Kirby Smart’s defensive line room heading into 2026 looks less like a college unit and more like an NFL draft waiting list. Georgia is bringing back six former five-star recruits on the defensive front - a lineup that reads like a who's who of elite talent.
Edge rushers Amaris Williams and Isaiah Gibson headline the group on the outside, while the interior is stacked with Jordan Hall, Valdin Stone, Elijah Griffin, and Joseph Jonah-Ajonye. Add in experienced veterans like Gabe Harris Jr. and Xzavier McCloud, and you’ve got a rotation that’s as deep as it is dangerous.
This kind of depth isn’t just impressive - it’s the stuff that gives offensive coordinators nightmares. Georgia has been stockpiling talent in the trenches for years, and now that young core is seasoned and ready to wreak havoc. On paper, the Bulldogs’ defensive line might be the most loaded unit in college football next season.
But when Recruits CFB posted the projected lineup on X (formerly Twitter), the internet did what the internet does - it fired back. Loudly.
The comment section turned into a virtual sideline, with fans playing armchair defensive coordinator. One user dismissed the hype entirely: “buddy this sht is weak stars don’t matter Indiana dline is way better than this weak sht.” Another chimed in with a jab at Georgia’s playoff track record: “So no excuses when they lose first playoff game again in 2026 right?”
Some kept it short and sharp - “No they’re not” - while others took aim at production over potential: “And we still gonna finish at the bottom of the league in total sacks.” One fan even blamed the zebras: “If they don’t call holding…. Dline play doesn’t matter much.”
In other words, not everyone’s buying the hype. But that’s nothing new for Georgia - and certainly nothing new for Kirby Smart.
What is new is the way Smart approached the transfer portal this offseason. Georgia took just nine transfers, tied for the fourth-fewest among Power Four programs and the lowest in the SEC. That’s not a rebuild - that’s a coach who believes in what he already has.
Among those nine additions, edge rusher Amaris Williams - a transfer from Auburn - is the headliner. He ranks inside the national top 40 among all portal pickups and brings a high motor and SEC experience to an already stacked position group. Georgia also added Georgia Tech wideout Isiah Canion, Oregon quarterback Bryson Beaver, Kentucky running back Dante Dowdell, Oklahoma cornerback Gentry Williams, and Clemson safety Khalil Barnes.
It’s a targeted, surgical approach to roster building - not a free-for-all shopping spree. And that restraint might be what sets Georgia apart in 2026.
ESPN’s Greg McElroy even said on his podcast this week that this defense is giving him “some 2022 vibes.” That’s the same 2022 unit that featured future first-rounders Nolan Smith, Jalen Carter, Mykel Williams, and Malaki Starks. If that comparison holds up, Georgia fans have every reason to be excited - and doubters may want to start preparing their apologies.
Of course, none of this matters until September. That’s when all the recruiting stars, transfer grades, and offseason chatter get put to the test on the field. Until then, the debate will rage on - but if Georgia’s front lives up to its billing, a lot of folks might be eating their words come fall.