Georgia has a number of key defenders to replace from last season’s team. There are real questions at outside linebacker, along with whether Georgia has a truly dominant defensive lineman.
Yet even with those concerns, ESPN’s college football analysts expect the Bulldogs to once again have the nation’s top defense in 2023. All 10 analysts who voted on the top 2023 defenses in college football had Georgia at No. 1.
“In total, you’ve got a defense that once again is expected to compete to be the best in the country, and we didn’t even get to the Bulldogs’ highly-rated recruits coming in this season,” Harry Lyles Jr. wrote. “Given how Georgia has been recruiting, it’s hard not to see it this way not only this year, but for the foreseeable future.”
Behind Georgia was Michigan at No. 2, Alabama at No. 3, Penn State at No. 4 and Clemson at No. 5 in ESPN’s ratings.
Georgia’s 2022 defense took a step back from where the 2021 defense was, but that was to be expected given eight defenders were taken in the 2022 NFL Draft. Georgia had five more defensive players taken in the 2023 NFL Draft, including first-rounders Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith.
The Bulldogs’ strength is inside linebacker, with Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Smael Mondon both returning as starters. Add in Xavian Sorey and Jalon Walker and you have not just one of the most talented positions in college football but also one of the best.
Elsewhere, the secondary should be a positive for the Bulldogs. Georgia must find a replacement for Kelee Ringo but it has a number of former elite recruits vying for playing time. Kamari Lassiter, Malaki Starks and Javon Bullard all return as starters, while Tykee Smith made major strides in the spring.
It shouldn’t be overlooked that Georgia has continuity on its defensive coaching staff. All five defensive assistants return for Georgia, with Glenn Schumann receiving a large pay and title bump as Georgia’s defensive coordinator. Tray Scott, Chidera Uzo-Diribie, Fran Brown and Will Muschamp all return as they will help craft the Georgia defense moving forward.
Despite substandard outings against LSU and Ohio State, Georgia still finished fifth in the country in points per game allowed last season with 14.3. If the defense makes strides as a more experienced unit, that number could climb closer to the 10.3 mark the 2021 defense set. That was tops in the country that season.
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