Javon Bullard rides a level-headed approach to Georgia stardom
Conventional wisdom suggests that it will be a long, long time before a story comes out of the University of Georgia that could rival that of Stetson Bennett. Junior defensive back Javon Bullard, however, is making a case.
The lightly-recruited, modestly-rated Bullard is coming off his first season as a starter where he found a way to become a force in the biggest games. It’s a credit to his approach, which mirrors Kirby Smart’s “never too high, never too low” mantra.
“My mindset going into every game is treat every game like it’s your first game,” Bullard said on Thursday. “Play your hardest whether it’s the national championship. I feel like I played as hard as I did against Oregon versus TCU, and it was the first game of the season versus the last game of the season. Keep every game the same game. Don’t try to be too big in the moment. We don’t need you to be anyone else but yourself. That’s the thing about this defense and this team in general, we just do what we had to do.”
Bullard had a solid start to the season before a DUI arrest knocked him out for the Missouri game. He was suspended and didn’t make the trip with the team. The Baldwin County High School product learned from it.
He stayed on the straight and narrow the rest of the season and really announced his presence against then-No. 1 Tennessee on November 5. In the biggest game in Sanford Stadium history, at least in terms of ranking, Bullard had seven solo tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, and a pass breakup.
Bullard continued to handle business for the rest of the regular season and played well in the SEC Championship game. But he found another gear in the College Football Playoff games, winning defensive MVP in both.
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Humility plays a big role. In a one-on-one interview with DawgsHQ at Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl media day, Bullard pointed back to the days after the off-field incident in September. He wasn’t worried about the suspension or everything he had to do to get passed the arrest. His main focus was everyone he had let down — his family, coaches, and teammates.
Maybe that’s why it’s so easy for him to take an “eating off the floor” mindset, or maybe it’s the fact that he was a low-three-star prospect without a ton of interest from big-time programs. Either way, he has made it this far because of a refusal to get ahead of himself.
In the NIL and transfer portal age, Bullard remains where his feet are at all times, counting his blessings in the process.
“It’s a privilege,” Bullard said of his leadership role within the team. “I’m blessed to be in the position that I am. Taking on that leadership role is an honor and I don’t take it for granted. I just want to lead those guys in the right direction like the leaders before me. I looked up to somebody when I first got here and I just want to be one of those guys that’s looked up to as the season goes on.”
