Freshman Report: First-Year Bulldogs Make Immediate Impact In Georgia's Blowout Win

Several major Georgia Bulldog freshmen made an immediate impact in their very first college football game

Craig Dandridge | Dawg Post

Kirby Smart and his staff knew exactly what they were doing when they put together their 2026 recruiting class. They wanted to add depth along the defensive line and on the edge, they wanted tough, instinctive defensive backs, and reliable pass-catchers. They also landed an offensive lineman who may be the best of them all when it's all said and done. We got a good look at many of them during Georgia's dominant 63-3 win over Tennessee State on Saturday.

Offense

True freshman Zykie Helton, a standout in the spring and through fall camp, got the start a guard for the Bulldogs in his very first game. The mobile, tenacious interior lineman from Carrollton, Georgia helped open a giant hole on the team's first offensive drive that led to a 48-yard touchdown run by Nate Frazier.

Freshman wide receiver Craig Dandridge caught two passes for 36 yards and was playing with the first-team unit. The 6-foot-1 185-pounder from Alpharetta showed impressive twitch, strong hands, and the ability to get open down the field. Athens-area native Dallas Dickerson caught one pass late in the game for seven yards. Tight end Kaiden Prothro also caught one pass for a 16-yard touchdown, breaking a tackle that led to an easy score.

At running back, true freshman Jae Lamar found the end-zone from 11 yards away late in the 4th quarter. The former Colquitt County standout rushed three times for 15 yards along with that score. First-year back Nick Peal, a former Roswell Hornet, also had one carry for five yards.

Defense

Defensively, multiple pass-rushers flashed early during Georgia's 60-point win to kick off the season. North Carolina native PJ Dean made big plays early off the edge and took snaps with the first-team unit. The lean, athletic outside linebacker made a quick impact and ended the day with 1.5 sacks. Edge defender Khamari Brooks also flashed early on and took reps with the first-team group. The former North Oconee standout ended the day with three tackles and multiple pressures on the quarterback.

At linebacker, North Carolina native Elijah Littlejohn showed a lot of promise with three tackles, one coming behind the line of scrimmage. Maryland native Nick Abrams made a tackle late in the game as well. Defensive linemen Preston Carey and Carter Luckie were both able to record their first tackle as Bulldogs. In the secondary, safeties Tyriq Green, Blake Stewart and Jordan Smith both made one tackle in their first game. Smith also added two pass-breakups during his impressive first game.