Georgia’s linebacker pipeline has become a pretty elite thing under Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann, and now Chris Cole is the latest name drawing real buzz in Athens.
Roquan Smith. Nakobe Dean. Jalon Walker.
That’s the company Cole is being measured against as fall camp opens this week, and Smart made it clear Monday that the junior linebacker is already earning the kind of praise that gets attention inside the program. Georgia has had three Butkus Award winners since 2017, all in their third season in Athens, and Cole is now positioned as the next potential star in that line.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pound linebacker from Virginia arrived as a former five-star prospect and wasted little time making noise. He flashed as a freshman in 2024, then turned himself into a familiar name for Bulldogs fans last season with 60 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Georgia does bring back senior Raylen Wilson, one of the defense’s leaders, but Cole is the player creating the most anticipation heading into camp.
“I’m excited about what Chris Cole can do”, Smart told reporters. “Look, there's not a higher character player on our team than Chris Cole.
This guy is the hardest worker. He hits the highest speeds.
He plays with the most energy and enthusiasm. There's not a day that we don't show a clip in the team meeting of a guy that's chasing down a ball and running down a ball.”
That kind of description fits the picture Georgia seems to have of Cole: a former high school safety who grew into a rangy linebacker, added good weight late in his prep career, and kept building once he got to Athens. The physical tools were always there. What’s followed is the kind of steady development that makes a player look tailor-made for Georgia’s system.
Smart kept going, and the message was just as strong.
“He never saves up”, Smart added. “He's the consummate, "I'm gonna lay it all on the line the first 10 plays, and if I have to get an IV, I do it."
He doesn't save up anything. He embodies what we want in terms of effort, toughness, comes from a great family, and I think he's had one of the best off-seasons.
I'm excited to see him go out and compete and play for our team.”
For Georgia, the story here is simple: the production has already started, the physical traits are obvious, and the coaching staff believes the mindset matches the talent. If Cole keeps moving the way Smart expects, he won’t just be part of the conversation in Athens. He could be the next Bulldog linebacker to turn that third season into something special.
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