Evaluating Georgia's defensive depth going into 2024 season

Georgia seemingly bring in a lot of talent every year through recruiting and the transfer portal. But in today’s college football landscape, it’s a bit harder to maintain elite depth.

Especially defensively, where the Bulldogs make their money, figuratively speaking. The defensive line has been Georgia’s bread and butter and while it’s still important, it’s less of an emphasis today.

Dawgs HQ’s Jake Rowe joined Andy Staples On3 to explain. 

“It’s marginal but it’s still important and I don’t know if that’s almost oxymoronic say that, but you’re talking about a player or two and that can mean a lot,” Rowe said. “Your depth is younger than it’s ever been … You got four defensive tackles or you know, five defensive tackles, you know, you’re your fifth or sixth guy that’s gonna play 10 to 12 snaps a game for you is going to be a freshman, redshirt-freshman. That’s just the way it is. Alabama built such a juggernaut off the bat of having guys like Quinnen Williams, stick around and bide their time for two years and then explode in year three. 

“That was one of the things that made them so great as they were able to stockpile … In today’s college football he’s just not going to do it. He’s gonna go somewhere and play some ball and get drafted high.” 

Rowe maintiend Georgia still brought in a lot of defensive prospects, particularly the big boys up front.

“I think that what you’re seeing from Georgia, they brought in a big D-line class this past year, you know, speaking to that position specifically,” Rowe said. “They’re not going to be as deep and as experienced as they were, especially in 2021. 2021 was just a unicorn type of year. That team had four first round defensive linemen on it. I don’t know if we’ll ever see that again until the portal stuff is reined in completely, and you start paying these guys and getting them on two or three year contracts or whatever.”

Georgia maintaining tough front-seven on defense

Georgia’s front-seven certainly made opposing offenses change strategies to try and combat the Bulldogs. While some have taken advantage lately, it could be back to normal for UGA according to Rowe.

“Offenses, I feel like, have gotten a lot more creative in terms of against defenses like the ones George plays,” Rowe said. “Georgia likes to cover up the offensive linemen and let the linebackers run free and a lot of these risky things have been designed around … You got to have somebody that can step up and snap a guard’s head back and make a play. And I think that’s something that Georgia is dealing with there … 

“Georgia took a step back and this really speaks to how good Georgia was up front and 2021 and 2022, but Georgia took a step back on the defensive line last year and probably still had a top five to eight defensive line in the country.” 

With key players back, Georgia’s defense could be one of, if not the best in the country once again.

“I think they’re gonna be better this year than they were last because you got … all of these guys are going into their second years being major contributors,” Rowe said. “Also Georgia brings back a couple of fifth year guys who played significant roles on a couple of national championship teams. And I think that front seven … I feel like just in general is going to be kind of back on par to work towards you know, considering to be a standard there.”