Trenton Thompson is set to return as a full-fledged member of the Georgia football team, head coach Kirby Smart confirmed during Monday’s SEC teleconference.

Thompson, who withdrew from classes last semester after having a negative reaction to medication he was taking, will resume classes this summer and is expected to be back on the field when the Bulldogs begin fall practice in August.

"He is there in May but not currently in Maymester (classes), but not many are," Smart said. "He's continuing to rehab his shoulder and he will be back in summer school."

Thompson sat out spring practice, although he did attend each workout while rehabbing with trainer Ron Courson following shoulder surgery earlier this year.

"Trenton has done a great job rehabbing his shoulder, he's better. He's able to move a lot better now than he was before," Smart said. "Medically, he's done really well."

It was last February that Thompson was stopped by police off of East Carlton Street, where the officer noticed him wondering in the roadway just off River Road.

The report said that Thompson's eyes appeared glassy and bloodshot. He told officers he had taken "two oxies." Thompson was asked if he had been hit on the head recently, but could not answer according to the report.

No charges were filed.

Thompson played in all 13 games for Georgia last year, making 56 tackles, including 9.5 for loss, five sacks and seven quarterback pressures.

He was named the MVP for the Bulldogs in their win over TCU in the Liberty Bowl.

Thompson's return will bolster a Bulldog defensive line which returns nine lettermen from last year, including four rising sophomores who Smart is expecting even better things from this fall.

"I got to see all those young guys play this fall, as you well know--Julian (Rochester), Tyler (Clark), David Marshall, Michail (Carter), all those guys. So, the growth we saw this spring was really good because, a lot of times, the biggest jump you make as a football player is from that first fall to the next fall," Smart said. "A lot of those guys did get better."

But Smart made it clear he's looking for more.

"We certainly don't have enough depth at that position where many people think we're stacked on the D-line," he continued. "We have to attack D-line in recruiting, get some athletic guys who can rush and play on the edge because we're losing a couple of guys like that this year who are seniors. We need to do a good job of getting that 260-, 270-pound pass rush guy."