G-Day to offer a first real look at promising Georgia lineman Elijah Griffin

“I think Elijah’s a great player,” center Drew Bobo said. “I mean, we started doing some one-on-ones before spring ball even started, and I could tell just by the way he got off the ball that he’s going to be a good player. Then I’ve watched him this spring, and he’s getting better every practice and he’s getting after it. I think he does a really good job, and he’s a good kid.”

Georgia has had talented defensive linemen pass through Tray Scott’s room in abundance in recent years. Travon Walker, Jalen and Jordan Davis are all recent examples of first-round draft picks.

That success has made it easier to land prospects like Griffin, who believe that Scott can best develop them in short order.

But not every 5-star defensive line prospect Georgia has signed in recent years has immediately panned out. It’s a big reason why you’re right to have some guarded optimism when it comes to expecting Griffin to be a day one wrecking ball.

Like Griffin, Jordan Hall was a 5-star prospect in the 2023 signing class. He seemed like someone who might help replace Carter when he arrived on campus.

But Hall couldn’t clear the freshman wall — something coaches cite when a first-year player can’t raise and sustain his level of play at a more competitive level. Hall had 10 tackles in 10 games as a freshman.

He then ran into health issues in his second season, as preseason leg surgeries limited him to just six games.

Hall finds himself in the same boat as Griffin entering the 2025 season. They’re both 5-star recruits with hopes to turn that promise into potential.

“I was not as strong as he was when I first got here,” Hall said of Griffin. “You can tell why he was a top-five recruit in his class, and he still has a lot more work to do, but at the end of the day, he’s going to be a good one. He’s going to be a good one. You can tell he’s a hard worker and good work ethic. Strong as all get out, you know what I’m saying? He’s an ox.”

Work ethic combined with God-given talents will take Griffin a long way. The Pooler prospect has the chance to play immediately on a line that doesn’t just include Hall but fellow former 5-star prospect Joseph Jonah-Ajonye.

This time last spring, Jonah-Ajonye was the shiny new toy. That carried over into the season, only for it to be cut short after four games.

Jonah-Ajonye needed surgery to repair a bone and his foot. He’s still recovering from that surgery this spring, blunting his future for the time being.

“Joseph’s doing well,” linebacker Justin Williams said of Jonah-Ajonye. “The training staff is doing an amazing job. They’re getting him back, ready for him to play in football this season, and his recovery, he’s done amazing. He’s been in the training room, doing a lot. I don’t see him very much because he’s always in the training room. So he’s doing a great job, and Joseph’s going to be ready to play.”

Georgia will need not just Hall and Jonah-Ajonye to be ready to play but Griffin as well. The Bulldogs will likely have four defensive linemen taken in this month’s NFL draft. That’s great recruiting material for Scott, but the drawback is that Georgia has to replace all that talent.

That’s why it’s perhaps more important for Griffin than it was for Hall or Jonah-Ajonye to deliver on the hype. The defensive line is a major question mark in a way it hasn’t been in some time at Georgia.

The Bulldogs are without a key piece this spring in Christen Miller, as he recovers from labrum surgery. Like Jonah-Ajonye, the expectation is that he’ll be ready to go for the start of fall camp.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart recently spoke about how the defensive line group. has performed this spring. He praised its improvement and stressed the need for continued development.

“There’s been a lot of young guys getting work,” Smart said. “I’ve really been impressed with Nnamdi (Ogboko) and Jordan (Thomas) and Nas (Johnson). They’re working their tail off to get better. They’re buying in. They’ve seen what Tray has done with guys in their second year, with guys in their third year, and then guys in their fourth year really do well here. So they’re buying into that.”

It’s no surprise Smart didn’t add to the early praise for Griffin. The Georgia head coach always has been hesitant to dish out too much praise too soon.

This coming Saturday will be the first chance most get an opportunity to see what Griffin can do in a Georgia uniform. The freshman defensive lineman will be one of the most scrutinized players on display in the G-Day scrimmage.

Part of that comes with the 5-star label. Griffin won’t be the only 5-star freshman with eyeballs on him Saturday.

But because of the position of need that Griffin plays and the recent struggles fellow freshmen defensive linemen have had in getting and staying on the field immediately, it makes the conclusion of Griffin’s first spring in Athens all the more important for the future of the Georgia team.