Georgia’s offensive front isn’t the only line of scrimmage to watch this spring.
So too is the defensive line.
The Bulldogs lost some integral players from last year, including nose guard Nazir Stackhouse, tackles Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and Warren Brinson, and defensive end Mykel Williams.
All four took place in last week’s NFL Combine, leaving behind a group that, despite some talent, remains largely untested.
Three players position coach Tray Scott will be counting upon heavily include juniors Christen Miller and Jordan Hall, along with redshirt sophomore Xzavier McLeod.
Both Miller and Hall are entering their third year in the program and have enjoyed success before. They just need to stay healthy.
Hall, in particular. At 6-4 and 320 pounds, he would have played a key role for the Bulldogs last fall but was slowed by a pair of stress fractures that kept him off the field for most of the season. When healthy, Hall has the potential to be one of the better defensive linemen in the SEC, with versatility to play more than one spot up front for the Bulldogs.
Ditto for Miller, who, like Hall, is capable of producing the kind of interior pass rush you need from your defensive line.
McLeod transferred from South Carolina last year and spent most of his first season becoming comfortable with Georgia’s defensive system. Once he did, we started to see the 6-4, 315-pounder start to show more consistently. More is expected this fall.
Second-year players the Bulldogs will need to show progress include Nnamdi Ogboko, who at 6-4, 340 is being groomed to play the Zero Technique, with Justin Greene, Nasir Johnson, Jordan Thomas and Joseph Jonah-Ajonye being counted on as key contributors.
Georgia’s freshman class also offers some intriguing options.
Savannah native and former five-star Elijah Griffin is already creating some buzz during pre-spring drills. But he’s not alone.
Defensive end JJ Hanne has also impressed. The Bulldogs also signed some big-bodied defenders in Isaiah Gibson and Darren Ikinnagbon, but Georgia currently lists both as outside linebackers, so they will be addressed in a later preview.
