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Fall Camp Defensive Battles: Who Is Stepping Up?

By Greg Poole

Georgia’s defense does not lack candidates. It lacks settled answers.

That difference is important as Georgia works through fall camp. Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann have a roster full of experience, former five-stars, and transfers who have produced elsewhere. The real task in August is figuring out which combinations can handle communication, make tackles, and create negative plays when things get less comfortable.

The clearest answer at linebacker is Chris Cole. After producing 59 tackles, seven tackles for loss and a team-leading 4.5 sacks last season, Cole entered camp admitting he had left too many plays on the field. Smart has since praised his offseason work, speed and relentless pursuit.

Cole already looked like an every-down linebacker. If his pass-rush improvement carries into the season, he could become the disruptive centerpiece Georgia missed too often in 2025.

Raylen Wilson provides experience beside him, but Georgia’s linebacker competition extends well beyond naming two starters. The Bulldogs want interchangeable players who can blitz, cover and survive against the run without advertising the defensive call.

Zayden Walker may be the most interesting challenger. His freshman development was interrupted during the spring, but he flashed as a third-down edge option late last season. Schumann has emphasized Walker’s progress and the value of expanding his responsibilities. That versatility could allow Georgia to move Cole around while keeping its best athletes on the field.

The outside-linebacker room carries a different question: Who can turn pressure into sacks?

Quintavius Johnson and Gabe Harris Jr. return after handling substantial workloads last season. Johnson started all 14 games and recorded six tackles for loss, but Georgia needs more finishing production from the position. Chase Linton is applying pressure from behind them. Schumann described Linton as disruptive and praised the added strength that allows him to play bigger than his frame.

That makes Linton one of the legitimate camp movers. He may not displace Johnson immediately, but Georgia rotates its edge defenders heavily. A player who can set the edge on early downs and transition into a pass rush has a clear path to meaningful snaps.

The secondary battle is more complicated because only KJ Bolden appears completely secure. Bolden has grown from a gifted freshman into the leader responsible for aligning and challenging the entire unit. His presence gives Georgia one dependable safety. The competition around him remains wide open.

Rasean Dinkins received important spring work and has the athleticism to claim the other safety job. East Carolina transfer Ja’Marley Riddle brings 133 tackles and six interceptions from his first two college seasons. Clemson transfer Khalil Barnes offers even more experience, including seven career interceptions and a history of creating turnovers.

Barnes may be the newcomer making the strongest case. Schumann has called him an instinctive, intelligent playmaker whose production around the football has translated quickly. He can challenge at safety or STAR, giving Travaris Robinson flexibility when assembling the best five defensive backs.

Kyron Jones and Zion Branch remain part of that equation, while Tyriq Green is an intriguing younger option after making plays during the spring. Georgia does not need every contender to become a full-time starter. It needs enough trustworthy defensive backs to match different personnel groups without creating an obvious target for opposing quarterbacks.

The first scrimmage should provide the first honest separation. Schumann described it as “moving day,” when players can rise or fall after weeks of controlled repetitions. The second scrimmage will begin turning experiments into an actual rotation.

For now, Cole looks like the established linebacker ready to make a larger impact. Walker and Linton are pushing toward expanded roles, while Barnes has brought proven instincts into a secondary still searching for its best configuration.

Georgia’s defensive depth chart is not finished. That is the point of camp. By September, the Bulldogs will need fewer hopeful prospects and more players who have proven they can function when the heat, tempo and consequences all rise together.

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