One of the most anticipated newcomers for Georgia football this season is EDGE transfer Elo Modozie. Modozie is a transfer from Army who Kirby Smart is clearly excited about after his first offseason at Georgia, but people outside of Georgia are just as excited about his potential as well.
In fact, SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic thinks Modozie could become the 2025 SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
“Another guy that I think is going to be singled up a lot is Elo Modozie transfer, into this Georgia defense," Cubelic shared via 247sports.com. "They do not have a young man with this twitch, with this speed, this bend, and I know it is crazy, I am saying this is about a Georgia defense.”
Modozie’s immediate impact at Georgia could lead to a plethora of awards
Modozie found a lot of success at Army last year during his sophomore season. During the 2024 season, he recorded 34 total tackles which included a staggering 6.5 sacks.
The big question surrounding Modozie this offseason is if his game will translate to the SEC, but Cubelic continues to explain why he doesn’t think this will be a problem for him.
"I am glad you mentioned motor, Randall Cobb, because this young man, if it is back in coverage, if it is back side of a run play, if it is 50 yards down the field, it does not matter," Cubelic continued. "He has the ability to rush the passer, bend the edge with speed and flexibility, he will go get a play on the opposite side of the field."
Georgia has had a defender win this award four times in their history which includes David Pollack twice, Jarvis Jones and Roquan Smith. Modozie will look to become the fifth Bulldog to win this award and the first recipient since 2017.
If the Bulldogs are going to have a successful 2025 campaign, their defense is going to have to play lights out. And one of the players who will have a big say in how the defense plays is Modozie, who could be Georgia’s top candidate to win the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award this season.