Will UGA Have a Top 5 Defense in 2021?
Although Georgia enters the 2021 season with a top-five pass rush, according to Pro Football Focus, the Dawgs also are expected to have some questions in the secondary following the departure of six defensive backs who have either turned pro or entered the transfer portal.
Former STAR Tyrique Stevenson (Miami) and safety Major Burns (LSU) entered the transfer portal this offseason and elected to play closer to their homes, while the other four left Athens for the NFL. It is not too often that teams have to deal with that much of an exodus at one position, especially at defensive back, which has become so important over the last decade with the rise of spread offenses.
Luckily for Georgia, they brought in All-SEC caliber talent through the transfer portal to help offset some of the losses on the back end of the defense. Tykee Smith, formerly of West Virginia, will likely be starting at STAR and help cope with the loss of Stevenson. At the same time, Derion Kendrick of Clemson should be Georgia's top cornerback on the roster.
These two bring significant experience to the secondary and have played at a high level outside the SEC the last two seasons. But are these two players enough to keep Georgia in the conversation for being an elite defense?
PFF's Anthony Treash certainly thinks so as he ranked Georgia second to only Alabama when ranking the top 10 defenses in college football. That's high praise from an outlet like Pro Football Focus that has been up and down on Georgia as a team this year. But one thing has remained consistent, and that is their love for the defense.
Treash points out the Dawgs defense is "raw, but it has the potential to be among the best in the PFF College era." Surprisingly, the x-factors, in his opinion, are Kendrick and Kelee Ringo.
While Kendrick's name is warranted because he spent the last two seasons as an All-ACC cornerback, Ringo has yet to take a collegiate snap. In addition, the former highly-touted defensive back missed 2020 recovering from shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum. Ringo's potential is high, but he has yet to prove it on the field.
When speaking of fellow transfer Smith, Treash had this to say about the former West Virginia Mountaineer:
"The best player is slot corner Tykee Smith, who transferred this offseason from West Virginia. As an underclassman in 2019 and 2020, Smith recorded the third-best slot coverage grade in the FBS. He is physical with great eyes in coverage."
That is certainly high praise for Smith as he looks to be playing an integral role in Georgia's defense as the STAR. If the former Pennsylvania native can produce in Athens what he did in Morgantown, then the Dawgs are set for success.
Secondary aside, Georgia still boasts one of the best front sevens in college football. Starting linebacker Nakobe Dean is an early contender for the Butkus Award, while Jordan Davis is one of the best run-stopping nose tackles. But the x-factor upfront could be Adam Anderson. While not having to start a game yet in the red and black, he has shown tremendous upside as a speed rusher coming off the bench for Georgia.
If Anderson can put it all together in a starting role, the Dawgs could once again be one of the nation's top defenses in 2021.
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