Georgia ranks No. 4 on Greg McElroy's Top 10 defenses in college football list

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy went thoroughly in depth on his top projected defensive units going into the 2025 season. Georgia checked in at No. 4 nationally on his ranking.

There’s a lot to like about the squad Kirby Smart has at his disposal this year in Athens. McElroy outlined much of it on a recent episode of the Always College Football podcast.

“This might be a little controversial because they were not quite the same last year as they were in years past,” McElroy said. “There were moments for Georgia’s defense last year where you’re like, ‘Goodness gracious alive.’ I think about that first Texas game and just how crazy it was and how dominant they were and how aggressive they were. But there were also moments like the first half against Alabama where it’s like, ‘What the heck just happened?’

“So this is a group that was a little bit up and down last year, but I do think their low points, that floor, should be quite a bit higher than last year partly because I just trust Kirby Smart. I think he’s one of the best defensive minds in the entire country. I think he creates a culture of physicality and toughness that a lot of people don’t want to play against. And it’s hard to play against this group collectively.”

There’s also an element of continuity to the Georgia defense this year. That comes not necessarily in the form of player personnel, but staff.

“Glenn Schumann is back as the defensive coordinator, he’s been there forever. Travaris Robinson is back as the co-defensive coordinator,” McElroy pointed out. “They’re going to be really, really solid.

“And yes, they lost some amazing players off last year’s team. Losing Mykel Williams, losing Jalon Walker, those guys were off the charts good. There were a bunch of others they lost as well, but when have you been super concerned about the departures we saw off Georgia’s defense? I’m not one that spends a lot of time worrying about the personnel that Georgia had. They had a lot of guys that were in and out of the lineup and a lot of guys that were banged up last year, and yet they still played pretty good football throughout most of the year.”

McElroy then began his breakdown of each level of the Georgia defense. He started up front in the trenches.

“Christen Miller‘s back. He’s got a chance, I think, to be a breakout candidate on the interior of the defensive line,” McElroy said. “I don’t know if he’s quite Jalen Carter or Jordan Davis, but he could be the next man up as far as a dominant presence there. He started only 10 games and was banged up through most of the year, but there was a lot of potential that was flashed at times last year.

“You also have Jordan Hall, who had a big spring and it sounds like after being quite a bit banged up last year he’s now fully healthy and has a chance to be a massive difference-maker. Then Xzavier McLeod, another promising guy on the interior whose role should be increased.”

Next up was McElroy’s assessment of the edge rushers and linebackers. Again, he likes the potential.

“They have a true freshman in Elijah Griffin, and we’ve seen true freshman play in the past at linebacker, we’ve seen true freshman in the past play off the edge,” McElroy said. “They’re going to find a place for some of their most talented young guys, and they might be in a really good spot to be able to do that.

“I love their linebacker corps across the board. Raylen Wilson, CJ Allen, those guys have now been playing together for the last two years. They’re both entering their true junior year. That one-two punch is outstanding to go with Chris Cole, who as a freshman last year did some really impressive things. Remember the name Justin Williams, as well. These are highly anticipated pieces that were young last year, played a little, but now that they get maybe a little bit more work maybe they can become even more impressive as they continue to develop.”

Finally, McElroy took home the Georgia study with a look at the secondary. That might be the deepest position group on the defense, he said.

“Love the additions that they’ve made in some spots with Daylen Everette‘s back, KJ Bolden‘s back, who had an outstanding true freshman year last year and might be one of the best safeties in the country by season’s end,” McElroy said. “And then Joenel Aguero, who’s a solid piece there on the edge, kind of a nickel/star player. He was absent at times, felt early in the year. But he is now back and should be in a really good spot to go along with Daniel Harris, Ellis Robinson. They just have so much depth in the back end defensively.”

Having summed up the Georgia outlook defensively when it comes to the roster and the personnel, McElroy concluded with his overall assessment. Bottom line: He expects Georgia to be really good.

He ranks the unit fourth in the country heading into the season. That would almost certainly make Georgia a contender in the SEC.

“I love the depth of this group,” McElroy said. “Kirby Smart’s always talking about well I don’t have the depth I once did. Well no one does, because when you take into account what his team had in 2021 and 2022, nobody had that kind of depth. Nobody ever again will have that kind of depth. But they’ll be the closest ones to it, and I love their personnel coming in this year.”