Georgia defensive trio round out watch list season for Bulldogs
Award watch list season came to a close this week with the release of the preseason names to know for the Bednarik and Butkus Awards. Georgia’s defense is once again expected to be strong, so you know the Bulldogs have a few players that the country is keeping an eye on.
Linebacker Smael Mondon, defensive lineman Mykel Williams and safety Malaki Starks were all included on the watch list for the Bednarik Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive player. Mondon is also up for the Butkus Award for the best linebacker in College Football.
Mondon returns for his senior season at Georgia as a third-year starter for the Bulldogs. He led the team in tackles (76) as a sophomore despite missing two outings for the 2022 National Championship winning Bulldogs. Then, in 2023, he finished second with 68 stops while earning All-SEC selection by the league’s 14 head coaches.
As for the others, Starks enters 2024 with with 28 career starts, five interceptions and a total of 120 tackles. He has been the most represented Georgia player when it comes to preseason watch lists, finding his name up for the Nagurski Trophy, Thorpe Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year.
Williams also enters this fall with experience under his belt and big expectations. The former five-star finished first among all Bulldogs in sacks on the 2022 team before coming up half a sack short of tying his teammate Jalon Walker in 2023. Williams, like Mondon, was named to the All-SEC teams by the coaches that season.
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The trio of watch list members adds to the long list of Georgia players to receive some sort of preseason recognition. After 15 Georgia players made an All-SEC squad, a total of 12 made watch lists for their respective positions/sides of the ball.
QB Carson Beck – Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award
RB Trevor Etienne – Maxwell Award, Paul Hornung Award
OL Dylan Fairchild – Outland Trophy
OL Tate Ratledge – Outland Trophy
OL Xavier Truss – Outland Trophy
DL Nazir Stackhouse – Outland Trophy
DL Mykel Williams – Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award
LB Smael Mondon – Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award, Butkus Award
DB Daylen Everette – Thorpe Award
DB Malaki Starks – Nagurski Trophy, Thorpe Award, Walter Camp Award, Bednarik Award
P Brett Thorson – Ray Guy Award
K Peyton Woodring – Lou Groza Award
With watch list season over, it’s on to the actual football. Georgia kicks off its 2024 season on August 31st against Clemson with a battle between ACC and SEC favorites in Atlanta. The Bulldogs and Tigers come in at No. 1 and No. 14 respectively in both the AP and Coaches Polls, and the two programs claim four of the last eight national titles. Kickoff time from Mercedes-Benz Stadium is set for 12:00 p.m. ET on ABC to get the day underway.
