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UGA football roster: Channing Tindall is the next man up at inside linebacker

By Kyle Funderburk

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 31: Channing Tindall #41 of the Georgia Bulldogs warms up prior to a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - AUGUST 31: Channing Tindall #41 of the Georgia Bulldogs warms up prior to a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /
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The emergence of Channing Tindall means the loss of Tae Crowder shouldn’t affect UGA football’s depth at inside linebacker too much

UGA football is deep on defense. How deep? The No. 4 inside linebacker on the roster is Channing Tindall, a playmaking defensive player who could start for just about any program in the nation.

After losing a player like Tae Crowder, most programs around the nation would expect to take a step backward an inside linebacker. Not Georgia. Tindall has shown flashes of brilliance through 25 games over two seasons, including forcing an intentional grounding penalty against Alabama in the 2018 SEC Championship Game, just weeks after a second-quarter redzone sack against Kentucky.

Tindall is behind the consistent leader Monty Rice, and rising superstars Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker. Tindall, in his own right, has the potential to be just as big of a star as his fellow inside linebackers in the depth chart. He was after all, the No. 5 inside linebacker in the 2018 recruiting class according to 247Sports Composite. The system ranked him No. 103 overall.

The Columbia, S.C. product excels behind the line of scrimmage. He’s not the sideline-to-sideline player the other ILBs on the roster are, but when Georgia needs a play in the backfield, Tindall can deliver. He proved that with the two aforementioned plays during his freshman year. Tindall added 1.5 sacks last year, with a larger role this year, his sacks and tackles for a loss totals should see a huge increase.

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With his different, slightly more limited skillset than other ILBs on the roster, Tindall might only be a situational player this year, but he’s in a role he can excel at. Look for Tindall to play a lot on third down alongside outside linebacker Adam Anderson. The two are great blitzers and can produce the “havoc” head coach Kirby Smart has been looking for.

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