Joseph Jonah-Ajonye’s freshman season with Georgia got off to a good enough start.
In the 2024 opener at Clemson, he was already seeing a fair number of reps for a first-year player and was credited with his first quarterback pressure during the game.
The following week in the home opener against Tennessee Tech, Jonah-Ajonye was at it again, flashing his ability to get after the opposing QB.
A native of Nigeria, the former Texas resident saw action in four of Georgia’s first five games before an ankle injury against Auburn sidelined him for the rest of the year.
Fortunately, his recovery is going well.
“It feels good. It's healing up,” Jonah-Ajonye told UGASports. “I've really just been going to rehab and attacking rehab. It’s better.”
Joseph-Ajonye anticipates returning to the field when the Bulldogs begin spring practice next month.
Injury aside, the young defensive end said he has no regrets.
“The first nine months, it was really fun because I got to experience all these new things. I'm getting coached really good, learning all these new techniques. So, yeah, it was a really good experience,” Jonah-Ajonye said. “Early enrolling really helped. It helped me progress during fall camp and school and all that.”
As is the case for most young players, there were some early adjustments to make.
But under the direction of position coach Tray Scott, Jonah-Ajonye said his game was completely transformed. He changed the way he played blocks, used his hands, and corrected his steps.
“I learned how to play with more effort, run to the ball,” Jonah-Ajonye said. “That's something that I feel like I didn't do much in high school, but I do it here now.”
Moving forward, there should be plenty of opportunities for a healthy Jonah-Ajonye to make an impact.
However, as he quickly learned, following a time-tested Kirby Smart theme is best.
“All I can do now is control what I can control, which is my rehab, and then get back healthy and come back next season,” said Jonah-Ajonye, who said the lessons he learned from the likes of Warre Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse will pay off even more for him this fall.
“Being in a room with them was great because I get to learn a lot from the older players and learn from their experiences and to better myself,” he said. “The D-line room is fun. Best meeting room on the entire planet. It's fun.”
But it will not be all fun and games.
If he wants to be the type of contributor he envisions for himself come fall, there's work to be done.
“I'm going to try to get most of my strength back in my legs, speed, and then just relearn how to be physical again because I haven't played football in a minute,” said Jonah-Ajonye, who despite his youth has other goals in mind. “I feel I can show more physicality, more leadership.”
