Next Man Up: Georgia defense trying to fill shoes of key cogs

Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs saw eight players get picked over the weekend in the 2024 NFL Draft including four on each side of the ball. We went through the offensive departures yesterday, and today we do the defense where a trio of secondary stars went on day two (Kamari Lassiter – Houston Texans, Javon Bullard – Green Bay Packers, Tykee Smith – Tampa Bay Buccaneers) before two defensive linemen found new homes on Saturday. Zion Logue was drafted to the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round while Tramel Walthour signed as an undrafted free agent later that night.

Needless to say, there’s a lot of production headed off to the pros – and thus a lot that must be replaced. Georgia is in a state with its program where there are no rebuilding years. The expectation is to reload with the next man up, somebody supposed to be equally as talented with the way Smart and company are recruiting.

DawgsHQ is taking a dive into the UGA roster and the players that are departing for the pros and giving you our prediction on who that next man up will be for the Bulldogs in 2024…

Kamari Lassiter

Georgia’s got one returning starter at cornerback in Daylen Everette. Opposite of him though, replacing Lassiter looms large. Luckily, Julian Humphrey and Daniel Harris both got opportunities to play last season and aren’t new to the game.

A pair of corners that ranked highly coming out of high school, both are solid options. Humphrey saw action in Georgia’s first nine games last season before suffering a season ending shoulder injury. He was running with the first team and getting the reps of a key contributor when the injury occurred, seemingly making a push for even more playing time. Now back healthy, he’s got the same goal as he did then: take a starter’s role.

Then there’s Harris. The long, youngster played in six games as a reserve defensive back. He saw increased action – especially in the Orange Bowl – thanks to the absence of Humphrey. While still a little raw, he’s got the pieces to play and contribute. He’ll have to beat Humphrey out for the starting spot if that’s what he wants, but playing time is up for grabs either way. I’m looking at both Humphrey and Harris as the guys to step up and fill the shoes of Lassiter.

Javon Bullard / Tykee Smith

We’re lumping these two departures here because they’ve got a similar skillset. Bullard played STAR and split reps with Smith in 2022. The season after, they were both on the field as key contributors for Georgia in 2023 with Bullard at safety and Smith at STAR. Now, both spots are up for grabs.

Many of the options to fill in in one spot are also options at the other. A player like Joenel Aguero is going to be on the field in some capacity. He’s capable of playing either safety or STAR, likely getting the first look at STAR. Then there’s JaCorey Thomas, somebody who has cross-trained over his time on campus – most recently spending the spring at safety to help with UGA’s numbers issue with Malaki Starks out, recovering from shoulder surgery. However, Kirby Smart made sure to mention Thomas’ ability at STAR too. Keep that in mind as competition continues into fall camp.

Dan Jackson also spent time at safety this spring running with the ones while David Daniel-Sisavanh wasn’t an option, at least during the spring game. Then Then there’s Alabama transfer Jake Pope and five-star freshman KJ Bolden who should be considered too. If they can make strides during the summer, they can compete for the job. The experience of Thomas, Jackson and Daniel-Sisavanh will hold weight, but when talent’s undeniable, it’s tough to keep it off the field. That could end up being the case with Georgia at safety and/or STAR.

Zion Logue

If you listen to what the Falcons thought about Zion Logue, you know it’s the size that attracted them to him. At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, “he’s going to block out the sun.” Guys like that don’t grow on trees. Finding the next man up in that role won’t be easy, but lucky for the Bulldogs, they’ve got options like Nazir Stackhouse, Warren Brinson, Christen Miller and Jordan Hall. All four are experienced, and all four played last season alongside Logue.

Stackhouse and Brinson provide the veteran presence. You feel good about what you’re going to get out of them. Then there’s the younger two: Miller and Hall. Miller flirted with the transfer portal this spring before opting to return. Meanwhile, Hall was a five-star coming out of high school. They’re the two that I’d keep an eye on as stepping up. One more name for you to consider: Xzavier McLeod. A transfer from South Carolina this offseason, Kirby Smart and company are looking to bulk him up. They did that this spring, and he showed out. If he can keep it up, he’s got the kind of size to help replace Logue as an interior presence for the Bulldogs.

Defensive lineman Tramel Walthour also signed as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens. More of an edge defender than Logue who plays on the interior, guys like Mykel Williams, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and Gabe Harris are the ones to watch. If Williams ends up playing more stand-up outside linebacker, the latter two are primary options. Both Williams and Ingram-Dawkins played roles the past few seasons while Harris would be the new name emerging with Walthour gone. No matter what ends up happening with Williams, these three are names to keep in mind as the next man up.

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