Georgia football depth chart, projected starters for 2026 season

“I know our players are ready to play someone other than beating up on ourselves in practice,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Guys are excited. I know the fans are excited. I’m excited for this team to go out and play their first game. We’ve got to play somebody else to get better. That’s the stage we’re in.”

On the offensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs bring back a lot from last year’s team. Quarterback Gunner Stockton is expected to be one of the stars of the team, while the running game should be strong once again.

There is some concern about Georgia’s wide receiver room. They’ll get a chance to show they’re better than how they’ve been discussed starting this weekend.

Georgia should have a strong defense, built around stars at every level. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Elijah Griffin, Chris Cole and KJ Bolden end the season as All-Americans.

The biggest question with Georgia comes with the pass rush, as the Bulldogs had just 20.0 sacks last season. Georgia knows it needs to do a better job of sacking the opposing quarterback, not just creating pressure.

You can see the full projected Georgia offense depth chart for the 2026 season below:

Georgia football depth chart, starters for 2026

Quarterback:

Analysis: The story with this group is about what happened behind Stockton during fall camp. Puglisi didn’t have the best performances in either scrimmage, opening the door for Montgomery to close the gap. We still expect Puglisi to be Georgia’s first call as the backup quarterback, but it’s more important than ever that Stockton stay healthy. The gap between starter and backup is very steep here.

Running back:

Analysis: The loss of Dante Dowdell will be felt at some point this season. The Bulldogs have been able to keep Frazier and Bowens healthy through fall camp, in part because of how they limited their workload. Georgia would love to get both of them going at the same time, something that didn’t happen a season ago.

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Wide receiver

X:

Z:

Slot:

Analysis: This position group did not have the fall camp it needed to. Aside from London Humphreys, it’s hard to call anyone a standout from the August practices.

Humphreys, Canion and White-Helton are going to be key pieces in the rotation. After that, it very much feels up for grabs. Roldan had a strong second scrimmage, while it seems like the light may have come on for Taylor during the closing stretch of practices.

This is still the biggest question mark for Georgia entering the 2026 season. If anything, it might be an even bigger concern after preseason practices.

Tight end:

Analysis: Just because Luckie is listed atop the depth chart does not mean he’ll be the only one to play. Thanks to some added weight, Luckie hopes to never come off the field for Georgia in 2026.

Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo can be creative with how he uses Reddell, Williams and Barbour, as all three bring something different to the table.

Prothro is expected to help more as a wide receiver, but the Bulldogs know his long-term home is at tight end.

Offensive line

Left tackle:

Left guard:

Center:

Right guard:

Right tackle:

Analysis: Bobo is listed as the team’s starting center, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see Georgia roll with Smith to open the season against Tennessee State. Bobo is dealing with foot and finger injuries, and while the former is the bigger worry stemming from last season, it seems like it won’t be an issue to start the year.

Smart challenged Gaston during fall camp, so it will be worth monitoring how he starts the season. Georgia really likes its depth at the tackle position, especially with how Ogboko, a 5-star signee, has developed.

He’s been a popular player for a while, but it shouldn’t be overlooked how impressive Helton has been since arriving at Georgia. The last time a freshman generated this much buzz before his first game was either Bolden in 2024, Malaki Starks in 2022 or Brock Bowers in 2021. That’s some pretty great company.

Defensive tackle:

Nose tackle:

Defensive end:

Analysis: This group did take a hit just before the start of the season, with Xzavier McLeod stepping away from the game of football. Someone will have to step up after McLeod started six games last season.

Smart raved about Sone following the conclusion of fall camp, noting the freshman defensive tackle will have a role on this team. That says a lot about what the Swedish defensive lineman brings to the table.

Outside linebacker:

Analysis: Georgia moved Gibson to the defensive line while kicking Dean out to outside linebacker. Similar to Sone, Smart spoke very highly about how Dean can help the Bulldogs this season.

Losing Amaris Williams is a notable blow for this group. Linton has been circled as a breakout candidate. He’ll need to be, given the question marks around this room.

Inside linebacker

Mac:

Money:

Analysis: Don’t be surprised to see Cole play all over defense for Georgia this fall. His talent gives Georgia a lot of flexibility on the defensive side of the ball.

The Bulldogs are loaded at the top of this position, with Wilson, Williams, Cole and Walker all being former 5-star recruits. How the rest of this room develops will be an interesting storyline to follow, as the Bulldogs brought in three 2026 linebacker recruits.

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Cornerback

Right cornerback:

Left cornerback:

Analysis: Robinson and Jones both had standout showings during fall camp, giving Georgia an elite tandem at the top of the depth chart.

The Bulldogs turned to the transfer portal to address the depth concerns at the position in Williams and Conley.

Freshman Fitzpatrick was a big-time recruiting win for Georgia, but don’t expect to see much of him this fall. He suffered a knee injury at the end of his high school career that he’s spent all offseason rehabbing.

Free safety:

Strong safety:

Star:

Analysis: Bolden was never going to be unseated from his starting spot as he enters the year as a Preseason All-American.

In one of the bigger surprises, though, Jones had one of the best performances of any Georgia player during fall camp. He enters the season as the favorite to start opposite Bolden at safety.

Barnes looks to be an instant impact addition and will play all over the secondary for Georgia. Keep an eye out for Green, who has all the makings of being Georgia’s next great safety. It just may be difficult for him to get on the field.

Kicker:

Punter:

Long snapper:

Punt return:

Kick return: