Georgia Bulldogs: 5 players most likely to improve in 2016

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Oct 3, 2015; Athens, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry (2) runs the ball while defended by Georgia Bulldogs defensive tackle Trenton Thompson (78) during the first quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

If there is any player on the 2016 Georgia Bulldogs due for a huge breakout season in his second year with the program, it is former five-star defensive tackle Trent Thompson.

Thompson Committed to the G out of Westover High School in Albany, Georgia well over a year ago. He’s looking to become an elite defensive tackle like his position coach Tracy Rocker was at Auburn. During Thompson’s recruitment, he came away impressed that Rocker, a College Football Hall of Famer, won both the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy in his senior season with the Auburn Tigers in the late 1980s.

About halfway through the 2015 NCAA season, Dawg Nation started to see Big Trent making plays on the inside at defensive tackle in Jeremy Pruitt’s 3-4 scheme. While Thompson has the build of a traditional nose tackle, he does have the quickness and lateral movement to drop down to the three to five-technique as a defensive end/defensive tackle hybrid in what is now Mel Tucker’s defense.

Tucker is a former defensive coordinator in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, the Cleveland Browns, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was Kirby Smart’s defensive backs coach at Alabama in 2015. With Trent Thompson having the same defensive line coach in Rocker and two great defensive minds coming to Athens in Kirby Smart and Mel Tucker, Trent Thompson could have an explosive sophomore season playing Between the Hedges in 2016 at defensive tackle.

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