Georgia football is used to massive amounts of roster turnover year-by-year, but 2024 may be one of the toughest challenges, in that regard, for Kirby Smart and staff.
It’s no secret that the majority of questions land on UGA’s new-look secondary. Georgia has to replace three starters in cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safeties Tykee Smith and Javon Bullard.
While there is plenty of talent to choose from at safety and STAR, cornerback is the biggest question, according to CBS Sports.
“Who steps up at cornerback? It’s hard to find any holes when looking at Georgia’s roster, but if there is one major question mark, it lies in the secondary. Specifically, the Bulldogs are losing two starting cornerbacks to the NFL Draft. Kamari Lassiter is a potential first-round pick and Tykee Smith’s versatility is virtually irreplaceable. On top of that, UGA is breaking in a new cornerbacks coach (Donte Williams) and a new secondary coach (Travaris Robinson) this spring.
It helps that Georgia is returning one starter in Daylen Everette, though he was inconsistent in 2023. His potential running mates on the outside are sophomore Daniel Harris, who finished his freshman season with one tackle, and third-year DB Julian Humphrey, who’s coming off a season-ending injury suffered in November. Five-star freshman Ellis Robinson is a name to know, too. The slot corner position — known as STAR in Georgia’s nomenclature — seems to be in good hands with sophomore Joenel Aguero, but he has big shoes to fill with Smith’s departure.”
What Daniel Harris, Julian Humphrey and Ellis Robinson IV lack in experience, they make up for in athletic ability. We’ve heard Smart rave about the trio’s coverage ability this spring.
It’s worth noting that UGA’s staff won’t force one player to take all the work. Georgia’s defense is known for rotating in defenders throughout the game, especially in the secondary.
The challenge this spring will be to get Donte Williams up to speed and ensure those who are in contention at cornerback are comfortable with the defensive scheme.
The Bulldogs will suit up for the annual G-Day spring scrimmage game on April 13. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET, televised on SEC Network+.