Feb. 6, 2026, 8:27 a.m. ET

The Georgia Bulldogs are looking to rebound after a Sugar Bowl loss and significant roster turnover.Key offensive players like quarterback Gunner Stockton and running backs Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens are returning.While the defensive line is mostly intact, the linebacker corps and secondary have seen notable departures and additions.

The Georgia Bulldogs lost lots of senior talent after losing in the Sugar Bowl to Ole Miss through the transfer portal, running out of eligibility, or through the 2026 NFL draft.

However, there are still a lot of Bulldogs returning to the fray. Gunner Stockton is back, and the two-headed monster Georgia used in the running game last season (Nate Frazier, Chauncey Bowens) are also there to stay at Georgia. The wide receiver room loses a lot of talent from the past year, but deep threat London Humphreys has another year of eligibility, and freshman wide receiver Talyn Taylor could take a step up this year. The tight end room is very familiar to last year’s as well, with Oscar Delp being the only major departure of the bunch.

There are a few losses on the offensive line, with tackle Monroe Freeling and guard Micah Morris declaring for the draft, along with tackle Bo Hughley transferring to Colorado. However, Georgia surprisingly gets guard Earnest Greene III and center Drew Bobo back on the line in 2026. Maybe guard Juan Gaston can live up to his potential too.

The defensive line is almost completely intact from last year, with just Christen Miller being the only departure with more than 100 snaps. That line was hot and cold, however, so Georgia will be looking for more from their pass rush in 2026, especially from Elijah Griffin.

The linebacker core should still be one of the most talented in the SEC. Even with standout CJ Allen going to the 2026 NFL draft, they still have Raylen Wilson, Chris Cole, Justin Williams, and Quintavius Johnson, so they should still be a formidable group. The secondary gets interesting, with Daylen Everette and JaCorey Thomas running out of eligibility, along with Joenel Aguero transferring to Ole Miss. However, while there are still a few impact players returning, Georgia has decided to supplant the roster with transfer talent, such as Clemson safety Khalil Barnes and ECU safety Ja’Marley Riddle.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.Georgia’s highest graded returning players (min. 100 snaps)Highest, OffenseGeorgia running back Nate Frazier in the Sugar BowlHB Nate Frazier (90.0 overall grade, 60.8 receiving grade, 90.8 rushing grade)QB Gunner Stockton (81.3 overall grade, 80.9 passing grade, 64.2 running grade)HB Chauncey Bowens (78.1 overall grade, 66.8 receiving grade, 78.8 rushing grade)TE Elyiss Williams (75.1 overall, 86.9 receiving, 69.3 pass-blocking, 53.8 run-blocking)C Drew Bobo (74.1 overall, 76.3 pass-blocking, 71.6 run-blocking)Lowest, OffenseGeorgia offensive lineman Juan Gaston (73) at the first day of fall practiceG Michael Uini (51.3 overall, 25.1 pass-blocking, 56.1 run-blocking)TE Jaden Reddell (57.0 overall, 46.8 receiving, 66.7 pass-blocking, 72.2 run-blocking)G Juan Gaston (58.8 overall, 51.8 pass-blocking, 58.5 run-blocking)TE Lawson Luckie (59.7 overall, 55.8 receiving, 78.1 pass-blocking, 64.6 run-blocking)C Malachi Toliver (61.1 overall, 79.9 pass-blocking, 56.7 run-blocking)Highest, DefenseGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Jamal Haynes (1) tries to break away from Georgia Bulldogs defensive back KJ BoldenFS KJ Bolden (85.9 overall grade, 91.3 run defense grade, 90.6 tackling grade, 70.2 pass-rush grade, 82.3 coverage grade)LB Chris Cole (81.4 overall grade, 74.3 run defense grade, 77.3 tackling grade, 68.2 pass-rush grade, 88.9 coverage grade)DT Elijah Griffin (71.6 overall grade, 73.1 run defense grade, 50.4 tackling grade, 66.6 pass-rush grade)LB Raylen Wilson (70.6 overall grade, 70.2 run defense grade, 85.8 tackling grade, 60.0 pass-rush grade, 71.0 coverage grade)LB Justin Williams (70.3 overall grade, 79.4 run defense grade, 54.8 tackling grade, 46.9 pass-rush grade, 66.9 coverage grade)Lowest, DefenseJJ Hanne #96 and Elijah Griffin #90 of the Georgia Bulldogs leave the field during the second quarter against the Charlotte 49ersEDGE JJ Hanne (54.5 overall grade, 54.9 run defense grade, 70.2 tackling grade, 54.6 pass-rush grade)DT Jordan Hall (59.4 overall grade, 58.8 run defense grade, 78.4 tackling grade, 56.9 pass-rush grade)CB Rasean Dinkins (59.8 overall grade, 66.2 run defense grade, 66.6 tackling grade, 61.5 pass-rush grade, 59.3 coverage grade)DT Josh Horton (61.5 overall grade, 66.5 run defense grade, 41.2 tackling grade, 53.8 pass-rush grade)LB Quintavius Johnson (63.1 overall grade, 79.6 run defense grade, 56.9 tackling grade, 55.0 pass-rush grade, 43.1 coverage grade)

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