When Georgia legend David Pollack has high praise for freshman defensive lineman Elijah Griffin, UGA fans need to pay attention. In a recent interview with 92.9 The Game, Pollack gushed about Griffin, "I couldn't have been more impressed with [his] maturity, the athletic ability."
Kirby Smart has also been aware of Griffin, noting in Dawg Post, "He had a great spring. You don’t have to tell him something twice. He’s very consistent. He’s a great kid." At 6-foot-4, and 315 pounds, Griffin was the the No. 1 defensive lineman in the 2025 recruiting class. His preseason hype is living up to expectations, according to Pollack.
"He hits 20 mph on the GPS. That’s not human. He’s a truck. It’s amazing to watch," said Pollack. "He looks like he has a chance to be really, really special. He’s got special written all over him.”
Griffin set to have early defensive impact in 2025
If he continues to progress in practice, Griffin could be a starter on the depleted defensive line. Paired with veteran Bulldog Christen Miller, Griffin is looking to make up for departed Mykel Williams. With his size and speed, it's not a stretch to believe Griffin could end up with the production of Jalen Carter who is now a star with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Coming out of a stellar high school career in Savannah with over 300 tackles, 96 tackles for loss and 44 sacks, Griffin has the ability to start early for the Georgia Bulldogs. Coach Smart and the defense will need that kind of backfield penetration as they face high-octane offenses like Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas in home games this season.
Pollack isn't known for outrageous hyperboles, so if he is wowed by Griffin, Georgia fans and opponents need to take note of this athletic freak-of-nature and watch out for dynamic game takeovers on the defensive front.