Javon Bullard, A "Ball Hawk" Set for a Sophomore Surge
"I don't think we've been this thin at defensive back in the seven years I've been here."
That was Kirby Smart this past spring when asked about the depth they had at defensive back. With spring and fall camp now behind him, it feels like the secondary could be a strength of this year's Georgia defense, as opposed to last year, where the front seven outshined the defense's back end.
The development of Kamari Lassiter, Javon Bullard, and the addition of Malaki Starks, have filled in holes on Georgia's roster along with bringing added depth.
By all indications, it seems to have been a successful fall camp. The defensive back position has been filled with turnover over the years. However, Kirby Smart's past pedigree of developing NFL-level continues to happen in Athens, even with the staff turnover at the position.
Through the first six years of Smart's tenure as the head coach, Georgia has seen three defensive back coaches come and go, making cornerbacks coach Fran Brown the fourth cornerbacks coach to work under Smart in Athens.
This season, Brown will only have to replace one starter at cornerback, as Derion Kendrick, the Clemson transfer, was the top corner for the Bulldogs a season before transitioning to a career in the National Football League. Kelee Ringo and William Poole are the two returning starters for Georgia this season, with Ringo being an outside corner. At the same time, Poole played a crucial role in the post-season for Georgia at STAR.
The void of Kendrick is expected to be filled by Kamari Lassiter this coming Saturday against Oregon in the season-opener, with Nyland Green and Daylen Everette both still expected to receive snaps at corner. However, Lassiter, a sophomore, won't be the only sophomore that has seen a surge this offseason, as sources tell SI Dawgs Daily that fellow sophomore Javon Bullard will play a significant role in Georgia's defense this season.
Bullard, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound defensive back out of Milledgeville, Ga., might be the latest example of an overlooked recruit going on play starting snaps at Georgia. His undersized frame initially asked where he'd fit in Georgia's defense, which usually prefers corners over that 6-foot mark, making him an unlikely choice as an outside corner. Still, he could evolve into the STAR position that Smart helped make famous in his time at Alabama.
After a strong spring and fall camp, it seems Bullard could now even start at STAR for Georgia this season. Smart spoke about the former three-star defensive back in his press conference Tuesday night before the Oregon game.
“Well, he has tremendous toughness. He has tremendous competitiveness, he's very physical. He loves the game. He's been a ball hawk all camp for us. The consummate team player that does whatever you want to do on special teams, and he comes to work every day, and he's improved. Probably could have played more last year, but maybe he wasn't quite ready, and he's earned it through spring practice and fall camp. He's earned the opportunity to go out there and compete with those other guys and get playing time.”
- Kirby Smart
Here was the review of Bullard's freshman tape:
I don't know if he's a safety, I don't know if he's a STAR, I don't know if he's a starter in year two, or will even find much more time to impact the roster considering the experience and depth in front of him, but I do know one thing about Javon Bullard... he's a football player. He's the smallest guy on the field every single Saturday and he just might be the most violent at all times. He's the most fun watch on tape, and it reminds me of watching a 5'10, 185-pound Nickelback for LSU running around bullying grown men on a college football field that people called the Honey Badger.
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