ESPN analyst praises outstanding Georgia football defense

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The Georgia Bulldogs will enter the 2026 season with one of the most talented defensive units in all of college football. The Dawgs will have eight total returning starters from 2025 on defense this year, and the unit certainly won’t lack experience in 2026. 

Georgia is set to return 14 total starters from the 2025 season, with the six starters returning on offense. Star quarterback Gunner Stockton returns for his seniors season in Athens, while running back Nate Frazier will likely play his final season as a Bulldog this fall. ESPN analyst Booger McFarland recently shared his thoughts on Georgia’s returning talent in 2026, as McFarland believes the Dawgs’ defense will remain as one of the top units in the nation. 

“Everybody kept asking, what was wrong with Georgia?” McFarland said. “They were just a young football team. And I think that youth now is going to grow up. They have a veteran quarterback, you need a veteran quarterback in that spot. Defensively, I think their defense is really outstanding.

"When Georgia is playing Georgia-type football, their defense is stingy. They have a lot of young players that they played on defense, and they got better during the season. I expect them to pickup where they left off last season because I think this defense is going to be lights out. If that defense is what they used to be, then it’s gonna be tough for anybody to beat Georgia.”

The Bulldogs were able to put together an excellent 2025 season despite having the second youngest roster in the SEC. Georgia secured their 16th SEC championship in program history last year, and the Dawgs will now look to build upon last season’s success with an excellent group of veterans on both sides of the football. Stockton will have a plethora of veteran options at tight end. The Dawgs open the year ranked as a top-five team as a result of their returning talent. 

Georgia’s returning starters on defense are headlined by star defensive backs KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV. The Bulldogs’ defense is set to make some serious noise across 2026, and McFarland’s comments may prove to be true. Georgia has six preseason All-SEC picks on defense and should have one of the best defenses in the SEC.

McFarland expects Georgia's defense to remain elite

Georgia's All-SEC defenders

  • Defensive lineman Elijah Griffin (second-team)
  • Defensive lineman Gabe Harris (third-team)
  • Linebacker Raylen Wilson (second-team)
  • Safety KJ Bolden (first-team)
  • Cornerback Ellis Robinson (first-team)
  • Safety Khalil Barnes (third-team)

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