JACK Linebacker
1. Azeez Ojulari (RSoph.)
2. Adam Anderson (Jr.)
Ojulari has 27 tackles and 9.5 loss tackles and 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, two pass breaks and 25 high team quarterbacks. Anderson has 11 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, 15 hurried quarterbacks and a pass separation.
Being No. 1 or No. 2 on the depth chart does not mean a ton at this point because of Ojulari. Smith and Johnson are key players in UGA’s defense. Ojulari is a more advanced forward defender, but he also led the team a year ago. At 1.80 m tall and 250 pounds, he is more like a traditional 4-3 defensive side and threw a ton with his hand on the ground a year ago. Smith is more of the external 3-4 linebacker type, but he is also effective against the race. Johnson becomes a great possibility here because he added strength and mass during the off-season. He has the best structure in the group and can be ready to contribute to each down.
SAM Linebacker
1 Nolan Smith (Soph.)
Smith has 22 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 14 hurried quarterbacks.
As we said several times before, the position of the SAM is really relevant only in the base defense and, because of all the sets of three receivers, the Bulldogs are only in the base about 15 to 20 percent of the time. Still, SAM has a role in the first low moments, when Georgia asks that guy to slide out and play the slot machine. Anderson basically plays his own position in pass downs, where he is asked to run, do stunts, spy and fall on the cover. Jermaine Johnson was transferred to the state of Florida after the victory over South Carolina.
Money Linebacker
1 Quay Walker (Jr.)
2. Nate McBride (father)
OR
Rian Davis (RFr.)
Rice, the team’s second in tackles, chose not to play in the bowl to prepare for the Senior Bowl. Walker has 36 tackles, one loss tackle and five quarterback hurries. McBride has five tackles and a quarterback in a hurry. Davis has a tackle.
Walker went strong at the end of pre-season training and will now audition for the starting role in 2021. Davis was hampered during most of the pre-season camp and had a very difficult time staying healthy in Athens. If he gets any good luck in an injury, he should be able to compete for a role.
Mac Linebacker
1. Nakobe Dean (Soph.)
2. Channing Tindall (Jr.)
Dean leads the team with 64 tackles and 1.5 sacks, with eight hurried defenders. Tindall has 14 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and three quarterback runs.
The reason we have Rice on MIKE is because he puts Dean on the field at WILL and that’s something Georgia wants to do. Dean has the raw talent to be special in position and allows the defense to equalize in the passing game because of his ability to cover. He will probably be the guy who will be on the field in defense of Dime too. It generated all kinds of positive buzz this pre-season. Tindall has shown promise in his first two years, mainly as a blitzer, but he is at a crossroads when it comes to entering the field consistently. He has a chance to be more than an actor. McBride is entering his final season and is likely to do more special team work. Marshall will compete with McBride and Davis for fifth place.