2 Georgia football players who should be replaced on the depth chart for 2024

FanSided’s college football analyst Josh Yourish acknowledges the overall excellence of the Georgia roster but suggests that Kirby Smart might make adjustments to the defensive depth chart in two crucial positions. Describing the Georgia Bulldogs’ roster as virtually flawless is a challenge. Despite their loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship game, breaking a remarkable 29-game win streak, the Dawgs are considered among the top teams of 2023 and are expected to maintain their standing in the top 12 for 2024, guaranteeing a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Nevertheless, Kirby Smart has expressed a desire to enhance certain positions during the offseason, emphasizing the pursuit of perfection when a national championship is the goal. Tweaking the depth chart could bring Georgia closer to achieving that perfection.

Identifying two players as potential weak links in Georgia’s otherwise solid lineup, the Bulldogs have experienced some roster turnover, with 20 outgoing transfers and only six new additions this offseason. Despite this, Kirby Smart relies on traditional recruiting rather than the transfer portal, having secured the top high school class in the country. There’s optimism that some of these young talents could contribute immediately to one of the nation’s premier teams.

In the SEC Championship, Georgia faced challenges in the trenches against Alabama’s formidable offensive line and a quarterback with exceptional agility. Although the Bulldogs limited the Crimson Tide to 114 rushing yards, the game underscored the narrow gap between an undefeated national champion and a one-loss Orange Bowl victor.

Reflecting on the 2022 season, the Georgia defense, spearheaded by Jalen Carter, allowed only 77.1 rushing yards per game. However, the 2023 edition lacked a standout superstar on the defensive line, leading to a drop in the run defense ranking from first to 20th in the country, conceding 113.6 rushing yards per game. While the passing defense improved from 54th to ninth, the loss to Alabama exposed vulnerabilities.

Nazir Stackhouse, the leader in snaps among Georgia defensive linemen, returned for his fifth year but displayed limited impact, managing only two quarterback pressures and 24 tackles in 409 snaps. Despite converting both pressures into sacks, Stackhouse was not consistently disruptive in the middle of the defensive line. The Bulldogs may need to upgrade their front line, considering options like Jordan Hall, a relatively untested talent entering his true sophomore season, who recorded eight pressures in 177 snaps last year.

One of Kirby Smart’s most impactful moves in the recent offseason wasn’t a transfer portal addition but convincing Smael Mondon Jr. to delay entering the NFL draft for another season.

Georgia’s roster experienced a significant turnover with 20 outgoing transfers, a common occurrence for a powerhouse program with an abundance of talent at every position. Notably, three of these transfers were linebackers, with two of them being starters: Jamon Dumas-Johnson to Kentucky, Xavian Sorey to Arkansas, and EJ Lightsey to Georgia Tech.

These moves underscore Georgia’s commitment to rejuvenating its linebacking corps with younger talent, suggesting that Nakobe Dean could see reduced playing time due to this transition. Mondon, now positioned as the experienced leader, is surrounded by a group of talented freshmen and sophomores.

In the previous season, Smart and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann provided significant playing time (390 and 177 snaps) to CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson, allowing them to prove themselves in their debut collegiate season. In contrast, Walker played 244 snaps, predominantly as an outside linebacker.

The upcoming season might warrant a further reduction in Walker’s playing time. If Smart aims for a youth movement within the linebacking corps, prioritizing Allen, Wilson, and five-star freshman Justin Williams—among the highlights of Georgia’s top-ranked recruiting class—could be the way forward.

Mondon is poised to guide these young talents, and despite the potential for some mistakes from an inexperienced linebacking corps, the strength of the Georgia defense should be resilient enough to withstand challenges, especially when the group is prepared to perform at its best during the College Football Playoff.