Drew Bobo’s Emergence as Georgia’s Anchor - And Why His Return in 2026 Matters
ATHENS - At the start of the 2025 season, Drew Bobo wasn’t the name most Georgia fans were circling on the offensive depth chart. He was stepping in at center for Jared Wilson, who had just graduated to the NFL and started in the Super Bowl.
Expectations were tempered. Questions were fair.
Could Bobo handle the pressure? Would he rise above the whispers that come with being the son of offensive coordinator Mike Bobo?
By season’s end, those questions had answers - and Drew Bobo had made his case as one of Georgia’s most essential players.
From the jump, Bobo was a steadying force for an offensive line that couldn’t seem to catch a break health-wise. The Bulldogs cycled through options at right guard and right tackle, but Bobo held the middle down.
He was the communicator, the organizer, the guy quarterback Gunner Stockton could trust when chaos came off the edge. And for a young quarterback navigating the SEC gauntlet, that kind of stability is priceless.
“I think Drew is a great leader. He’s a captain of the team,” said former offensive line coach Stacy Searels.
“Very consistent in the lineman’s course. Maybe the most consistent lineman we’ve had this year.”
That consistency was tested late in the season. Bobo suffered a hand injury in the win over Texas that sidelined him for the next game against Charlotte.
He returned for the rivalry matchup with Georgia Tech, only to suffer a foot injury just before halftime - his final snap of the season came on a touchdown drive. Georgia would go on to win, but losing Bobo was a major blow.
He missed the final two games of the year against Alabama and Ole Miss. While the Bulldogs still managed to put up 31 points per game in those contests, the offense wasn’t quite the same. Malachi Toliver filled in admirably - and earned praise for doing so - but the drop-off in pre-snap command and overall cohesion was noticeable.
“Drew makes all the calls. Drew makes all the decisions,” head coach Kirby Smart said in an interview.
“He knows fronts. He anticipates things.
That was a big factor to end the season, losing Drew, not having him out there, the confidence level of the other O-linemen to make those calls.”
That’s the kind of impact that doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet, but it shows up in the flow of the game. In the confidence of a quarterback.
In the rhythm of an offense. Bobo wasn’t just filling a position - he was directing traffic, anchoring a unit, and earning the trust of everyone around him.
Now, Georgia turns the page to 2026 with Bobo set to return. The Bulldogs will need him.
They’re losing left guard Micah Morris and left tackle Monroe Freeling, which means Bobo’s experience and leadership will be even more critical as the line reshuffles. There’s also a new voice in the offensive line room, as Phil Rauscher takes over coaching duties from Searels.
Rauscher isn’t new to the program - he was an analyst last season - and Bobo’s familiarity with him should help ease the transition.
The accolades are already stacking up. Bobo was named Second Team All-SEC by both the Associated Press and the Coaches Poll - a nod to just how much he elevated his game in 2025.
But the focus now shifts to recovery. That foot injury, suffered late in the year, could linger into the 2026 season.
Georgia’s seen this before: Tate Ratledge dealt with a similar issue in 2021 and wasn’t fully cleared for spring practice. Punter Brett Thorson missed the season opener this past year while recovering from an ACL injury but returned by Week 2.
The Bulldogs open next season against Tennessee State and Western Kentucky - manageable opponents even if Bobo isn’t ready to go. Game three brings Arkansas, who struggled mightily in SEC play last season.
But the real test comes in Week 4 against Oklahoma. That’s the kind of matchup where Georgia will want its full arsenal, and having Bobo back in the middle would be a massive boost.
Depth-wise, Georgia’s in a decent spot. Toliver returns, and redshirt freshman Cortez Smith is another name to watch.
But make no mistake: Bobo is the heartbeat of that offensive line. His presence - physically and mentally - elevates the entire unit.
“Proud of how he’s come in at the University of Georgia and made his own way,” Mike Bobo said of his son. “He came in and he put his head down, he went to work, and he gradually got better season after season and put himself in a position to have success and be part of this football team and be a center.”
That’s exactly what he’s done. Drew Bobo didn’t just fill a role - he became a leader, a difference-maker, and a player Georgia will count on again in 2026.