Georgia football will once again have one of the top defenses in the country during the 2025 season. One of the biggest reasons why is because of sophomore safety KJ Bolden.
Bolden came to Georgia last year as the No. 1 safety in the 2024 recruiting class, and he more than lived up to the hype. So much so that Pro Football Focus named Bolden the No. 5 safety in the country entering the 2025 season.
KJ Bolden has big shoes to fill this fall at Georgia
During his true freshman season in 2024, Bolden had about as good of a year as anyone could expect a freshman to have. Bolden racked up 59 tackles which included one sack. He also recorded one forced fumble, one interception and one pass defense as well.
Georgia fans should feel very comfortable with Bolden knowing that he will be able to be a force all season long. But Bolden has a big responsibility this season after Malaki Starks departure to the NFL this offseason.
"Georgia may have lost a superstar safety in first-round pick, but another one is already waiting in the wings," pff shared via 247sports.com. "Bolden, the No. 1 safety in the 2024 recruiting class and a top-15 overall prospect, quickly lived up to the hype in his freshman season."
As mentioned, no one should be worried about Bolden as a player this season, but will he be able to step up as a leader now that Starks is off to the NFL? That is what he'll need to do to take his game to the next level.
So while there are plenty of questions surrounding Georgia this season, everyone should have a lot of faith in Bolden. And based on how well he has done so far in his career, Bolden likely will be able to completely fill the void left by Starks as a leader of Georgia's defense.