Kirby Smart’s forgotten 5-star can’t stop making noise at fall camp

Ellis Robinson IV was the No. 2 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class, but for all his talent, it took the IMG Academy product a bit of time to find his footing in Athens. Robinson played just four games and only 50 total defensive snaps as he redshirted his freshman season, but now, after flying under the radar, he appears primed for a breakout. 

Part of what kept Robinson off the field last season was Georgia’s relative health at the cornerback position, with Daylen Everette, Daniel Harris, and Julian Humphrey playing nearly every game and handling most of the work on the outside. Humphrey transferred away to Texas A&M this offseason, cracking the door for Robinson, but he’s beginning to smash right through it. 

There has been positive news coming out of Athens all summer, but the strongest indication that Robinson has a chance to start for Kirby Smart and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann came this past weekend when Robinson reportedly started at cornerback over Harris in Georgia’s second scrimmage of fall camp. 

Ellis Robinson IV could be the breakout star on Georgia’s defense

Harris is a reliable starter who played 518 defensive snaps across 12 games last season. If he wins the starting job, he’ll provide stability at the position opposite Everette, who is the clear CB1 in Athens. However, if Robinson reaches his potential as a prospect in his redshirt freshman season, it could raise the ceiling on the Dawgs' defense. 

Coming out of high school, Robinson profiled as a lockdown outside corner. The fact that he didn’t realize that upside as a true freshman is completely understandable. There were concerns about his physicality and tackling, and he’s far from the first player who took time to adjust to SEC football. Now, if he’s ready to hit and impact the run game, it will allow Georgia’s pass defense to take a step forward, and it could use the improvement. 

Kirby Smart needs an elite coverage unit to improve his team’s pass defense

Surprisingly, Georgia’s perennially stout defense, ranked 52nd in the country in opposing EPA/Dropback at -0.04 and only 37th in opponent passing success rate. Those are pedestrian numbers for Georgia, a defense that ranked top 10 in the country in both metrics in 2023. 

It might be that the only way Georgia can improve its pass defense is through the play of its secondary. There is significant continuity on the back end of the defense with Everrette, Harris, nickel Joenel Aguero, and safety KJ Bolden all returning. The loss of Malaki Starks will be tough to account for, but not so difficult as the front seven that saw Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker leave for the NFL. 

The Georgia pass rush has real question marks for the first time in years, but that inexperienced defensive line could be aided by lockdown cornerbacks who force the quarterback to hold onto the ball.