With redshirt senior Dan Jackson ruled out for the first half of Saturday’s Georgia-Florida game, freshman safety KJ Bolden will be thrust into a starting role.
Bolden, a former Buford High star, was a five-star prospect and one of the premier signees in Georgia’s 2024 class. To this point, he’s been the most productive freshman for the Bulldogs.
He’s played enough snaps to elicit confidence from his teammates.
“He’s been playing really good ball this year, and I think he just needs to continue to go out there and be himself,” Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks said. “Like you don’t need to be anybody special. You don’t got to fill in these shoes; go out there and be yourself, and the rest of you take care of yourself. He’s such a great athlete. He wants it so bad, so I mean I have no doubt that he’s going to go out there and do his thing.”
Starks is familiar with Bolden’s situation: He also was a five-star prospect who became a starter as a freshman.
Bolden has been waiting his turn behind Starks and Jackson. This week, Starks was named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation’s best defensive back. Jackson is a walk-on senior, but someone who has played far beyond that standing. He ranks second on the team in tackles, while also recording an interception, two pass deflections and a blocked kick.
Jackson was ejected in the fourth quarter of the Texas game after making helmet-to-helmet contact with Longhorns receiver Matthew Golden. Bolden had been playing regularly at safety this season, with Starks dropping down to play the “star” position in Georgia’s defense. With Jackson out, Bolden stepped in at safety and Joenel Aguero moved to star.
But Aguero was ejected later in the fourth quarter, which means JaCorey Thomas, a Florida native who started against Clemson, will take over his role.
Starks isn’t the only one to express confidence in the freshman. Kirby Smart did so all the way back at SEC Media Days, gushing about Bolden to Nick Saban.
“KJ’s been great. He’s been really confident in his checks,” Smart said. “He’s extremely smart for a guy his age. He had no real issues picking up our defense. And that comes from his high school background and really from his just (instinct) and intelligence. He’s a very bright kid, he communicates really well. He’s got a lot of confidence in the defense. He’s got confidence in his ball skills.”
Still, Bolden’s expanded role in the Georgia defense likely will be brief, with Jackson eligible to return in the second half against the Gators. But with Jackson exhausting his eligibility after this season and Starks likely to hear his name in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft should he forgo his senior year of eligibility, there’s a good chance Bolden will be Georgia’s most experienced safety next year.
“It’s been about physicality with him and maintaining his weight. We’ve really tried hard to keep his weight up,” Smart said. “This is a long grind that he’s not used to. But I’m pleased with what KJ’s done at this point. All our freshmen, they used last week (an off week) to get more reps and gain more ground.”
