2 Georgia football players who should be replaced on the depth chart for 2024

One of the best moves that Kirby Smart made this offseason wasn’t an addition from the transfer portal, it was getting Smael Mondon Jr. to put off the NFL draft for another season. 

Georgia has 20 outgoing transfers, which is no surprise for a loaded program with a logjam of talent at every position on the roster. Still, the surprising part is that three of those 20 transfers were linebackers and two were starters. Jamon Dumas-Johnson moved on to Kentucky, Xavian Sorey transferred to Arkansas, and EJ Lightsey went to Georgia Tech. 

Those four moves at one crucial position crystalized Georgia’s intentions to continue to get young in the linebacking corps and Walker should see fewer snaps because of it. Mondon is positioned as the veteran leader of the group, and he’s surrounded by freshmen and sophomores teeming with talent.

Last season, Smart and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann gave CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson, 390 and 177 snaps respectively to prove themselves in their first collegiate season. Meanwhile, Walker played 244 snaps, primarily at outside linebacker. 

Well, it may be time to even cut down on those snaps some. If Kirby wants a youth movement at the position, then he should go all-in on Allen, Wilson, and five-star freshman Justin Williams, one of the prizes of Georgia’s No. 1 recruiting class. 

Mondon will be the veteran to guide the young guns, but the Georgia defense is good enough to withstand a few mistakes from a young linebacking corps if the group is ready to play its best come the College Football Playoff.