ATHENS — Georgia is a bit thinner on the defensive line at the moment, as Warren Brinson has been dealing with a calf injury. He missed the game against Tennessee with a calf injury and is questionable for Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech.

In his absence, freshman Jordan Hall is making the most of the limited opportunity. The freshman defensive tackle was especially active against the Tennessee Volunteers, as he had a career-best four tackles.

For much of the season, Hall has been serving in a backup role for the Bulldogs. He was one of the top signees in the 2023 Georgia recruiting class, as he was the No. 25 overall player in last year’s cycle.

As a reserve, he’s spent plenty of time on Georgia’s scout team. That’s not something every young player embraces but it has clearly paid off for the freshman.

“He works really hard. He’s one of those guys that goes down to the scout,” Smart said. “The defensive line, he takes reps down there every day against our offensive line, and that’s just a grind. I mean, I’ve seen kids now for eight years go down there and develop callouses, get roughed up, play hard.”

One of the players who has put his hands on Hall is Amarius Mims. He understands what Hall is going through, as he was a similarly hyped prospect as a freshman when he arrived at Georgia in 2021. Mims didn’t see much playing time as a freshman and briefly entered the transfer portal.

Mims ended up sticking things out and has blossomed into one of the most talented offensive tackles in the country. Despite missing six games this season due to an ankle injury, he’s still seen as a potential first-round pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.

The monster offensive tackle has seen enough flashes from Hall to know he can follow a similar path.

“He’s one of those raw guys that comes in highly ranked and is just good, man. He’s good at taking coaching,” Mims said. “He fits our scheme perfect. He’s going to be a dawg for us. I look forward to going against him every day. He’s going to be one of the premier guys on our defense.”

Hall will be asked to play a much bigger role for Georgia in the future. Anything it gets out of him this season is a bonus. With Brinson, Zion Logue, Tramel Walthour and Naz Stackhouse all potentially off to the NFL next season, Georgia’s defensive line is going to need capable bodies that can make an impact.

Hall is showing that he can be that. Along with redshirt freshman Christen Miller, Georgia will look to continue to develop them as the season progresses. Getting to go against one of the best offensive lines in the country has already helped Hall’s development.

More snaps against the rival Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets should only further accelerate Hall’s growth. The Bulldogs take on Georgia Tech on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

“With Warren’s injury, he’s been getting more snaps and I can see the benefit of going against our offensive line like he has,” Smart said. “You know, we’re a little thin on the defensive line — thinner than we’ve ever been. He’s been a big part of getting better and growing up on that side of the ball.”