- The Georgia defense will still be crazy-talented and as good as any in country. Not much changes after finishing ninth in the nation in total defense - No. 1 in the SEC - fifth in scoring D, and No. 1 in third down defense.
And it did it all without a pass rush.
Georgia was 12th in the SEC in tackles for loss and averaged just over two sacks per game, but it hardly mattered in the overall results.
- For all of the star power and NFL talent on the 2023 Georgia defense, the front six remains relatively intact with DT Zion Logue the only one gone to the draft.
The front three will all be in a pro camp next season starting with Mykel Williams. If he’s not a top five overall pick, he’s easily gone in the top 15 - the 6-5, 265-pounder was the team’s top pass rusher up front as a true hybrid.
Williams is a DE who’ll work as more of an outside linebacker, but Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins is a 6-5, 280-pound end who’ll play a far bigger role this season.
There isn’t a Jordan Davis or Jalen Carter at tackle, but Nazir Stackhouse is a strong veteran on the nose and Warren Brinson is a 6-4, 305-pound wall in the rotation of a very, very deep - and young, at least among the twos - group.
- The linebacking corps is loaded. Jason Dumas-Johnson is gone to Kentucky, but CJ Allen is a budding star on the inside coming off a 41-tackle freshman season. Georgia will rotate options, but Allen will blow up fast after combining with Dumas-Johnson.
Jalon Walker should develop into more of a pass rusher no matter where he plays. Chaz Chambliss is a 250-pound rock against the run on the outside, and the rangy Smael Mondon should once again be among the team’s top tacklers from his spot in the middle after making 144 tackles and 13 tackles for loss over the last two years.
- The secondary is hardly a problem, but it’s the one area that needs a little tweaking. Leading tackler and all-around playmaker Tykee Smith is gone from the Star position, and now it’s likely up to sophomore Joenel Aguiero to be new main man. He can bring the pop and should be terrific against the run.
Malaki Starks is a future first rounder from his safety spot. The 6-1, 205-pound strong safety made 52 tackles with three picks, and JaCorey Thomas, Dan Jackson, and superstar recruit KJ Bolden will push for the free safety job.
Nyland Green is off to Purdue, and Kamari Lassiter was a second round pick by the Houston Texans. The corner combination of Julian Humphrey and Daylen Everette should be fine, but freshman Ellis Robinson IV should quickly become one of the team’s best coverman.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Local Georgia State
Most Popular
Comments / 0