ATHENS — Game week is finally here for the Georgia football program.
The Bulldogs start the 2024 season against the Clemson Tigers, with kickoff scheduled for noon Saturday. Top-ranked Georgia will look to open the season with a win over the No. 14 Clemson Tigers, just as Georgia did to start the 2021 season. That campaign ended with Georgia winning the national championship.
Georgia hopes the likes of Carson Beck, Malaki Starks and others will be able to follow a similar path to glory.
Below is a look at the projected starters and depth chart for the Georgia football team. It’s important to note the Bulldogs will be without a few key players due to preseason injuries.
*Indicates possible suspension stemming from offseason incident
Georgia football depth chart, projected starters for Clemson game
Quarterback:
- Carson Beck (Sr.)
- Gunner Stockton (R-Soph.)
- Jaden Rashada (R-Fr.)/Ryan Puglisi (Fr.)
Analysis: Beck will be the team’s obvious starting quarterback. The Bulldogs will need him to play like one of the top quarterbacks in the country. Stockton is the clear backup for Georgia, putting together a strong fall camp. In the event Beck gets hurt, Stockton would step in.
Running back:
- Trevor Etienne (Jr.)*
- Nate Frazier (Fr.)/Branson Robinson (R-Soph.)/Cash Jones (Sr.)
- Chauncey Bowens (Fr.)//Dwight Phillips Jr. (Fr.)
Injured: Roderick Robinson, toe
Analysis: Perhaps no position faces more questions than this one for the Clemson game. Roderick Robinson is dealing with a toe injury and unlikely to play. Etienne is healthy but there is the looming question of his availability stemming from an offseason arrest. Kirby Smart has not given any indication either way on the transfer’s status.
If neither Etienne or Robinson play, look for Frazier and Robinson to pick up some carries. Jones will factor in as well, though he’ll be used on passing downs.
Wide receiver:
X-receiver:
- Dillon Bell(Jr.)
- Colbie Young (Sr.)
- Nitro Tuggle (Fr.)
Z-receiver:
- Arian Smith (Sr.)
- London Humphries (Soph.)
- Cole Speer (Jr.)
Slot receiver:
- Dominic Lovett (Sr.)
- Anthony Evans (Soph.)/Michael Jackson (Sr.)
- Sacovie White (Fr.)*
Analysis: Georgia is going to move these players around. Georgia has worked to develop some of the depth behind Bell, Lovett and Smith. Young has been dealing with a hamstring in fall camp but it sounds like he will be good to go for the opener.
Georgia welcomed five newcomers to this group, with Young and Humphries perhaps being best positioned to make an impact.
Tight end:
- Oscar Delp (Jr.)
- Lawson Luckie (Soph.)/Benjamin Yurosek (Sr.)
- Jaden Reddell (Fr.)/ Colton Heinrich (Fr.)
Analysis: With Georgia being a bit thinner at wide receiver, look for the tight ends to be heavily involved in the passing game. Delp will be a clear top option for Beck.
How Georgia goes about using Yurosek and Luckie will be fascinating to watch. Georgia tight ends coach Todd Hartley has said that Georgia will be counting on all three tight ends this fall.
Left tackle:
- Earnest Greene (R-Soph.)
- Bo Hughley (R-Fr.)*/Jamal Meriweather (R-Fr.)
- Michael Uini (Fr.)/Nyier Daniels (Fr.)
Left guard:
- Dylan Fairchild (Jr.)/Micah Morris (Jr.)
- Daniel Calhoun (Fr.)
Center:
- Jared Wilson (Jr.)
- Tate Ratledge (Sr.)/Drew Bobo (R-Soph.)
- Malachi Tolliver (Fr.)
Right guard:
- Tate Ratledge (Sr.)
- Dylan Fairchild (Jr.)/Micah Morris (Jr.)
- Marques Easley (Fr.)
Right tackle:
- Xavier Truss (Sr.)
- Monroe Freeling (Soph.)
- Jahzare Jackson (Fr.)
Injured: Marcus Harrison, back
Analysis: Wilson is expected to be fully healthy for Georgia, which will make him the starting center for the Bulldogs. We’re he not able to go, Georgia would likely slide Ratledge over and play both Fairchild and Morris at the guard spots.
Fairchild is likely to start at left guard, but Georgia will rotate Morris in at both guard spots. Georgia is likely to do the same at tackle with Greene, Freeling and Truss. Georgia has seven offensive linemen it feels comfortable with playing winning football.
Defensive end:
- Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (Jr.)/Gabe Harris (Soph.)
- Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (Fr.)/Justin Greene (Fr.)
Nose guard:
- Nazir Stackhouse (Sr.)
- Christen Miller (R-Soph.)
- Jamaal Jarrett (R-Fr.)/Nnamdi Ogboko (Fr.)
Defensive tackle:
- Warren Brinson (Sr.)
- Christen Miller (R-Soph.)
- Jordan Thomas (Fr.)/Nasir Johnson (Fr.)
Injured: Jordan Hall (Soph.), Xzavier McLeod (R-Fr.)
Analysis: No position group will be under more scrutiny than this one for Georgia in 2024. And it will enter the season under-manned, with Hall out due to stress fractures in his legs, while McLeod is dealing with an undisclosed injury.
The situation could’ve been worse, as Harris spent part of fall camp with an injury, while Brinson had an Achilles injury. But both seem to be good to go for the opener against Clemson.
Georgia should have enough talent for this first game to be OK on the defensive line. Whether it will be able to hold up for the entire season will be a story to monitor.
Outside linebacker:
- Mykel Williams (Jr.)/Chaz Chambliss (Sr.)
- Damon Wilson (Soph.)/Samuel M’Pemba (Soph.)
- Quintavious Johnson (Fr.)
Analysis: How Georgia uses Williams will be fascinating to watch, as the Bulldogs look for him to be a more productive player this fall for the Bulldogs.
Chambliss is still going to be a key defender here on early downs, but it appears Wilson has had a strong enough offseason to help in that regard.
Georgia can also move Jalon Walker in as a pass rusher on third down.
Inside linebacker:
Money position:
- CJ Allen (Soph.)
- Jalon Walker (Jr.)
- Kris Jones (Fr.)
Mac position:
- Smael Mondon (Sr.)*/Raylen Wilson (Soph.)
- Troy Bowles (R-Fr.)
- Justin Williams (Fr.)/Chris Cole (Fr.)
Analysis: Mondon’s status will be worth watching, similar to that of Etienne. But Georgia should feel much better about what it has at inside linebacker.
Allen and Wilson are poised to improve as sophomores, while Walker is clearly one of Georgia’s top defenders, even if he doesn’t have an obvious starting home.
Secondary:
Right cornerback:
- Daylen Everette (Jr.)
- Ellis Robinson (Fr.)
- DeMello Jones (Fr.)/Ondre Evans (Fr.)
Left cornerback:
- Julio Humphrey (R-Soph.)/Daniel Harris (Soph.)
- Ellis Robinson (Fr.)
Star/nickel:
- Joenel Aguero (Soph.)
- JaCorey Thomas (R-Soph.)
- Kyron Jones (R-Fr.)/ Collin Gill (R-Fr.)
Free safety:
- Malaki Starks (Jr.)
- KJ Bolden (Fr.)/ JaCorey Thomas
Strong safety:
- Dan Jackson (Sr.)/ KJ Bolden
- Jake Pope (R-Soph.)
- Justyn Rhett (R-Fr.)
Injured: Chris Peal, shoulder
Analysis: There will be plenty of eyes on who starts where with this position group, as the Bulldogs have to replace three starters from last season’s team.
It seems like Harris has the slightest of edges at cornerback, but expect Humphrey to play a lot. Robinson will play as well, though how much with the first team remains to be seen.
Aguero seems to have locked down the starting spot at star. As for safety, there will be plenty of eyes on Bolden. Even if Jackson starts, he’s likely to do so, few players will draw more attention than the 5-star safety.
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