Georgia sophomore Travon Walker is excited to see what the team’s defensive line can do this upcoming season. The unit has so much potential after a dominant performance in 2019, and the Bulldogs return a lot of players, but also bring in a lot of raw talent as well.
One of those players that has a lot of high expectations surrounding him is freshman Jalen Carter.
“He’s shown a lot of great things and the sky is the limit for him,” Walker said Monday during a Zoom call with reporters. “He’s a very talented player. he doesn’t have to be coached a lot because he already came in knowing a lot. That says a lot about him.”
The former five-star will have an opportunity to earn playing time this season, even if it’s not as a starter. The Bulldogs replace five defensive linemen from last year’s team, but also return a ton of weapons that will test Carter for first-team reps.
The Apopka, Fl. native recently turned heads in a video that went viral on social media of handling his own against Georgia center Trey Hill.
Hill is regarded as one of the best centers in the SEC, but Carter proved in this video that he can handle his own against elite competition.
One of the main things about Carter is his athleticism for his size. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive linemen can burst off the line like a bullet, and that’s something that Walker said the coaching staff is looking for. It will especially help in situations where the opposing offense needs a short gain for a first down.
“One main thing our defense is emphasizing is our third and short. We need to get a lot better in our third and short game,” Walker said. “Coach has been preaching about that and we’ve been working at it to get better.”
Carter should be able to find a role in Georgia’s defensive scheme even though he’s a freshman. Though, given that the Bulldogs rotate so many bodies it might be hard for him to contribute right away. For example, Walker had a great freshman year last season, but he didn’t have a single start.
“It really helps with guys being able to stay fresh,” Walker said. “Being able to get fresh rushes in on third down and then being able to push the pocket and get off the field with three-and-outs.”
Walker, just a sophomore, explained that he has given advice to the freshman on defense who want to make an impact.
“One of the main things is to tell the young guys is give it all you got,” Walker said. “If you give everything that you have, nobody can tell you that you can’t be on the field with the 1’s and 2’s.”
Here is the video from Walker’s interview: