Many of the Bulldogs’ top performers are headed to the National Football League, and with that, a new cycle of faces will be forced to step into bigger roles. The class going pro primarily comes from those on the offensive side of the ball.
The offensive line remains as one of the biggest questions for how it will shape up. Projected first-round left tackle Monroe Freeling is headed to the next level, leaving a gap at the position. Juan Gaston and Dontrell Glover are two young faces with experience heading into their sophomore years. On the other hand, Earnest Greene III enters his redshirt senior year and has years of playing left tackle under his belt. Other returning names like Michael Uini, Daniel Calhoun and Cortez Smith will also likely be thrown into the offensive line mix. Drew Bobo returns, but if he’s still dealing with lingering injuries, the center position may be open for competition. Malachi Toliver played center this past postseason for the Bulldogs and could be a name to watch.
The biggest gap to fill this season will be in the receiving room. Georgia’s star slot receiver Zachariah Branch is headed to the NFL along with Colbie Young, Dillon Bell and Noah Thomas. Sacovie White-Helton is expected to fill the role Zachariah Branch played. “Competitor, he’s tough, hard-nosed, works, just loves the game,” said coach Kirby Smart on White-Helton. Isiah Canion from Georgia Tech is expected to be an instant-impact player, however wide receiver coach James Coley has brought in a lot of high quality talent, and they will get their chances to contribute. Sophomores Talyn Taylor, CJ Wiley, and Landon Roldan all played notable snaps last year, but did not have any big plays. However, they showed flashes. Most notably, Talyn Taylor received a deep target against Alabama back in September. He did not come down with the reception, but the moment spoke to the trust the staff and quarterback Gunner Stockton had in the young receiver. Stockton and Ryan Puglisi will continue to be one and two at the quarterback position. Oscar Delp is headed to the NFL, but tight end is one of the smallest areas of concern for this offense. Lawson Luckie, Jaden Reddell, Elyiss Williams and Ethan Barbour all return for the Bulldogs.
On the other side of the ball, two of Georgia’s most dominant defensive linemen and cornerbacks are headed to the pros. Christen Miller and CJ Allen are both projected day one and two picks in this year’s draft. Safety JaCorey Thomas is also taking his step to the next level. As of now, it’s expected that Kyron Jones, transfer Ja’Marley Riddle and freshman Tyriq Green will be competing for the starting spot in the secondary. Justin Williams will step in for CJ Allen, along with Chris Cole and Raylen Wilson at the linebacker spots. At corner, Ellis Robinson IV and Demello Jones are the likely starters with transfers Braylon Conley and Gentry Williams competing. On the defensive front, Jordan Hall returns for his senior year as well as a multitude of other returners such as Xzavier McLeod, Elijah Griffin and Nnamdi Ogboko. On the edge, Gabe Harris Jr., Joseph Jonah-Ajonye and JJ Hanne return, while there’s also a new addition in former Auburn Tiger Amaris Williams out of the transfer portal.
Peyton Woodring returns for his senior year at kicker, and redshirt sophomore Drew Miller is set to take long-time punter Brett Thorson’s role.
