Georgia Football Projected Defensive Depth Chart

With Georgia's preseason scrimmages in the book, we project the defensive depth chart heading into the 2020 football season.

We are less than three weeks away from Georgia's first of ten SEC contests, as they head up to Fayetteville, Arkansas to take on the Razorbacks. With the fall camp coming to a close, and Georgia's second and final scrimmage game in the books, we felt it necessary to project the depth chart of one of the most talent-laden defenses in all of college football. 

Look every coach in the country tells their next recruit that there's ample opportunity for playing time when they are trying to convince them to attend their school. But at Georgia, there's more than enough evidence pointing to the fact that Smart and Lanning play a ton of guys. Over 40 players played at least 100 snaps on the nation's best defense a year ago, and signs point to nothing changing there. 

*Disclaimer - You will see certain players in a variety of positions. This is a result of Georgia having a multitude of personnel packages based on down and distance along with the opposition's tendencies. 

Let's start with the boys upfront: 

Nose Tackle

1. Jordan Davis
2. Julian Rochester
3. Nazir Stackhouse

Davis is lined up for a tremendous year in 2020. He's an absolute one-man wrecking crew on the inside of this defense and is one of the primary reasons Georgia led the nation in rushing yards allowed per game a year ago. The only difference this season, Julian Rochester is back and presumably fully healthy which will allow Davis to play much fresher. On third downs, don't be surprised to see Travon Walker or even Jalen Carter in at the nose position. 

Defensive Tackle

1. Devonte Wyatt
2. Julian Rochester/Travon Walker
3. Jalen Carter/Tramel Walthour

Devonte Wyatt was borderline unblockable a year ago. He led all defensive linemen with 30 stops and finished second on the team with 27 quarterback pressures. When breaking down the tape from a year ago, it was Wyatt that blew me away here. He will get the "start." Rochester is going to be spelling any and everybody that needs it between Wyatt and Davis. 

Remember the disclaimer? Yea, that applies directly to players like Walker and Carter. Both are such athletic specimens that possess a rare combination of strength and speed that they are going to play a multitude of positions this fall. 

Defensive End

1. Malik Herring
2. Travon Walker
3. Jalen Carter/Bill Norton

Malik Herring is expected to be one of the leaders of this defensive front. Returning for his senior season in Athens, Herring was so close to a breakout season a year ago. He had 18 QB pressures a year ago — third on the team — yet those pressures produced just 0.5 sacks on the year. We expect both Walker and Jalen Carter to see some action in this role as well. The defensive end position in Georgia's odd front defense requires players that can stack and set the edge in the run game from a 4i technique. 

Jack

1. Azeez Ojulari
2. Nolan Smith
3. Mekhail Sherman
4. Robert Beal

Azeez is the guy here, but similar to a year ago, you could see Nolan Smith alternate series with Ojulari a bit. Smith is entirely too impactful to keep off the field, especially on pass-rushing downs. The player to pay attention to here is Mekhail Sherman. Sherman tweeted "frustrated" last week, and one can only assume it's because of the depth at the OLB position. There are just too many great football players for a freshman to get on the field at a high rate this season. He will need to capitalize on the limited playing time he will likely receive this fall. 

Sam

1. Jermaine Johnson / Adam Anderson
2. Walter Grant
3. Nolan Smith

I think it's borderline useless to even predict a "starter" at the Sam position. Georgia claims to be a (3-4) football team, but more often times than not there's only one outside linebacker on the field — the Jack — and he's typically walked up in a four-down front. This means the Sam position is going to be played selectively and they will rotate based on need. Johnson the more physical run stopper with an ability to rush the passer, Adam Anderson the much more electric athlete with severe rushing abilities. They will be played accordingly. 

Mike 

1. Monty Rice
2. Quay Walker
3. Channing Tindall

The Georgia fanbase has grown accustomed to Monty Rice's run-stopping abilities, but I still don't think he gets enough credit. He led the 2019 football team in tackles without playing on third downs for the better part of the year. 

As for Quay Walker, he's going to be the "first man up" at the inside linebacker position. When watching tape of Georgia a year ago, I couldn't take my eyes off of Walker in his limited snaps. He's explosive, he possesses sideline to sideline ability, and I firmly believe he would be a starter for 99.9% of college football teams. 

Will 

1. Nakobe Dean
2. Quay Walker
3. Nate McBride

It's going to be the Nakobe Dean show in 2020. That you can take to the bank. He's not going to leave the field. He's going to call the defense for Georgia, and he's going to dominate. That 2019 class is filled with future NFL stars and you could make the case that it's Dean that is the brightest of them all. I would expect to see Monty Rice subbed out on third and longs, inserting Quay Walker in to provide a bit more coverage ability. 

STAR

1. Tyrique Stevenson/Mark Webb
2. Willaim Poole

Jermaine Burton is the freshman that I've been the most bullish on in the 2020 class, and if you've been reading Dawgs Daily long enough, you'd know that Tyrique Stevenson is the player that I was all over in that 2019 class. I actually projected him to be the starter at STAR prior to the Vanderbilt game last season. I don't think it's worth naming a starter here either, and here's why. 

Webb is far and away the best tackling defensive back Georgia has. In fact, when Georgia goes Dime — six defensive backs — it's typically with Webb playing at linebacker. The only thing is, he's a borderline liability in the passing game. Stevenson is a game-changer in the passing game. Both will play... A LOT. 

Right Safety

1. Richard LeCounte
2. Chris Smith
3. Mark Webb /  Major Burns

The importance of Richard LeCounte coming back for his senior season can not be overstated. He's not only a massive ball hawk in the back end of that defense, but his versatility and instincts provide Georgia the required variety of looks that Smart and Lanning's defense is predicated upon.

If I've got one primary concern with Georgia's defense this fall, it's the depth at Safety. All of their other positions are three, even four deep with players that are SEC starting caliber. With the loss of Divaad Wilson and the transfer from Otis Reese, there could be some serious shuffling going on if injuries arrive here. 

Left Safety

1. Lewis Cine
2. Tyrique Stevenson 
3. Latavious Brini

Cine just might be the talk of camp on the defensive side of the football. He's been lighting people up and playing with the speed you'd expect from a player of his caliber. He's primed for a breakout season in 2020. I do think you could see Stevenson lurking in the backend of this defense at some point this fall as well, and it's not going to be in replace of Richard LeCounte because he isn't coming off the field. Stevenson is such a ball hawk, that allowing him to play in the center of the field could become a problem for opposing offenses. 

Corner

Look, Georgia plays a left and a right corner. They stay on their respective sides throughout the game, but they will be interchangeable at times throughout the season. So, what we are going to do is rank them as one position, even though there are two. Make sense? 

1. Eric Stokes
2. Tyson Campbell
3. DJ Daniel
4. Tyrique Stevenson
5. Jalen Kimber
6. Ameer Speed

Eric Stokes is the definition of a lockdown corner in the SEC. I think by the end of the 2020 season, barring he creates more turnovers, his name will be in that Derek Stingley Jr. and Patrick Surtain discussion. He's that good. As far as Tyson Campbell and DJ Daniel go, they will both play and likely rotate who starts throughout the season. Kimber is a player that has drawn attention throughout camp as a freshman. 

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