Georgia football ranked in Athlon Sports' preseason top five
Lassan prefaces that Kirby Smart and his squad come into the 2025 season with more question marks than past squads.
Expected starter Gunner Stockton has just two games of experience (the 2024 SEC championship and Sugar Bowl) and one start. However, Georgia did make a strong effort to help him, adding top receiver transfers Noah Thomas (from Texas A&M) and Zachariah Branch (from USC).
The Georgia running game also struggled in 2024 (second-to-last in the SEC in yards per game) and Georgia only has one returning offensive lineman from last year. However, Lassan believes that the talent in the backfield is too good to struggle again next year, believing that sophomore Nate Frazier will have a breakout season as a lead back. Josh McCray and Bo Walker could be interesting pieces behind Frazier, while Cash Jones adds another weapon to the passing game.
Lassan also believes the defense is in transition as well. The Bulldogs lost tons of young talent through the transfer portal and several key starters to the 2025 NFL draft, but Georgia still has stars, such as Christen Miller on the defensive line, CJ Allen on the linebacker core, and cornerback Daylen Everette and safety KJ Bolden in the secondary. Overall, development will be the key to proving the No. 4 ranking true.
Georgia ranks second in the SEC and fourth in the nation behind Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas, who earned the No. 1 spot. Georgia and Texas play each other on Nov. 15 in a potential de facto SEC championship.
Athlon Sports' preseason top 25 rankings
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