When you play on a team as talented as the Georgia football team, it’s hard for anyone to truly be a sleeper. The Bulldogs recruit at such an elite level that many of the potential new starters were former top recruits, eager to make an impact for the Bulldogs.

Georgia is expected to have one of the top teams in the country this fall, in part because of stars like Malaki Starks and Carson Beck. But there are also lesser known players who will make significant impacts this fall.

ESPN believes defensive back Joenel Aguero fits that bill, even if Aguero was a key recruiting win in the 2023 recruiting cycle.

“He had seven tackles and one pass breakup in 12 games, contributing mostly on special teams and on defense in the fourth quarter of blowouts,” ESPN’s Mark Schlabach said. “He’ll be counted on this season to compete for one of the two safety spots vacated by Tykee Smith and Javon Bullard. Aguero was the No. 3 safety prospect in the Class of 2023, according to ESPN Recruiting, and he has the speed and tackling ability to flourish at the star nickel position.”

Georgia beat out Miami to land Aguero as a member of the 2023 signing class. Aguero is from Lynn, Mass., and spent part of his time in high school career at IMG Academy.

Playing for the national powerhouse undoubtedly helped prepare him for life at Georgia.

Aguero is likely to be the starter at star, a position last held by Smith. The new Tampa Bay Buccaneer led Georgia in tackles and interceptions last year.

Aguero does have big shoes to fill in that regard. But learning from Smith as a freshman absolutely helped prepare Aguero for the task ahead in 2024.

“Joenel is his own person, but I would say he’s like a miniature version of Tykee. They’ve got the same body type, play very, very physical,” wide receiver Dominic Lovett said of Aguero. “Along with all of the other DBs, I’ve just seen them all come a long way from having who we had last year to having who we have this year.”

JaCorey Thomas is also competing with Aguero at the Star position for Georgia. Expect both to contribute in a secondary that has a few holes after Georgia had three defensive backs taken in the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Bulldogs do bring back safety Malaki Starks, who was an All-American last season.

Aguero did battle a hamstring injury last fall that kept him out for parts of fall camp. Had he been fully healthy, there’s a good chance he wouldn’t be seen as a sleeper but rather one of the more exciting second-year players in the sport.

Georgia will begin fall camp in the coming weeks, as the Bulldogs have their first game of the 2024 season against Clemson on Aug. 31.