ATHENS -- Georgia football player Nyland Green was arrested Wednesday on weapons charges stemming from a BB-gun incident that occurred on campus 10 days ago.
A freshman cornerback from Covington, Green was booked on three felony charges and two misdemeanors at 2:49 a.m. Wednesday. According to jail records, two of the felonies are for having a weapon in a school zone and the other is for criminal damage to property. The two misdemeanors are both for reckless conduct.
Credit: Athens-Clarke County Jail
Credit: Athens-Clarke County Jail
Green was released on bond early Wednesday afternoon.
The UGA Athletic Association issued the following statement: “We have no comment as it is an ongoing legal and university disciplinary matter.”
According to a University of Georgia police report, an arrest warrant was issued for Green on Nov. 18 stemming from an incident that occurred Nov. 14. At 4:21 p.m. that day, police responded to a call from two McWhorter Hall residents, who reported witnessing an incident involving a gun behind the South Campus dormitory.
Police were told two witnesses heard two males arguing and that they saw one of them pull out a gun and point it at the other man. When one man ran away, the one with the gun ran after him and “dry-fired” the weapon, according to the witness.
Credit: Mackenzie Miles
Credit: Mackenzie Miles
A subsequent investigation revealed an exterior window at neighboring Busbee Hall had been damaged by a “small projectile.” Damages were estimated to be $550.
Green later was identified as the individual in possession of the gun. A search of his dorm room produced two BB guns, a tan “Beretta” and a “Colt M45A1,″ police said. On Nov. 18, an arrest warrant was issued for Green from a magistrate judge.
According to the police report, Bryant Gantt, Georgia football’s director of player programs, was contacted and informed that an arrest warrant had been issued for Green last Thursday. Green played against Charleston Southern two days later.
Green is a freshman who signed with the Bulldogs in December out of Newton County High School. He was rated a 5-star prospect by 247Sports and the No. 4 cornerback in the nation. He has recorded two tackles while playing in three games against Alabama-Birmingham, Vanderbilt, and Charleston Southern.
This is not the first BB-gun incident with which coach Kirby Smart has had to deal. During his first season in 2016, defensive lineman Julian Rochester and defensive back Chad Clay faced gun charges stemming from possessing BB guns on campus. The charges eventually were dropped after the players entered a pretrial diversion program. Clay later was dismissed because of another incident. Rochester is a sixth-year senior who remains with the Bulldogs.
This is the second felony arrest for a Georgia football player this month. Senior outside linebacker Adam Anderson was arrested on rape charges Nov. 10 and released on a $25,000 bond a week later.
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