Georgia Football: Two freshmen who could start on defense

Georgia Football had a huge amount of talent join them with the 2018 class and there are two players right now who look like they could start on day one.

The 2018 Georgia Football team is going to be loaded with talent. Now a lot of it is going to be a lot younger than last year. The Dawgs lost a great deal of senior leadership as well as several starters on defense. But there are a couple of 5-star freshmen who based on reports are already standing out. Here are two guys that fans might end up seeing a good deal of in week one.

Brenton Cox, OLB/DE

Cox has been making waves since January. He was one of the 9 guys who enrolled early and immediately stood out. One of the reasons that he was such a sought-after prospect was the fact that he’s already built like an SEC player. Simply put, the guy doesn’t look 18 years old at all. He arrived in Athens at 6ft4, 245lbs and all muscle. It’s worth remembering that it took D’Andre Walker 3 whole years in UGA to get to the same size as Cox was back in January.

Having stepped in early and had 7 months in the UGA program, Cox already seems to be looking different. He’s shifted some weight around and while he was well built before, he looks like a senior so far this summer.

One of the criticisms that I heard about Cox before he arrived was that he didn’t like to practice. That when the lights came on, he was awesome but that he was often lazy unless the lights were on. Based on the impact he’s made so far in Athens, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Plenty of reports that have come out suggest that Cox is really making a move at the OLB position behind closed doors.

That’s a great sign for Georgia fans because it shows that he really could be the impact player many hoped for. I’m not sure he’s going to start ahead of Walker or Walter Grant just yet, but I do know that Cox is pushing. There’s a great chance that he ends up seeing the field an awful lot in 2018 if he continues the progress that we’ve seen so far from him. As far as I can tell, no other freshman looks as ready to play right now than Cox.

Tyson Campbell, CB

The other guy that keeps catching people’s eyes is also on the defensive side of the ball. Yes, there are some weapons on offense, but that unit remains pretty loaded after the 2017 season. On the defense, however, there are spots up for grabs and Campbell is another 5-star who has made a big impact since arriving on campus.

Having inherited the number 3 shirt that was most recently worn by Roquan Smith, there will be pressure on Campbell. Fortunately, he looks like a guy that is going to live up to the hype. If there is one thing that he has in spades, it’s speed. Even though he’s just a freshman, the guy looks like he could already run a sub 4.4 40yard dash. That sort of quickness gives him a tremendous opportunity going into summer camp.

Based on the few reports that I’ve been able to see about this summer so far, Campbell has impressed. He took the strength and conditioning program very seriously and looks like he’s ready to step up and play early. From a physical perspective, the guy just has everything coaches dream about.

Recent reports have suggested that Campbell is already seeing some time with the first team this early in camp. The secondary is a position group in flux for the Dawgs and they would love for their top-ranked young player there to be ready early. Right now it looks like he and Mark Webb are battling it out for the starting spot opposite from Deandre Baker.

But even if he doesn’t win that one, look for Campbell to get on the field early. The coaches have been putting him at the STAR position as well and using his speed and size to shut down slot receivers. Just like Cox, Campbell looks like he’s going to get on the field early for the Dawgs and make a big impact when he does.