Georgia football celebrates winning their first national championship in 41-years today at Sanford Stadium. While it’s going to be one of the best days ever, the Dawgs need to hear some good news after having a handful of defensive playmakers leave for the NFL.
The Dawgs have had seven declare for the NFL as of Saturday morning, including five juniors. Travon Walker, Nakobe Dean, and Lewis Cine all decided to start their next chapter. The trio will be very successful in the league, plus they’ve done everything and more in Athens, so it was time for them to leave.
However, some juniors and seniors need to come back for their senior season or use that COVID-19 year to their advantage. While they would likely get drafted this season, having veteran leaders come back is what keeps defenses and teams great.
Georgia football needs to see these three defenders return to help the Dawgs keep making history.
There is so much that goes into deciding to stay or go, but the Dawgs need someone to make the sacrifice Jordan Davis and a few others made for the 2021 season. When veterans do that, it lets the younger players know how important it is to be there for each other as a team.
While it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Dawgs have to replace double-digit starters on the defense because this group could all play in the league, having a few come back would only increase Georgia’s chances of staying successful.
Georgia isn’t going anywhere and those Dawgs sitting behind these veterans are ready to fight themselves — having an older guy to help along the way is beneficial. They know how the coach likes things done, and well they can lead.
If Georgia were to return at least one of these three guys mentioned, it would be a victory for this coaching staff, but the Dawgs’ chances would significantly increase if all three return.
Georgia football edge rusher Nolan Smith
Georgia football junior Nolan Smith needs to be the head dawg next season and be the guy who makes the sacrifice and comes back for his senior year. He would likely get drafted in the first three rounds this year, but that could increase to early first-round if he came back.
Smith grew as the season went on, and by the end of it, fans began to see that we hadn’t even seen all of Smith’s talent. This young man has a high ceiling, and with one more year learning from linebackers coach Glenn Schumann and defensive line coach Tray Scott, it would only benefit him in the long run.
If he came back, he would be the guy on defense as Georgia is losing field general Nakobe Dean and Travon Walker.
Two juniors who could have come back but understandably are going to the NFL Draft because both will make a lot of money and go early. Smith would succeed in the league if he left, but as he said before the national championship, he wants to leave a legacy, so why not have that be him coming back as Jordan Davis and company did?
Smith finished the season with 56 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception, one pass breakup, one fumble recovery, three forced fumbles, one blocked kick and 27 quarterback hurries.
Those are decent junior year stats, but they could be that much better next year as a senior. He could be the link that Georgia needs to keep this whole one-unit mindset going.
The Dawgs thrived at that this year, and he was a big piece in all of it. If he comes back, this will be like Davis coming back last year for unfinished business, but this time it would be Smith coming back to try and help the Dawgs repeat.
Georgia football linebacker Robert Beal Jr.
Why not use a COVID-19 year if you got it? Georgia football senior Robert Beal needs to do just that as he finally understands his role and flat-out shine through the last stretch of the season. Beal’s ceiling continues to rise as he gets more and more playing time. He was the one who stepped in for Adam Anderson and never missed a beat.
He was a big piece of the puzzle in the national title game, earning one sack and three pressures on Bryce Young.
Beal is a senior this year, but with COVID-19, he can take an extra year, making him a super-senior. We saw how that helped so many other programs this year, and it would only help the Dawgs if he and a couple of other guys joined him. Christopher Smith is the only one who decided to come back, but Beal would be another that wouldn’t surprise us.
When no one expected him to take over Anderson’s role, he did and finished the season as the Dawg’s sack leader with 6.5, recording one sack in five of the last six games. Beal also recorded 23 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and 19 quarterback hurries.
Imagine what he could do with an entire season now that he has the confidence to put up these numbers. Beal’s experience would benefit the linebacker room as the Dawgs are losing Nakobe Dean.
If anyone needs to stay for a super-senior season, it would be Beal because having a full year like he finished the season would elevate his draft stock.
Georgia football linebacker, Channing Tindall
The second senior on this list, Channing Tindall, could use one more year in Athens as he finally began to shine during the 2021 season.
While, in our opinion, he is the least likely to stay among those on this list, it is still wishful thinking.
Tindall finished the season with 67 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 19 quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. However, he became such a key contributor down the stretch for the Dawgs, so if they can convince him to be a super senior, it would greatly benefit him and the team.
Tindall recorded a sack in the title game and had five pressures on Bryce Young, the Dawgs need this at linebacker for the 2022 season, and he could be the head dawg in charge.
The Dawgs need Tindall to come back because he would give them another experienced player to help lead. He could increase his draft stock by coming back because that extra year of playing time would only help him, plus his stats would look even better, with him likely being the starter. He played so much with Nakobe Dean this year, and the leadership from Dean shined through, helping Tindall get better and better.
Georgia football will reload on the defense, but these three young men have an opportunity to increase their draft stock even more by coming back for one more year. Smith, Tindall, and Beal would be the leaders the Dawgs need to keep that togetherness alive and going.
This year, we all saw what playing as one unit and doing it for each other did for the team, so why not be the next set of players to make the sacrifice and continue to leave a legacy.