Georgia receiver Javon Wims uses hoops skills to go up for big catches

Georgia senior receiver Javon Wims comes down with a reception during the 31-10 season-opening win over Appalachian State. Wims leads the No. 7 Bulldogs in catches this season heading into his Sanford Stadium finale Saturday afternoon against Kentucky.
Georgia senior receiver Javon Wims comes down with a reception during the 31-10 season-opening win over Appalachian State. Wims leads the No. 7 Bulldogs in catches this season heading into his Sanford Stadium finale Saturday afternoon against Kentucky.

ATHENS, Ga. - The way Georgia senior receiver Javon Wims viewed it, he was just a two-sport kid having fun competing.

"I've been playing basketball since I was 7, and I've been playing football since I was 5," Wims said this week. "I've just been going back and forth."

Lost to him during his development in both activities was the benefit of how jumping up for a rebound would help his ability to jump up for catches. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder from Miami leads the No. 7 Bulldogs (9-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) in receptions this season with 27 entering his Sanford Stadium finale Saturday afternoon against Kentucky (7-3, 4-3).

Many of his receptions, including his three-catch, 96-yard performance in last week's 40-17 setback at Auburn, have come via so-called jump-ball opportunities against smaller defensive backs.

"He's done a good job of that," second-year Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said. "He's improved immensely at attacking the ball and not letting the ball get into his body. He's really become a hands receiver, which is what you want.

"He does a good job with the 50-50 ball. He reacts, responds and snatches."

Proving more and more how the basketball days for Wims helped his rise in football.

"I didn't realize it, but my dad realized it," Wims said. "When I was a senior in high school, he kind of pointed me to it. When the ball is in the air, I just treat it like a rebound. You've just got to go attack it."

The year of the leap for Wims began in the opener against Appalachian State, when he jumped up among three Mountaineers defenders and caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Jake Fromm. That was the first touchdown pass of Fromm's career, and it gave the Bulldogs some breathing room at 14-0 early in the second quarter in their 31-10 win.

Last weekend, his 28-yard reception over Jordyn Peters at Auburn's 39-yard line converted a third-and-7 and enabled the Bulldogs to extend what would be an eight-play, 70-yard opening possession that ended with Nick Chubb's 1-yard touchdown run. Wims had an even more acrobatic catch late in the second quarter over both Carlton Davis and Peters that went for 30 yards to Auburn's 41, but the Bulldogs failed to capitalize.

"He runs great routes and can stretch the field, which is something that we've really needed," senior tight end Jeb Blazevich said. "He's able to twist and turn and jump and get his body in the position he needs to in getting the ball. I think he's done a tremendous job this season."

Said Wims: "It feels good just to know that Jake can throw it up there and trust that I can outjump my man and make a play for him. That feels good."

Wims has experienced a unique college journey that began in 2014 at Belhaven University, a Division III program in Jackson, Miss. He played the 2015 season at Hinds (Miss.) Community College before transferring to Georgia last year.

His first season with the Bulldogs included the expected learning curve, as 15 of his 17 catches for 190 yards and one touchdown occurred during the latter half of the schedule. His top performance a year ago was five catches for 90 yards in a 27-24 triumph at Kentucky.

"He's a real challenge," Wildcats coach Mark Stoops said. "I've been grinding over a bunch of film here this whole week, and the catches he made, even in the Auburn game - he's just a phenomenal football player. Even when you think you have him covered, you don't. You better finish it all the way to the ground, because Javon certainly knows how to finish plays.

"You can see the trust that Fromm has in Javon. They have a lot of good players, but Javon is an exceptional player who makes a lot of competitive plays."

Wims easily has been Georgia's most dominant receiver the past four games, amassing 95 yards against Missouri and collecting touchdown receptions against Florida and South Carolina. The higher the pass has been, the higher the probability Wims has come down with it.

"Recently, he's been able to make some big catches," Smart said. "That's been a big help for us, because if you take some of those 50-50 balls out of these games - there are some tight ballgames that he's been able to win for us. We need some more of that."

Smith a finalist

Georgia junior inside linebacker Roquan Smith is one of the five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is given annually to college football's top defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

The other finalists are North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb, Alabama safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Iowa middle linebacker Josey Jewell and Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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