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Georgia’s Defensive Line Rotation Has Talent. Now It Has to Deliver

By: Greg Poole

Georgia enters the 2026 season with no shortage of recognizable names along its defensive front, but the Bulldogs still have not settled on a rotation that clearly defines the group.

That uncertainty matters beyond depth chart watchers. A settled rotation can separate a front that looks good on paper from one that holds up when the schedule gets tougher.

Kirby Smart and defensive line coach Tray Scott have assembled a group that combines former five-star talent, experienced veterans and another wave of freshmen capable of forcing their way onto the field. The opener against Tennessee State should provide the first real look at how Georgia intends to divide those snaps before the competition becomes considerably more demanding.

At the center of it all is sophomore Elijah Griffin, who has quickly become the name most Georgia fans expect to hear early and often this fall.

Griffin flashed the disruptive ability expected from one of the nation’s elite recruits during the latter portion of his freshman season and enters Year 2 with expectations substantially higher than simply becoming a starter. Smart has spent much of the offseason talking about Griffin’s combination of quickness, strength and ability to create penetration. Griffin was also selected to the preseason Coaches All-SEC second team, another indication that his reputation has already moved beyond the promising-young-player stage.

The bigger question is how Georgia can put the right pieces around him to turn that uncertainty into a consistently disruptive front.

Senior Jordan Hall provides the most experienced interior presence and gives Georgia the flexibility to play him at multiple spots. Nasir Johnson and Nnamdi Ogboko supply the kind of size Georgia needs inside, particularly when opponents decide to test the Bulldogs between the tackles. Smart said this week that Georgia has been using JJ Hanne more frequently inside as well, giving the Bulldogs another quicker, more athletic option alongside the heavier tackles. Together, those snaps suggest Hall is the lead interior veteran, with Johnson, Ogboko and Hanne rotating behind him.

McLeod was expected to occupy significant snaps before leaving the program shortly before the opener, which increased the importance of Georgia’s younger linemen.

That means freshmen like Valdin Sone, Preston Carey and Carter Luckie may find themselves called on for more than just late-game snaps, with Georgia needing them when the game is still in doubt and not just when the band is warming up for the postgame show.

Sone is especially intriguing. Smart has already made clear that the Swedish freshman will have a role this season because of his athleticism and ability to run and pursue. He still needs to become stronger at the point of attack. Still, Georgia has apparently seen enough disruption in practice to start finding ways to use him rather than waiting another year of development.

The story is much the same on the edge, where Georgia has a mix of experience and upside that is likely to shape how effective the front becomes as the season goes on.

Senior Gabe Harris Jr. gives the Bulldogs a proven veteran after taking on a much larger workload last season. Joseph Jonah-Ajonye is another player Georgia can move around the front, while Amaris Williams and Justin Greene give the Bulldogs additional size and athleticism outside. Williams arrived as a transfer who can help at outside linebacker, where Georgia is looking for more consistent pressure without having to manufacture it through blitzes. Harris appears to be the top edge option, with Jonah-Ajonye, Williams and Greene lining up behind him.

There is young depth there, too. Hanne can work both inside and outside, while freshmen AJ Lonon Jr. and PJ Dean remain developmental options. Smart said late in camp that Dean had been working more with the outside linebackers after missing valuable spring time because of injuries. That leaves Hanne as the most flexible backup, with Lonon Jr. and Dean still lower in the snap order.

Tennessee State probably will not give us all the answers about Georgia’s defensive line, but it should at least show who is first in line for meaningful snaps.

Griffin and Harris are the known commodities. Hall provides experience. Jonah-Ajonye, Johnson, Ogboko, Williams and Greene give Georgia plenty of candidates behind them. For now, Griffin and Harris sit at the top of the snap hierarchy, with Hall next and the others competing for the remaining work.

The difference between a good Georgia defensive front and one that keeps opposing coordinators up at night will come down to whether enough of these candidates become players who cannot be ignored when the game is on the line.

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