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Published Jan 20, 2024
Early Enrollee Spotlight: KJ Bolden
Anthony Dasher  •  UGASports
Editor

Inside, we begin our annual series spotlighting Georgia’s early enrollees. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.

First, we’ll start with one of Kirby Smart’s bigger gets, safety KJ Bolden, who back in late December flipped from Florida State to Georgia.

For more on the former five-star:

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KJ Bolden

Height: 6-0

Weight: 185

Position: Safety/star

Ranking: No. 1 safety/12th overall player

High School Career

Bolden did it all during his career at Buford High.

A semifinalist for Maxwell Football Club Defensive Player of the Year, Bolden led Buford to an 11-2 record and GHSA Class 7A quarterfinals, posting 33 tackles, along with four interceptions and three pass deflections. On offense, he tallied 30 receptions for a team-leading 663 yards and 14 touchdowns.

As a junior, he led the Wolves to an 11-1 record and the Class 7A second round playoffs.

In his sophomore year, Bolden collected 19 tackles, including two for lost yardage and two interceptions.

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Quoting KJ Bolden

"I want to play against the best, I want to practice against the best, I want to develop into one of the best. You’re one of the best players in the nation–why not go to one of the best programs in the nation?" – KJ Bolden

What they're saying

“His ability to be around the ball. When you watch his film, he’s always around the ball, always making plays. To watch that, it looks natural. I’m very excited to get to work with him. I’m excited that he chose to come here.” Current Bulldog safety Malaki Starks on Bolden.

Where does he fit in?

Bolden will bring versatility to the back end of the Georgia defense at both safety and star, along with an expected role on special teams.

Look for him to be on the field early as Bolden is a special talent.

A tenacious defender, Bolden has many of the same physical characteristics and much the same demeanor as predecessor Javon Bullard.

Bulldog fans will be hearing a lot from Bolden over the next three years.

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