Georgia landed five players inside ESPN’s fresh top 100 for 2026, a strong sign that Kirby Smart’s roster still has plenty of star power as the Bulldogs chase a third straight SEC title.
The new ranking came out Wednesday morning, just days before Week 0 kicks off the 2026 season. At the top of Georgia’s group is senior quarterback Gunner Stockton, who checked in at No.
- Stockton threw for 2,894 yards and 24 touchdowns last season while posting a QBR of 84.9, helping Georgia reach the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach also pointed out that Stockton may not be getting the same Heisman buzz as some other quarterbacks, writing:
Stockton won’t receive the Heisman Trophy buzz like (Trinidad) Chambliss and (Arch) Manning heading into the 2026 season, but he has been arguably as valuable.
Georgia’s next name on the list came in just two spots later. Junior defensive back KJ Bolden landed at No. 33 after finishing the 2025 season with 32 solo tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and 5 pass breakups.
Junior linebacker Chris Cole followed at No. 42, giving Georgia another defensive piece near the top of the rankings. Cole posted 35 solo tackles and 7 tackles-for-loss last season, and he’ll be part of what Georgia hopes is a disruptive tandem with Bolden.
The Bulldogs also got recognition up front, with senior offensive lineman Drew Bobo coming in at No. 56. Bobo gave up just 6 quarterback pressures in 2025.
Rounding out Georgia’s five players was sophomore defensive back Ellis Robinson IV at No. 67. Robinson added 20 total tackles and 4 interceptions last season, another reminder of how loaded Georgia is on the defensive side.
Those five players give Georgia a hefty presence on ESPN’s list as the Bulldogs try to return to the Playoff and keep national title hopes alive.
In Other News...
Georgia May Be Finding The Receiver Its Passing Game Needed
Georgia spent much of fall camp looking for signs that its passing game could take a step forward, and the wide receiver room did not offer many of them early on. Recently, though, Talyn Taylor has started to separate himself as a top target for Gunner Stockton, giving the Bulldogs a potential answer to one of the biggest questions hanging over the offense before the season opener against Tennessee State.
Taylor, a former five-star recruit, has shown a better connection with Stockton in practice, and that pairing matters because Georgias passing game has been one of the teams main question marks entering the season. If that chemistry keeps building, it could give the Bulldogs the kind of reliable outside threat they were searching for in camp, though the real test will come once the lights come on and the game plan gets real. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Has A QB Battle Fans May Be Watching Longer Than Expected
Stetson Bennett may be taking a bigger share of the backup reps with the Los Angeles Rams, but back in Athens the quarterback picture is still unsettled in its own way. Kirby Smart confirmed Georgia is working through an ongoing battle for the No. 2 job behind starter Gunner Stockton, and it could stretch beyond camp and into the regular season as the Bulldogs keep sorting out who is next up if needed.
The larger roster backdrop around college football only adds to the intrigue. Former Georgia defensive back JaCorey Thomas is pursuing an extra year of eligibility, though he does not plan to return to Georgia, and the SEC has already made clear it will not allow NFL players to come back to college football. For Georgia, the immediate focus remains on the quarterbacks, where the depth chart behind Stockton still carries more questions than answers. [Read more 🡒]
Stetson Bennett Just Put Real Pressure On The Rams Backup Battle
Stetson Bennett has carved out a place on the Los Angeles Rams 53-man roster for 2026, giving the former Georgia star another chance to prove he belongs in the NFL. Sean McVays decision to keep Bennett means the Rams will enter the season with three quarterbacks on the roster, pairing Matthew Stafford with Bennett and rookie Ty Simpson in a camp battle that now has real stakes attached to it.
The part worth watching is what happens behind Stafford, because Bennetts roster spot does not settle the bigger question. His deal runs out after the season, and his standing with the team beyond 2026 is still up in the air, which turns every snap in the backup competition into something more than routine preseason work. For Bennett, this is less about making the team than it is about making it hard for the Rams to imagine the room without him. [Read more 🡒]