On3's J.D. PicKell explains new defensive leadership must emerge for Georgia to repeat

Georgia rode a staunch defense to its first national championship in 40 years last season. But the Bulldogs lost some firepower — and On3’s J.D. PicKell said they’ll need to replace that if they want to repeat as champions.

During the 2022 NFL Draft, Georgia had five players from its vaunted defense selected in the first round, setting a new record. But that means those five stars are out of the picture, and the Bulldogs only have three starters coming back from last season’s group, led by Kelee Ringo, who was ranked as a second team preseason All-American by Phil Steele.

That, PicKell said, is something the team needs to address if it wants to make another title run.

CLICK HERE to get 30% OFF your Georgia Bulldogs National Championship apparel

“There needs to be new leadership on defense because Nakobe Dean, gone. Jordan Davis, gone,” PicKell said on The Hard Count. “You bring back three starters from that defense a season ago, and that defense a season ago was nasty. Don’t get me wrong, they were ridiculous. One of the best in the game. But to only bring back three guys, you’ve got eight dudes who have never started for Georgia.

“And I’m not concerned about the personnel. I mean, Georgia’s Georgia. They recruit freaks everywhere and anywhere. They’re going to have ballers on the field. But those other eight guys, who’s their leader? Who’s telling them where to go? Who’s getting them lined up? There has to be a leader on the field because Nakobe Dean was doing a lot of that for Georgia a season ago. He was the coach on the field. So the ability’s going to be there. But do they have the same leadership on that side of the football? I think they need to have it in order to get back to the mountaintop this coming season.”