Georgia’s 2026 roster is loaded at the top, but the real edge may come from the players lurking just below the starting line.
The Bulldogs enter the season ranked No. 3 in both the AP and Coaches Polls, and the headline names are easy to spot: safety KJ Bolden, cornerback Elils Robinson and center Drew Bobo all arrive as preseason All-Americans. Still, Georgia’s depth is where this team gets dangerous. There are contributors spread all over the roster, and a handful of non-starters are positioned to matter this fall.
Georgia opens the season next Saturday against Tennessee State at 3 p.m. ET.
At quarterback, Ryan Montgomery is the name to know if the depth chart gets tested. Gunner Stockton is the clear starter, and if he goes down, Georgia would be in trouble.
The backup job behind him is still unsettled, with Ryan Puglisi bringing the edge in experience and raw tools, even as turnovers came up during fall camp. Montgomery has drawn comparisons to Jake Fromm, who stepped in for an injured Jacob Eason during the 2017 season and helped Georgia win the SEC and Rose Bowl.
If Montgomery were the one being considered, that comparison would be the obvious one.
The running back room has a clear top two in Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens, but Bo Walker is a name worth watching. Walker had a strong offseason and completely reshaped his body to handle the grind of an SEC season. There’s a real chance he breaks off an explosive run at some point this year.
At receiver, Tyler Roldan may not lead Georgia in any major category, but he has the kind of versatility that can keep him on the field. The Ladd McConkey comparisons are already there, and Roldan has switched from No. 84 to No.
- Georgia can move him around the formation and use him on special teams, too.
He finished fall camp well and could grow into a trusted target as the season goes on.
Tight end is crowded enough that you could make a case for several players, and that’s exactly why it’s a good spot for Georgia. Lawson Luckie is expected to play the most snaps in the room, but Jaden Reddell could easily lead the group in receptions.
Oscar Delp and Elyiss Williams both had strong preseason practices as well. Ethan Barbour is another name that shouldn’t be overlooked; the staff loves him, and he would be much more widely known if not for the ankle injury he suffered in the second game of last season.
He can line up all over the offense.
On the offensive line, Ekene Ogboko stands out as Georgia’s top-rated signee in the 2026 recruiting class. There isn’t an obvious opening for him, with Earnest Greene set at left tackle and Juan Gaston at right tackle, but Georgia has used tackle rotations before. Based on what he showed in August, the former 5-star recruit may simply be too good to keep off the field.
Defensively, Elijah Griffin and Xzavier McLeod could keep Christian Hall from winning a starting job, and the knee injury he’s working back from only adds to the challenge. Even so, Hall was already giving Georgia a run-stuffing presence in the middle of the defense before the injury last season, and his fourth-year experience gives him value up front.
Outside linebacker Caden Linton is in line for a bigger opportunity after Amaris Williams suffered an ACL injury. Linton was already having a strong spring before that happened, and Georgia now needs one of its younger edge players to step up. He fits the classic long, athletic Georgia pass-rusher mold, and Quintavius Johnson said this week that Linton has added weight so he can handle first and second down work.
At inside linebacker, Zayden Walker is too talented to be left on the sideline. Justin Williams could also fit here, but he’s expected to be heavily involved in the rotation with Raylen Wilson and Chris Cole.
Walker flashed late last season with sacks against Alabama and Texas, though he couldn’t sustain that momentum into the College Football Playoff and then missed spring practice after shoulder surgery. Even so, he remains one of the better athletes on the team and should find a role.
Justin Williams brings SEC experience from his time at Oklahoma, though health remains the biggest question because of multiple shoulder injuries in his college career. Without an every-down role, Georgia can be selective about how it uses him.
At safety, Rasean Dinkins looked like the starter opposite KJ Bolden early in fall camp. Kyron Jones later worked his way back into form, which leaves Dinkins and ECU transfer Ja’Marley Riddle in a more complicated spot heading into the season.
Even so, Dinkins already showed what he can do in last year’s SEC championship game, when he stood out in coverage against Alabama. That kind of skill set should get him onto the field in Georgia’s defensive back-heavy packages.
In Other News...
Georgia's 2027 QB Debate Could Take An Unexpected Turn
Georgia already knows the quarterback picture will change again after Gunner Stocktons final college season, and the early outline points to an in-house battle. Ryan Puglisi and Ryan Montgomery are the most obvious candidates to chase the job in 2027, giving the Bulldogs at least a familiar starting point as they plan ahead for another transition under center.
What makes the situation more interesting is the possible arrival of Jayden Wade, a five-star dual-threat prospect currently committed for 2028. If Wade were to reclassify, he could force his way into the mix much sooner than expected, turning what looked like a two-man race into something far less predictable for Georgias staff and fan base. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias Opener Carries More Quarterback Tension Than Fans Realize
Gunner Stockton has the No. 1 job for Georgia this season, but the quarterback picture behind him is still very much in motion. Ryan Puglisi and Ryan Montgomery are battling for the backup role, and Kirby Smart has made it clear that the competition may not be settled before the games count for real. That means the opener against Tennessee State is shaping up to be more than a routine tune-up, with the Bulldogs looking to see how the reserve quarterbacks handle live reps.
Georgia plans to use that first game to get both backups on the field and judge them under game conditions rather than in practice. For a team that expects to contend, those snaps matter because the backup spot is never just about the present. It is about who can steady things if the depth chart gets tested, and that answer may take a little longer to reveal itself than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Just Landed A Huge Chance With Elite Recruit Kellan Hall
Georgia has already put itself in position to stay in the mix for one of the nations most coveted young defenders. Kellan Hall, a five-star defensive lineman and the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2028 class, recently trimmed his list to 10 schools, with the Bulldogs among the programs still standing. For a Georgia staff that has built plenty of momentum on the trail by identifying elite talent early, Halls inclusion is another sign the Bulldogs are very much in the race.
The next important step comes when Georgia hosts Hall for its week four game against Oklahoma, a chance to give the recruit a closer look at the program and the atmosphere around it. Of course, Georgia will not be working alone in this fight, with other national powers also expected to push hard as the recruitment develops. Early contact and NIL considerations could both matter as Halls process unfolds, and that makes this visit one worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]