Georgia's Inside Linebacker Room Could be its Most Talented in Years

Georgia is Linebacker U, which could make it hard to believe that this year's group is the most talented the program's seen in a while, but it's a fact.

The NFL is littered with former Georgia linebackers. Baltimore signed former bulldog Roquan Smith prior to last season and he helped them to an AFC Championship Game appearance. Lorenzo Carter, Channing Tindall, Quay Walker, the list goes on and on. It's hard to turn an NFL game on and not see a Georgia linebacker making plays.

The program has had seven linebackers selected over the past four NFL Drafts. So while saying that this season's group could be the best of the bunch may seem like hyperbole, it's actually pretty easy to see why.

The inside linebacker room is led by Smael Mondon who is back for his senior season. The Paulding County product has tallied 144 tackles over the past two seasons. With Jamon Dumas-Johnson now off to Kentucky, Mondon is Georgia's leader at the position. Don't let the fact that he didn't head to the draft make you believe he's not immensely talented. At 6-foot-3, 225 lbs he's a freak athlete.

Speaking of Jamon Dumas-Johnson, the man who replaced him, sophomore CJ Allen, may be the best of the bunch. He was thrust into SEC action as a true freshman and held his own. He blew a few assignments, most notably a missed gap assignment that sprung a Tennessee back free for a long touchdown, but that's to be expected. Now, after a full spring of repping with the starters, Allen is poised for a massive fall.

Raylen Wilson and Troy Bowles, both true sophomores like Allen, will play a ton this fall. Wilson got a lot of run at inside linebacker last year, earning a SEC All-Freshman Team selection.

Jalon Walker is the wildcard. Georgia's coaching staff believes he's an inside linebacker, but he's such an elite pass rusher they've been forced to use him all over the field. Walker led the team in sacks last season with 5 and will likely fill that same role this season.

Then there are the freshmen. Justin Williams and Chris Cole are a pair of five-star prospects and they look the part. Both tall with great builds that will allow them to pack on size. Williams, a Texas product, was the No. 1 inside linebacker prospect in the nation, while Cole, a Virginia native, was No. 3.

It's almost a lock that each of the guys will be drafted at some point. They'll all see the field this fall and the battle for reps will be fierce. This group isn't just deep, it's immensely talented and incredibly fast and they'll be giving SEC offenses fits all season.

Other Georgia News:

• Will Georgia Have a 1,000-yard Rusher in 2024?
• Dominic Lovett Continues to Impress at Spring Practice
• Has Wide Receiver Ladd McConkey Done Enough to Become a First-Round Selection in the 2024 NFL Draft?

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