As the Georgia Bulldogs enter 2025 fall camp, the focus on defense is shifting toward who steps up in several key position battles. With longtime contributors like Mykel Williams off to the NFL, new faces are set to emerge across a defense that still boasts elite-level depth and talent.
The most wide-open spot may be at defensive end, where Williams leaves behind a massive void. Gabe Harris, the only returning player at the position with game experience, is considered the frontrunner heading into August. But he’ll face stiff competition from second-year players Joseph Jonah-Ajonye and Justin Greene. Jonah-Ajonye flashed potential in limited action last season before an injury cut his freshman year short. Both he and Greene were highly touted out of high school and now get their shot to carve out a role in one of the nation’s most competitive defensive line rooms.
At outside linebacker, Army transfer Elo Modozie has turned heads with his motor and athleticism, earning praise from SEC analyst Cole Cubelic and others during summer workouts. Still, second-year Bulldog Quintavius Johnson isn’t backing down. Johnson was a name buzzing around the program early in the offseason for his explosiveness and burst off the edge, and fall camp will be his chance to prove he belongs on the field. This battle could ultimately come down to situational usage, as both players offer distinct strengths.
The secondary is largely set with returning starters Daylen Everette at cornerback, KJ Bolden and Jacorey Thomas at the safety spots, and Joenel Aguero holding down the STAR position. But the cornerback spot opposite Everette is far from settled. Daniel Jones enters camp as the presumed starter, but former five star Ellis Robinson and Damello Jones are both pushing hard for playing time. Robinson, in particular, brings the kind of upside that can’t be ignored, and it would be no surprise to see the rotation shift throughout August.
Meanwhile, at safety, Zion Branch is another name to monitor. The USC transfer is breathing down Jacorey Thomas’s neck and could force his way onto the field, adding more firepower to an already-loaded back end.
In typical Georgia fashion, talent isn’t the issue, it’s about who emerges from the competition to earn snaps when it matters most. Fall camp will provide those answers.