learn what to do, but I’d love to see him learn what to do and get his hat in the ring.”

Georgia could choose to use different personnel groupings without a fullback, but Richt didn’t seem to favor that.

“If any given year those guys aren’t ready to really play the position the way it should be played then we’ll try to find a way to line up without a fullback,” Richt said. “I don’t think that will be the case. I hope it’s not.”

Ken Malcome and Isaiah Crowell are listed co-No. 1 on the depth chart at tailback, butGeorgiacould potentially go four deep at the position with freshmen Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley.

Kolton Houston is listed as the starting right tackle.

Richt said that the NCAA issue that kept Houston out last season has “not been decided yet, but I’d still say I’m optimistic that he’ll be able to play.”

 Georgia football preseason depth chart

Incoming freshmen are not included. 

 Offense

SE Marlon Brown

Michael Bennett

Michael Erdman

Rhett McGowan

Curtis Wyatt

LT Kenarious Gates

Austin Long

Xzavier Ward

LG Dallas Lee

Mark Beard

Ben Reynolds

C David Andrews

Chris Burnette

DallasLee

RG Chris Burnette

Hunter Long

Caleb Drake

RT Kolton Houston

WattsDantzler

Zach DeBell

Eddie McQuillen

QB Aaron Murray

Hutson Mason

Christian LeMay

Parker Welch

Faton Bauta

Greg Bingham

FB Merritt Hall

Richard Samuel

Zander Ogletree

Dustin Royston

Cory Campbell

Taylor Maxey

TB Ken Malcolme Or Isaiah Crowell

Keith Marshall

Brandon Harton

Kyle Karempelis

Alex Parsons

FLK Tavarres King

Justin Scott-Wesley

Rantavious Wooten

Chris Conley

Taylor Bradberry

Jamal Payette

TE Arthur Lynch

Jay Rome

Hugh Williams

Greg Mulkey

Jack Loonam

Geoff Rapp

Drew Wilson

Defense

DE Abry Jones

Garrison Smith

Ricky Lowe

N John Jenkins

Kwame Geathers

Mike Thornton

DE Cornelius Washington

Ray Drew

Sterling Bailey

OLB Chase Vasser

Ramik Wilson

OLB Jarvis Jones

T.J. Stripling

Reuben Faloughi

Dexter Morant

ILB Mike Gilliard

Amarlo Herrera

Brandon Burrows

ILB Alec Ogletree

Christian Robinson

Kosta Vavlas

CB Sanders Commings

Malcolm Mitchell

Devin Bowman

Luis Capella

CB Branden Smith

Damian Swann

Blake Sailors

SS Shawn Williams

Corey Moore

Quintavius Harrow

Austin Herod

FS Bacarri Rambo

ConnorNorman

Marc Deas

Lucas Redd

Specialists

P Adam Erickson

Scott Eichler

Ethan Jackson

PK Jamie Lindley

Adam Erickson

Patrick Beless

 SN Ty Frix

Nathan Theus

Wright Gazaway

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