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ESPN identifies Georgia's top weakness

ESPN identifies Georgia's top weakness

USA Today10-07-2025
The Georgia Bulldogs have several positions of concern entering the 2025 college football season.Georgia has a new projected starter in football's most important position, quarterback, but ESPN's Mark Schlabach does not think Gunner Stockton and the quarterback position are Georgia's top area of concern.Instead, he identifies the pass rush as Georgia's top weakness. We have been harping all offseason of Georgia's lack of returning pass rush production.Georgia returns just 21.6% of its sack production (eight of 37 sacks) from 2024. The Dawgs had an outstanding pass rush in 2024, but lost their two top front seven talents (Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams) to the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.In fact, seven of Georgia's top eight sack producers from last season are no longer on the team. The Bulldogs appear to be set at inside linebacker in the front seven, but it is fair to be concerned about Georgia's defensive line and outside linebackers group.So who does Georgia need to help replace all the lost pass rush production?'Georgia feels good about Gabe Harris Jr., and it added Army transfer Elo Modozie, who had 6.5 sacks for the Black Knights last season,' said Schlabach.Georgia's other top player in the trenches is Christen Miller, who is expected to be a 2026 NFL draft pick. Redshirt freshman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Nasir Johnson, Justin Greene, Nnamdi Ogboko and Jordan Thomas will be among the Bulldogs thrust into a larger role this fall. UGA can count on redshirt sophomore Xzavier McLeod absorbing a significant amount of snaps. The Dawgs are also hoping for former five-star defensive tackle Jordan Hall to be healthier for the 2025 campaign. Sophomore Quintavius Johnson is another name to watch. Georgia also will hope to get contributions from five-star freshman defensive lineman Elijah Griffin and edge rusher Isaiah Gibson.
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