The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Patrick quietly returns and steps up as a leader
ATHENS — When he came back, he did it quietly. Natrez Patrick didn’t release a statement. He hasn’t held a news conference to talk about putting the past behind him, learning from his mistakes, and all the usual contrition. He said that before, and it didn’t hold up.
He’s at the point where only time and good actions will prove anything. So this is what Patrick has done in the months since he returned to the Georgia football team: He has led. He has acted like the senior and returning starter he is, the potential All-SEC inside linebacker he is — if he can stay straight.
I t’s too soon to know whether all that will happen. What is known is seemingly every time a Georgia defensive player this spring has been asked to name a vocal leader, one name keeps coming up.
“Vocal leader? Natrez Patrick. He’s definitely a vocal leader,” said fellow senior inside linebacker Juwan Taylor. “He comes out every practice hyping everybody up, trying to be that leader, just trying to get everybody going.”
“Natrez is a great team- mate, a great guy. He’s going to be a good leader for us,” junior safety J.R. Reed said. “I’m happy to see him out there with us because he can lead this team, and he can help us on defense a lot.”
On the field, that’s defi- nitely true. Patrick has the most career tackles (116) of any returning Georgia player, and the second-most career starts (18) after senior cornerback Deandre Baker.
The problems for Patrick have been off the field. The issues are well-chronicled: three arrests for marijuana possession, the last of which was dismissed but led to a probation violation last December. Patrick then went into a treatment facility, missing the Rose Bowl and the College Football Playoff Championship game.
Under a strict interpreta- tion of UGA’s student-athlete
drug policy, Patrickprobably would not be on the team anymore. But UGA tweaked the policy last year to give leeway to individuals who it believes need treatment more than discipline.
Another one of Georgia’s top returning players, defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter, also went through offfield issues. Ledbetter went through alcohol treatment and has not had any issues since he returned.
Ledbetter and Patrick were roommates and confidants.
“He was my rock and I was his rock for a while,” Ledbetter said. “We kind of fell off for a second. He’s back where he needs to be. And he knows what he needs to do to be the football player he’s supposed to become, and he’s doing that.”