How Good Can Georgia's Secondary be in 2023?

The Georgia Bulldogs return a lot of talent in the back end of their defense this season, so just how good can they be in 2023?

Typically when a team loses a starting defensive back and a starting safety to the NFL draft, that would call for some concern in the secondary for the upcoming season. Well, that's exactly the situation that Georgia is currently in, yet their secondary very well could be the brightest spot of the defense for the upcoming season. 

Defensive back Kelee Ringo and safety Christopher both were selected in this year's NFL draft and were important pieces to the Bulldogs' 2022 defense. That also means that there are two spots on the defense that are up for grabs, but Georgia should have no issues filling those voids due to the talent they had waiting behind Smtih and Ringo. 

As for who replaces Ringo's role on defense, Kamari Lassiter is back for another season and has a full year as a starter under his belt now, and he certainly helps soften the blow of losing a guy like Ringo. What also helps is having the amount of talent that Georgia does behind Lassiter on the depth chart. During spring practice, it was reported that Nyland Green, Daylen Everette, Smoke Bouie, Julian Humphrey, and AJ Harris all received reps at cornerback. Needless to say, Georgia has options, and some really good options. 

Georgia defensive back A.J. Harris (4) during Georgia’s annual G-Day scrimmage on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Tony Walsh/UGAAA)

Looking around the rest of the secondary is where the Bulldogs really stand out. Malaki Starks surged onto the college football scene as a true freshman and was an immediate impact player from week one all the way to the national championship. Georgia also returns Javon Bullard, the MVP of both the Peach Bowl and National championship. He featured on Georgia's defense at the STAR position last season, but this year might be the season where Bullard's entire skill set really gets to shine. 

The Bulldogs have quite a few options at STAR this season as Tykee Smith, Bouie, and true freshman Joenel Aguero can filter into that spot as well. The good news for Georgia is due to Bullard's versatility, they will be able to rotate in different personnel while also keeping Bullard on the field by plugging him in at safety. When he is not at safety, the Bulldogs have a great selection of players to choose from to go alongside Starks in the back end. Most likely those options will be Dan Jackson, David Daniel-Sisavanh, and Aguero. 

Due to the range of options that Georgia has in the secondary this season and the ability to be very multiple, the sky is the limit for this group in 2023. They will feature a group that has a blend of battle-tested players along with guys that are still very much in the early stages of their collegiate careers but also ready to take on the task of playing on Saturdays. Those things paired with the fact that Georgia's coaching staff consists of Kirby Smart, Will Muschamp, and Fran Brown, arguably the best defensive back staff in the country, provides a very high ceiling for Georgia's 2023 secondary unit. 

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