Sedrick Van Pran has been a key piece in three outstanding offensive lines for the Georgia Bulldogs. With playing on Sundays just around the corner, the UGA center took a big step toward his professional career by officially accepting a 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl invitation.
He is the first Georgia player to accept an invite to the exhibition, which will be played Feb. 3 at South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium .
Van Pran had the option to go pro after the 2022 season but instead returned to Georgia, which turned into a huge win for a Bulldogs team already tasked with replacing both starting offensive tackles. Van Pran manned the center position once again and helped Georgia’s offense pick up where it left off in 2022, which set the stage for a 12-win regular season and for the offensive line to once again be named finalists for the JoeMoore Award.
He was not only named a unanimous first-team All-SEC player by the Associated Press but was named winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the top SEC offensive lineman.
Georgia right guard Tate Ratledge spoke in November about what Van Pran’s durability over the years says about the center.
"A lot of toughness,” Ratledge said. “With Sed, he's got a love for the game I've never seen from anybody before. Last night we were in there watching film 'til 10:00. He picks out stuff you would never think to look at. I've definitely learned from that. He has a great mind for football, and it's his love the game that's kept him going. You see that day in and day out with him.”
Van Pran’s work during the 2022 season was vital as part of a Georgia offensive line that paved the way for a backfield that averaged 5.53 yards per carry. Van Pran and the rest of the line allowed only 9 sacks in 15 games, all of which Georgia won.
Van Pran took over for Trey Hill as Georgia’s starting center in 2021. He played on 90% of the snaps that season — more than any other Bulldog — and played on every offensive snap of eight games, including the national championship game against Alabama.
Van Pran saw the field in four games as a true freshman in 2020.