The inside linebacker position perfectly signifies how college football has changed over the past 20 or 30 years.

Gone are the days of 250-pound neck roll-wearing linebackers who collide into fullbacks like crash dummies. Modern defenses need uber-athletic inside linebackers who can play in space, cover running backs and tight ends, and roam sideline to sideline.

It's no coincidence, then, that Georgia has routinely had players fitting that bill under Kirby Smart.

Roquan Smith, Monty Rice, Tae Crowder, and Nakobe Dean are just a few of the names to hold that position in recent years. All were superb athletes, making it no surprise they're now playing their football on Sundays in the NFL.

Now a new group of freaky athletic Bulldogs are manning the middle, led by junior Smael Mondon.

"We kind of have to do a little bit of everything. To really have that athleticism, it puts us in a better position," Mondon said.

Mondon led the team in tackles last season with 76. He did that despite losing some weight by the end of the season. Mondon has since added about 10 to 15 pounds.

Jamon Dumas-Johnson checked in right behind Mondon with 70 tackles. Those two return in 2023 along with Rian Davis and Xavian Sorey, another superb athlete at the position.

The future is already in place as well, as Georgia signed CJ Allen, Troy Bowles, and Raylen Wilson in the 2023 class.

Allen and Wilson were track stars in high school. Bowles is a rangy athlete who played some safety as a prep prospect. All three fit the mold of a modern inside linebacker.

Allen and Wilson are already on campus and participating in spring practice. "They’re all just a really athletic group," Mondon said. "They’re hard workers, strong, fast. They’re really everything you want in a linebacker."

There are, of course, many nuances to being a good linebacker besides being athletic. For example, Mondon said he's working on his block-shedding and playing with his hands during these spring practices.

But in today's game, having the best athletes is a great place to start. In that respect, Georgia's inside linebacker corps looks to be as strong as ever heading into the 2023 season.