Georgia Aiming to Build Depth at Inside Linebacker

Georgia enters fall camp looking to build depth behind its preseason All-SEC starters Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Smael Mondon.

After they posted strong seasons in their first year as starters at the position, Jamon Dumas-Jonhson and Smael Mondon return to headline Georgia's inside linebacker position in 2023. But following the transfers of veterans Rian Davis to UCF and Trezman Marshall to Alabama, the Bulldogs are looking to build depth behind their two preseason All-SEC linebackers. 

Mondon suffered an injury late in spring practice and, according to Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart, has still yet to be fully cleared to return to practice entering fall camp, adding even more urgency to Georgia's quest to accelerate the learning process for a group of largely young and inexperienced linebackers behind Dumas-Johnson and Mondon. Redshirt sophomore Xavian Sorey started Georgia's spring game in place of Mondon and, according to Smart, he has taken full advantage of the opportunity to develop his skill set.

"Yeah, probably the most growth Xavian has had has been in the last five months, six months. Since Smael's injury, he has exponentially grown in terms of confidence, ability to execute. He's been healthy, number one, and he's had a lot of opportunity of reps being out there with the ones. I mean, he's a guy who has really picked it up in terms of leadership and growth, and he has a lot of athletic ability."

Redshirt sophomore Xavian Sorey makes a tackle in a game against Auburn in 2022. With starter Smael Mondon still recovering from an injury, Sorey could see increased reps at inside linebacker early in the 2023 season

To this point in his career, Sorey has largely been relegated to reserve duty when all doubt had been removed from the outcome of games. He did open the 2022 season with a regular role as a designated pass rusher in Georgia's third down package, but lost that role early in the season to Jalon Walker, another talented young linebacker on the Georgia roster. 

Walker, a sophomore who was initially recruited to Georgia as an inside linebacker, came on as the 2022 season progressed and flashed elite athleticism and playmaking ability as part of Georgia's third down package. He ended the 2022 season with 9 tackles and 1 sack, primarily working in a pass rushing role, which created questions about his long-term position future. Speaking to the media in his opening press conference of Georgia's fall camp, Smart cleared the air regarding Walker's assigned position.

Sophomore Jalon Walker sacks TCU QB Max Duggan during the CFP National Championship Game in Los Angeles on January 9, 2023. Walker will open fall camp working at inside linebacker

"He'll start inside," Smart said of Walker. "That's his natural position. That's what he wants to grow at, and he'll be in that competition for guys that get an opportunity to play."

Still, Smart recognizes Walker's natural pass rushing talent and, given Georgia's need in that department, he emphasized that Bulldogs still plan to take advantage of that unique skill set.

"He has a unique trait of being able to rush the passer well, which not all inside linebackers have. He has some outside linebacker charactreristics and he helped us a lot last year on third down. Because of the injuries we had, we were like, 'okay, he's got a better chance of playing outside linebacker than inside linebacker. This year and really the entire time he was out in the spring with a shoulder, he was still in the inside linebacker room, and he'll be in the inside linebacker room, but he'll be part of the third down package that allows him to rush the passer."

In addition to Sorey and Walker, the Bulldogs have a collection of other talented former blue-chippers working to earn a role in their inside linebacker rotation. Along with Sorey, Redshirt freshman E.J. Lightsey also received first team reps in the spring and enters fall camp looking to nail down a role on Georgia's defense. Georgia's 2023 recruiting class also featured an ultra talented trio of linebackers in Raylan Wilson, C.J. Allen, and Troy Bowles who all possess the natural ability to make an impact at the position as early as this season. After enrolling early in January and participating in spring practice, Wilson and Allen enter fall camp with an experiential edge on Bowles - the son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles - has the talent and football acumen that give him an opportunity to also put his name in the thick of the competition for playing time at inside linebacker.

While, outside of Dumas-Johnson and Mondon, Georgia might be thin on experience at the inside linebacker position, the Bulldogs are loaded with talent at the position. Inside Linebacker Coach and Co-Defensive Coordinator Glenn Schumann's mission during fall camp is to develop that talent and build depth behind the Bulldogs' two headliners at the position.