This might be the most talented secondary Georgia football has had under Kirby Smart, and that is saying something.
Potential first round pick Ellis Robinson holds down the cornerback spots with Demello Jones. Fellow potential first round pick KJ Bolden and Kyron Jones are back deep at safety and Khalil Barnes is the glue that holds it all together at star/nickel.
There are high-end reserves behind them, like transfer cornerbacks Braylon Conley and Gentry Williams, versatile safety Rasean Dinkins and ECU import Ja’Marley Riddle.
All of these pieces could all come together as a very special group in Athens.
Georgia's secondary is led by two potential first round picks
Ellis Robinson is the team’s undisputed No. 1 cornerback after a strong finish to the 2025 season and an offseason program where he’s shut everything down. In 318 coverage snaps, he allowed just 15 receptions while picking off four passes.
He may as well be the best player on the team. Robinson’s athleticism, physicality and instincts when the ball is in the air make him a prototypical SEC man cornerback.
“Ellis could play receiver if he wanted to, to be honest,” Georgia receiver Savovie White-Helton said. “I believe that his ball skills force us to jump up and go get the ball.”
KJ Bolden is back for his third straight year as a starter. He’s a rangy safety with the explosiveness to fly across the field in coverage and thump in the run game. Bolden will anchor the last line of defense for Georgia and keep a lid on big plays.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. compared Bolden to former Georgia safety Malaki Starks and said Robinson could push Notre Dame’s Leonard Moore for CB1 status in this upcoming NFL Draft. He recently predicted both of them to be first round picks.
Kyron Jones' return from injury is the push Georgia's secondary needed
Kyron Jones has returned to reclaim his starting safety spot after missing the rest of the 2025 season with an injury against Auburn. He’s a tough player whose hard-hitting style serves as a good complement to Bolden.
Khalil Barnes could be the highest-impact transfer Georgia has in 2026. The North Oconee product joined the Bulldogs after three seasons starting at safety for Clemson. He’ll transition into a new role closer to the line of scrimmage at Star, where his physical approach and natural feel defending the run are better suited.
The comparison for him is former Georgia defensive back Tykee Smith, another transfer that moved from safety to star, whose size, man coverage skills and run defense were critical for the Bulldogs.
Dinkins, Conley and Williams are all the first guys off the bench for Georgia. They bring a good combination of experience, athleticism and coverage upside if they need to come in.
Georgia's secondary could help solve Bulldogs' pass rush issues
Georgia might need to rely on its coverage this year to mask some pass rush deficiencies. Even if the Bulldogs’ pass rush is better than last year, it’s hard to see it becoming a major strength.
But the secondary could absolutely be the strongest aspect of this defense, if not the whole team.
Week one will provide a good look at this group for the first time, but the Bulldogs are likely to rotate several players against Tennessee State in what is expected to be a blowout victory.
Higher-profile SEC matchups like Oklahoma, Alabama and Florida will be a premium opportunity for this group to stake its claim as the best secondary in college football.
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