2 Players Who Have Been Undervalued on Georgia Football's Roster

Two Georgia football players who have been undervalued on the roster.

There are always a lot of names to know on Georgia's roster, but especially on defense. Under Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs have consistently been one of the best defenses in the country, and that doesn't look to be changing this upcoming year.

Georgia did lose some valuable members of its defense to the NFL draft this year. Linebacker CJ Allen, defensive tackle Christen Miller and cornerback Daylen Everette all were drafted this year. Despite how valuable those three players were for the Bulldogs, they aren't expected to miss a beat on defense this year.

Specifically, Georgia's defensive line is expected to be a solid unit this year. There is a lot of excitement around Elijah Griffin and what his second season will look like, and Quintavius Johnson and Gabe Harris are both big-time prospects and veteran players.

Two Undervalued Players on Georgia's Defense

Tennessee place kicker Max Gilbert (90) holds his helmet in disbelief as Georgia defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod (94) celebrates Gilbert's missed field goal in the final seconds of a college football game between Tennessee and Georgia at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 13, 2025. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With that said, there are two names on Georgia's defensive line who might be considered undervalued coming into this season. Those two players are Josh Horton and Xzavier McLeod.

Both Horton and McLeod transferred into Georgia from other programs. Horton came in from Miami last season and McLeod came in from South Carolina two seasons ago. They may not be at the top of people's draft boards at the moment, but they both were solid players for Georgia's defense last season.

Last season, McLeod had 17 tackles for the Bulldogs. Horton finished the year with 11 tackles. They may not make the flash plays like some of the other members of Georgia's defense, but there is a lot of value in having defensive linemen who consistently do their job and are always in the right spots.

Those are the types of players that help a defense be one of the best units against the run. Which Georgia was last season, they ranked fourth in the country against the run. With Miller off the roster, it puts even more value on players like McLeod and Horton, who have a lot of experience at this point in their careers.

With the expectation that Griffin will take a big step forward this season, it's important that he has complementary players around him. McLeod and Horton both will supply that.

It's also worth noting that they could see an uptick in their production this season as their roles will likely be expanded during the 2026 season.

So while most of the attention might be placed on the likes of Chris Cole, Ellis Robinson IV, KJ Bolden and others, don't forget the value in players like Horton and McLeod.

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