Sophomores Poised to Make a Big Jump for Georgia in 2024
Georgia players have been putting on a show at Senior Bowl practice ahead of Saturday's game. It's been yet another showcase for Georgia's talent ahead of what is sure to be another fruitful NFL Draft for the program's former stars. But with every player taken in the Draft comes a hole on the depth chart that must be filled.
Kirby Smart has built his program on elite recruiting, and while the Bulldogs signed the nation's No. 1 overall class this past December, it's the players from the 2023 class that have the best chance to fill those voids. A year in the strength program, a full season of practices and some valuable game reps will help transform those players into contributors. Here are some of the guys to watch out for as they transition from freshmen to sophomores.
Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Jordan Hall (44) takes a selfie for a fan after the game of an NCAA Football game Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Georgia defeated Florida 43-20.
Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union
Jordan Hall - DL - 6'4 - 320 lbs
Hall is built like an oak tree and Georgia will need him to step up this fall. The defensive line has some key contributors returning for their senior seasons, but the unit lacked a punch this past season. Hall can line up at tackle or end and has the length to rush the passer from the interior. He played in 10 games as a freshman and tallied 10 tackles.
CJ Allen - ILB - 6'1 - 233 lbs
Georgia fans got a chance to see a lot of Allen after Jamon Dumas-Johson injured his forearm this past season. The freshman saw his first start in Georgia's top-10 matchup with Ole Miss and never relinquished the role. Dumas-Johnson is now at Kentucky and the role is now Allen's. He'll be in the same position we saw Roquan Smith, Tae Crowder, and Nakobe Dean play in the past. Some big shoes to fill.
Joenel Aguero - S - 5'11 - 205 lbs
Like Allen and Hall, Aguero got some playing time as a freshman, but he was largely a special teamer this past season. With Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith off to the NFL and Caleb Downs choosing Ohio State over the Dawgs, the door is wide open for Aguero to see significant snaps opposite Malaki Starks. A top-50 prospect coming out of high school, he's shown strong instincts in coverage and runs the lane well in run support.
