Georgia's Defense has Stars at all Three Levels

Christian Goeckel | Apr 14, 2024

Apr 13, 2024; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) / Mady Mertens-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia needs its stars to step up on defense this fall. Luckily, the Bulldogs have plenty of contenders to fill those roles.

Last season was a regression for Georgia's typically elite defense. The Bulldogs finished ninth in team defense, 66th in sacks per game, and 69th in takeaways with just 17 on the season.

Georgia simply wasn't as dominant on the defensive side of the ball and a lot of that had to do with a lack of standout performances from individual players. They had a lot of excellent players on the defensive side of the ball, but none made the individual impact like the Jalen Carters, Roquan Smiths, and Jordan Davis' of recent seasons.

Saturday, during Georgia's annual G-Day spring game, we saw a few players who look primed to fill that void at each level of the defense.

Perhaps the biggest standout was defensive end Mykel Williams. The junior rushed the passer well and had two pass deflections, including one he caught himself for an interception off of Carson Beck. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has spoken about unleashing Williams as an edge rusher, standing him up on the outside instead of down in a three-point stance. The Bulldogs desperatly need pressure from the defensive front and Williams looks to be the guy.

At linebacker, CJ Allen continued to build on a very successful freshman season. Physically, the true sophomore is built in the mold of former Georgia greats Roquan Smith and Odell Thurman. He made a sensational play on Saturday, baiting Carson Beck and intercepting a pass over the middle. He has a shot to be Georgia's next Butkus Award winner.

Though he didn't play on Saturday, Malaki Starks is a known commodity. The junior was a freshman All-American in 2022 and followed that up with an All-American season last year. Entering his third season, he very well may be the best safety Kirby Smart has coached at Georgia. This season is about winning for Starks, but its also likely his final season to put together some elite tape for NFL scouts.

Other Georgia News:

• Will Georgia Have a 1,000-yard Rusher in 2024?
• Dominic Lovett Continues to Impress at Spring Practice
• Has Wide Receiver Ladd McConkey Done Enough to Become a First-Round Selection in the 2024 NFL Draft?

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