Ranking UGA by position: No. 9 - DL
This is the second in a 10-part series ranking the Georgia Bulldogs position by position. After kicking things off with No. 10 and the tight ends, we move on to No. 9: the defensive line.
Why No. 9: There are a couple of reasons. Well, actually, there are three. Reason No. 1 is suggested by how we heard Kirby Smart, all spring long, lament the depth on his defensive line, and whether or not the group can help create the type of havoc he wants to see. Sure, some of what Smart had to say may qualify as coach-speak, but in a league where the play of the defensive line is so critical to a team’s success, we’ll side with Smart for the purpose of this series.
Is there a dominant player? Jordan Davis has the potential, but he’ll need to stay healthy after his late-season lower back injury. Tyler Clark can be pretty good, but he’ll need to play better than he did last fall. Will David Marshall be over his Lisfranc injury? There are also questions of depth, and how quickly some of the incoming freshmen will be able to step in and allow the Bulldogs to use nine or 10 players over the course of a game.
OVERVIEW: We've just mentioned some of the reasons why we've ranked Georgia’s defensive line No. 9. But is there untapped potential at the same time?
The answer to that is probably yes.
Davis has the ability to become one of the better nose guards in the SEC, and two years ago Clark looked ready to become one of the better defensive tackles in the conference; he did take somewhat of a step backward last year. If Marshall is indeed over his injury, that’s going to be huge, because he can create some of the interior havoc that Smart wants to see.
Defensive end Malik Herring has shown flashes, along with Michael Barnett and Devonte Wyatt, who actually played pretty well toward the end of last year.
Julian Rochester (coming off an MCL injury) hasn’t quite had the year that many predicted, but he’s still going to be a key part of the rotation.
What about former offensive lineman Netori Johnson? From the looks of it, he’s in the best shape of his life. If he can step in and give some quality reps, that would also qualify as a nice boost.
Newcomers Tramel Walthour, Bill Norton, Travon Walker, Tymon Mitchell, and Zion Logue will be names to watch once fall camp begins.
FINAL NOTE: There are a lot of ifs involved when assessing Georgia’s defensive line. Whether or not players can live up to their potential will ultimately determine how effective this group of players will be.
The talent, we believe, is there. But it’s going to be up to position coach Tray Scott to push all the right buttons. If he can do that, Georgia’s defensive front should be just fine. Until then, questions will remain.