Georgia football has plenty of new faces on its roster this season with nine scholarship players via the transfer portal along with another elite recruiting class ranked tops in the nation.

Branson Robinson may seem like another recent addition because he hasn’t played in a game since the end of the 2022 season.

The redshirt sophomore running back looks like he will have a key role Saturday against Clemson in the season opener at a position in flux.

Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton moved on to try to make their way in the NFL. Leading returning rusher Roderick Robinson is sidelined after toe surgery and Florida transfer Trevor Etienne could be suspended after an offseason arrest.

Here are three things to know about Robinson:

Branson Robinson looked ready to take off

The 5-foot-10, 220-pound Canton, Miss., native rushed for 330 yards on 68 carries with three touchdowns as a true freshman in 2022.

That included 98 rushing yards on 12 carries against Auburn including a 15-yard touchdown run and pair of touchdowns in the 65-7 national championship blowout of TCU.

“We were excited about where he was headed,” coach Kirby Smart said. “He was explosive twitchy and can do some things in pass pro and running the ball that maybe some of the other guys couldn't do.”

Season-ending injury derails promise

On Aug. 22, 2023, just 11 days before the start of the season, Robinson sustained a ruptured patella tendon in practice and was lost for the year. It was a noncontact injury that occurred when he cut and planted.

Robinson already was battling a foot injury that preseason.

“He was dealt some hard hands just with the injuries that he had being back to back,” offensive guard Dylan Fairchild said. “There’s a lot of guys that I’m sure on the team, me being one of them, I felt bad for him. I don't think he had an ounce of feeling sorry or self-pity in him. He was just ready to get back on the field and it shows. It shows in the way he shows up every day. He shows up ready to attack every day. It’s just a testament to his great mentality.”

Dell McGee, Georgia’s running backs coach from 2016-2023, said last December before being named head coach at Georgia State, that Robinson was in every meeting during his rehab process.

“He’s very motivated,” McGee said. “He takes notes like he’s a starter right now. Love his work ethic, love his drive. He has that — y’all have said it before, but a Nick Chubb kind of mentality. He’s just a different guy when it comes to just trying to get back and prepare himself from a physical and mental standpoint.”

‘Built like a brick house’

Robinson was the nation’s No. 4 ranked running back in the class of 2022, according to the 247Sports Composite. He stood out because, as McGee said before his freshman season, “he’s built like a brick house.”

He picked Georgia. Tennessee, Alabama and Clemson were among his top suitors.

“I got to meet him in person,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said this week. “That guy, go take a picture of him pregame. Wait until you see that guy.”

Robinson spent much of last season in the training room and still was limited in the spring.

“This fall camp's been big for him in terms of confidence,” Smart said. “He's gained confidence through special teams. He's gained confidence through reps.”

His experience from two years ago helps.

“It's been great having him back from a physical toughness standpoint, a reliability standpoint, ball security, third down pickups, special teams,” Smart said. “ He's just a really good football player. I love the way he went about doing things.”

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia's Branson Robinson back from injury. Here are 3 things to know