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Georgia football projected defensive depth chart, starters for 2026 season

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Georgia football projected defensive depth chart, starters for 2026 season


ATHENS – With the transfer portal closed and the NFL draft deadline past, we know what Georgia’s roster next season will look like.

The Bulldogs had 15 players depart the program via the transfer portal, while four players declared early for the NFL draft. Seniors such as Daylen Everette, Oscar Delp and Brett Thorson will all move on to the NFL.

With so much turnover, it can be hard to know how things stand with the Georgia roster.

But after the frenzy of early January, we now know that the Bulldogs will have one of the most talented rosters in the sport.

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As the offensive depth chart below shows, the Bulldogs bring back plenty of key contributors. There are some holes that need to be filled, specifically in the secondary, but Georgia has a number of promising players eager to step up.

Georgia football 2026 depth chart, defense

Defensive tackle

  1. Elijah Griffin (Soph.), Xzavier McLeod (Jr.)
  2. Jordan Hall (Jr.),
  3. Nasir Johnson (R-Soph.), Carter Luckie (Fr.), Preston Carey (Fr.)

Nose tackle

  1. Jordan Hall (Jr.), Xzavier McLeod
  2. Nnamdi Ogboko (R-Fr.)
  3. Valdin Sone (Fr.)

Defensive end

  1. Gabe Harris (Sr.), Amaris Williams (Jr.)
  2. Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (R-Soph.), JJ Hanne (Soph.)
  3. Justin Greene (R-Soph.),
  4. AJ Lonon (Fr.), PJ Dean (Fr.)

Analysis: Much like the wide receiver position on the offensive side of the ball, don’t focus too much on who lines up where. Georgia is going to move guys around on the front. For a group that was super young this past season, Georgia brings back plenty of experience while also having a lot of upside. It could easily be the best defensive line Georgia has had since the 2021 Georgia team. With how Griffin finished this past season, he could very well be one of the best players in the country with further development.

Outside linebacker:

  1. Quintavius Johnson (Jr.)
  2. Isaiah Gibson (R-Fr.), Chase Linton (R-Fr.), Darren Ikinnagbon (Soph.)
  3. Khamari Brooks (Fr.)

Analysis: Harris will help here and Johnson really played well to close the 2025 season. It will be very interesting to see how Gibson, Linton and Ikinnagbon develop this offseason, as the Bulldogs will lean on them to help a pass rush that was among the worst in the SEC.

Inside linebacker:

Mac:

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  1. Justin Williams (Jr.)
  2. AJ Kruah (R-Fr.)
  3. Nick Abrams (Fr.)

Money:

  1. Raylen Wilson (Sr.), Chris Cole (Jr.)
  2. Zayden Walker (Soph.)
  3. Elijah Littlejon (Fr.), Terrence Penick (Fr.)

Analysis: Even losing a likely first-round pick in CJ Allen, Georgia is simply loaded at this position. Cole and Wilson will see the field plenty, while Williams figures to soak up a lot of Allen’s former snaps. With how much talent Glenn Schumann has at the position, it will very interesting to see how Georgia gets Walker on the field. He’s a clear talent, as his performance against Texas and Alabama showed.

Cornerback:

Right cornerback:

  1. Ellis Robinson (R-Soph.)
  2. Braylon Conley (R-Soph.)
  3. Justice Fitzpatrick (Fr.)

Left cornerback:

  1. Demello Jones (Jr.), Gentry Williams (Sr.)
  2. Jontae Gilbert (R-Fr.), Caden Harris (Fr.)

Analysis: Robinson’s emergence as one of the best cornerbacks in football helps solve the departure of Daylen Everette. Georgia went into the transfer portal to add Williams and it will be interesting to see how he and Jones split reps in the secondary. Georgia likes the 2026 signees it got in Harris and Fitzpatrick, though the latter enters Georgia having suffered a significant knee injury at the end of his high school career.

Free Safety:

  1. KJ Bolden (Soph.)
  2. Jaylan Morgan (R-Fr.), Jordan Smith (Fr.)

Strong Safety:

  1. Kyron Jones (Jr.),
  2. Zion Branch (Sr.), Ja’Marley Riddle (Jr.)
  3. Todd Robinson (R-Fr.),
  4. Blake Stewart (Fr.)

Star:

  1. Rasean Dinkins (Soph.), Khalil Barnes (Sr.)
  2. Tyriq Green (Fr.), Zech Fort (Fr.)

Analysis: Like at cornerback, Georgia dipped into the transfer portal to add reinforcements. Riddle is more likely to help at the safety spot, while Barnes could very well help at the star position. Jones is worth watching, given how much time he missed in the second half of the season due to injury. Georgia really likes Dinkins and don’t be surprised if one of the four freshmen safeties finds a way to make an impact for the Bulldogs.



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Why Southern Living is spotlighting serene coastal escape in Georgia

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Why Southern Living is spotlighting serene coastal escape in Georgia


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A quiet stretch of the Georgia coast is back in the national spotlight.

In a recent feature, Southern Living highlighted the Golden Isles as one of the South’s most serene escapes, praising the region’s undeveloped marshes, barrier islands and slower pace compared to other East Coast beach destinations.

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Located roughly halfway between Savannah and Jacksonville, the Golden Isles include Brunswick, Sea Island, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island and Little St. Simons Island.

Here’s what to know.

What makes Georgia’s Golden Isles different?

Unlike more densely developed beach towns in neighboring states, Georgia’s coastline is defined by tidal creeks, salt marshes and wide stretches of protected land.

“The coast of Georgia is quite different than the shores of North Carolina or South Carolina,” Southern Living wrote. “It’s wilder and quieter, and it’s much less populated with beach towns.”

While the islands offer modern resorts and vacation homes, much of the natural character remains intact.

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One of the most photographed spots is Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, known for its haunting remains of a maritime forest scattered along the shoreline.

Where are visitors staying?

The publication pointed to several well-known properties across the islands:

  • The Cloister at Sea Island
  • Jekyll Island Club Resort
  • St. Simons Island: The Grey Owl Inn and the St. Simons Lighthouse.

Little St. Simons Island, accessible only by boat, was highlighted for its all-inclusive lodge and thousands of acres of protected marshland and upland habitat.

What can you do in the Golden Isles?

Southern Living emphasized simple, immersive experiences:

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  • Biking under live oaks
  • Kayaking through marsh creeks
  • Horseback riding along the beach
  • Watching sunsets over the water.

Public beaches like East Beach on St. Simons Island remain open to visitors, while golf courses on Jekyll Island and St. Simons offer year-round play.

The region’s history also plays a major role. Visitors can climb the St. Simons Lighthouse, explore historic districts in Brunswick or learn about Gullah Geechee heritage through local organizations.

For more information, visit southernliving.com/georgias-golden-isles-11906085.

Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.



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Gov. Kemp signs amended FY 2026 budget, delivering $2B in Georgia tax relief

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Gov. Kemp signs amended FY 2026 budget, delivering B in Georgia tax relief


Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp on Tuesday signed HB 973, the amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

The amended budget includes $2 billion in income and property tax relief, alongside investments in education, public safety, mental health, transportation and rural development.

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones praised Gov. Kemp, saying the budget…

“Makes critical investments in middle-class families, mental health services, healthcare workforce development, transportation and Georgia’s veterans community.”

Key allocations in the amended budget include:

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  • Education and Workforce Development: $325 million to endow the DREAMS Scholarship, a new needs-based scholarship program; $6 million for a Career Navigator tool; and funding for new and expanded programs at University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia institutions.
  • Public Safety: $150 million for Department of Corrections bed space, $9.7 million for additional corrections officers, $15 million for a new K-9 training facility, and $50 million to help communities address homelessness, including among veterans.
  • Mental Health: $409 million to design and construct a new Georgia Regional Hospital to expand mental health bed capacity.
  • Transportation: More than $1.6 billion to extend and expand I-75 express lanes in Henry County; $185 million for SR 316 interchange conversions; $100 million for rural bridge rehabilitation and replacement; and $250 million for local maintenance and improvement grants.
  • Rural Georgia: $15 million for rural site development grants; $35 million for a new natural gas infrastructure program; and $8.9 million for the Georgia Forestry Innovation Initiative.

Governor Kemp says the state’s conservative budgeting approach has allowed Georgia to provide tax relief while making “generational investments.”



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Middle Georgia DSA condemns U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, calls escalation ‘illegal’

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Middle Georgia DSA condemns U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, calls escalation ‘illegal’


Middle Georgia Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has issued a statement regarding the U.S. and Israel’s joint strikes on Iran over the weekend.

According to other WGXA articles, based on reports as of early March 2026, the United States and Israel have launched major, coordinated military operations against Iran, labeled in reports as “Operation Epic Fury” and “Operation Midnight Hammer”. This follows months of failed nuclear negotiations and escalating regional tensions.

RELATED | Hegseth insists US-Israel strikes on Iran are ‘not Iraq, not endless’

WGXA asked Middle Georgia DSA, the largest activist organization in Middle Georgia, for their opinions on the strikes, and they responded with this:

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The strikes on Iran, carried out by the United States and Israel, mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal act of aggression. The Iranian people do not deserve to live in fear of American bombs and of the instability of regime change. Americans do not want our tax dollars and the lives of our people to be wasted on opening up a new war in the Middle East, or on bombing girls’ elementary schools. We want relief from the affordability crisis. We want peace. Middle Georgia DSA unequivocally condemns these attacks and any politicians who cannot do the same. We do not want this, we do not deserve this.

DSA added that they are not currently planning any protests at this time, and that they “remain focused on improving the conditions of people who live within our communities directly, and do not feel a protest is the best strategy to deliver on that.”

Middle Georgia DSA condemns U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, calls escalation ‘illegal’, March 2, 2026 (Image is meant to say 2026 instead of 2025, Courtesy of GCSU Mutual Aid)

However, GCSU Mutual Aid, a grassroots, community-led initiative focused on collective care and resource sharing within the Milledgeville and broader Middle Georgia area. While not an official department of Georgia College & State University (GCSU), it frequently operates in coordination with student-led groups and local residents to address gaps in traditional social safety nets.

RELATED | GCSU encourages peaceful expression ahead of national ICE walkout

GCSU Mutual Aid is planning a protest for Wednesday, where they will be “Marching for Democracy” in retaliation to recent events in the U.S.

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