Athens — It was easy to spot the star of Georgia's incoming freshman class Monday.

Brant Sanderlin/bsanderlin@ajc.com (ENLARGE)

The Dogs hope freshman A.J. Green (right) fills a void and develops into a top receiver like his mentor, Mohamed Massaquoi.

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Just elbow your way through about a dozen reporters and there he sat, reclining in a padded chair, long legs splayed, looking his questioners in the eye as he fielded questions for about 15 minutes.

"Is this what it was like for you in high school after practice?" someone asked.

A.J. Green smiled and said, "More like game days."

Green's reputation alone is enough to excite people. He was ranked the No. 2 wide receiver in the nation by Scout.com. Along with kicker Blair Walsh, he might be the most highly anticipated freshman of the season. He's big (6-feet-4, 197 pounds) and he's fast (4.6 seconds in the 40).

Besides Mohamed Massaquoi, the Bulldogs do not boast another go-to guy at wide receiver. Fans hope Green will be that player.

So the buzz soared even more at practice after his teammates spoke so highly of him.

Cornerback Asher Allen said from what he's seen, Green has it all: Hands. Explosiveness. Competitive edge. Work ethic. The "it" factor.

"Mohamed is really good with his hands, really quick. Kenneth Harris is a big body, able to move that big body. Kris Durham – tall, lanky but can catch fast. I think A.J. has a little bit of everybody's best qualities in him," Allen said. "I think that's really, really good. He can do a lot of things."

Quarterback Matthew Stafford was equally complimentary, though he knows the SEC can be difficult for freshmen. "He's going to have some tough times, but he has the potential to be really, really good," he said.

The Bulldogs have been working out only in shorts. So does all that praise raise the stakes a little for a player who hasn't even put on pads yet?

"A little more pressure, but I think I can handle it," said Green, who suffered a hip flexor strain in his first practice Monday.

As a senior at Summerville High School in South Carolina, he caught 72 passes for 1,437 yards and 15 touchdowns. He compares himself to New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss, but only on the field.

"I'm not a trouble guy," he said, referring to Moss' off-the-field incidents.

Massaquoi guided Green through summer drills and said he considers him to be like a younger brother.

"He's a guy that I wish the world for," Massaquoi said. "Anything that I can [do to] help him, I'm willing to do."

As for pitting himself against the defense, Green said he's had some battles with cornerback Prince Miller, even though Miller is about eight inches shorter.

"He's real good," Green said.

Green committed to Georgia in the fall of 2006, wanting to get the deed out of the way so he could focus on school. Despite some pushing from Florida, he stayed firm with his decision.

"[I would] just tell them how solid I'm committed to Georgia and nothing can change my mind," he said. "I just liked the coaching staff, Coach Richt and everybody. I think this is the place for me."