Daylen Everette’s first season as a starter at cornerback was not without some challenges.

With Kamari Lassiter playing on the opposite side, there was no secret which part of the field opposing quarterbacks would try to attack first.

“I didn’t try to take it as that, but it kind of ended up being that way,” said Everette, who head coach Kirby Smart expects to assume the role of leader for what will be a young group of cornerbacks for the Bulldogs this fall.

“I’m proud of Daylen and his leadership in that room. He's one of the few guys coming back with play experience in that room outside of Malaki (Starks) and Dan (Jackson),” Smart said. “I think he exudes confidence that maybe leaks over to others, and he sets an example where maybe he followed Kamari’s example for a while and learned from those older players. He's got to carry the torch in that room, and I'm excited to see him do it."

The first lesson Everette hopes to teach is simple.

“The biggest thing I learned, I would say, just having the next play mentality,” Everette said. “That and not letting a bad play or even a good play get to your head and affect the next play. Just be in the moment, be worried about what's happening at that time.”

In 2023, he started all 14 games, Everette finished with 29 tackles, picking off his only pass in the season finale at the Orange Bowl against Florida State.

“I'm just really trying to set a good example for the young guys, really everybody in the room,” Everette said. “I’m just trying to point them in the right direction and tell them what's the right thing, wrong thing to do.”

So far, Everette likes what he sees.

Redshirt sophomore Julian Humphrey is the favorite to take over Lassiter’s starting role. The group also includes sophomore Daniel Harris, followed by a trio of talented freshmen in Ellis Robinson IV, Ondre Evans, and Demello Jones.

“He's (Robinson) a real good athlete, not even just him, even all the young guys, they're all coming in, they're all real good competitors, too, they don't really shy away from anybody,” Everette said. “Whoever's going up against them, they kind of embrace it, and that's what I like about them.”