Can Georgia's Defensive Line Keep up the Pace in 2022?
Georgia boasted one of the best defensive line rooms in all of college football last year. The Bulldogs allowed just an average of 78.9 rushing yards per game, which ranked second-best in the country.
A large part of that success came from having five first-round picks — three of which were on the defensive line — on the field nearly every down. However, with those three players off to the NFL, can Georgia's defensive line keep up the pace in 2022?
The numbers would tell you yes, they will. In each of the last three seasons, Georgia finished ranked inside the top two regarding rushing yards allowed per game. The consistency has been there for Georgia up front defensively, but it will require new names stepping into bigger roles during the upcoming season for the trend to continue.
The good news for Georgia is that despite sending Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, and Travon Walker into the first round of this year's draft, they still return arguably their best defensive lineman in Jalen Carter. Carter will pair himself with edge rusher Nolan Smith, another formerly highly rated recruit out of high school, who opted for another season in Athens instead of declaring for the NFL Draft. With Carter anchoring Georgia's interior defensive line, Smith will find help off the edge from returning senior and the sack leader last season for Georgia, Robert Beal.
Carter, Smith, and Beal will need assistance from their teammates if they wish to stamp their name at the top of the rankings yet again in 2022. Players such as Zion Logue, Warren Brinson, and Nazir Stackhouse will all see increased snap counts and are expected to fill the holes left behind by their former teammates.
Defensive line coach, Tray Scott, has done a tremendous job at revamping the defensive line unit at Georgia since his arrival in 2017. His unit has shown continuous improvement and growth with every passing season, along with Scott's relentless work on the recruiting trail to reel in high-caliber players into Athens.
Georgia is building a reputation for having one of the best defensive lines, yet 2022 will certainly be a big test to see whether or not Georgia can reap the rewards of top-level recruiting at the position in recent years.
This weekend, June 10th through the 13th will be a big step in the next wave of interior defensive line prospects as Jamaal Jarrett, a 6'6, 355-pound defensive lineman out of Grimsley High in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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