So today I saw everyone buzzing about the UGA depth chart finally being out. Honestly, I’d been refreshing Dawg fan forums practically every hour waiting for this. Needed to see who actually won those starting spots after all the spring hype and fall camp whispers. Figured instead of just reading someone else’s summary, I’d break it down myself, position by position, like I usually do with this stuff.
Starting Point: Finding the Real Deal
First thing I did was head straight to the official UGA athletics site. Hit up the football section and dug around the news feeds. Took a minute, but boom, there it was: the official preseason depth chart release. Immediately downloaded that PDF – always want the source document, you know? Screenshots and social media clips can miss stuff or get twisted.
Opened it up and just scanned the whole thing quickly. Got that overall vibe. Then, I grabbed a notebook – old school, I know – and started going through it position group by position group. Wanted to write down the starter and the next couple of names listed. Focused on the big spots everyone talks about.
The Big Positions – My Run Down
Alright, dug into the meat of it:
Quarterback: No shocker here. Flipped straight to QB section. Carson Beck listed as QB1. Solid. Been expecting that since spring. Gotta feel for Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton battling it out behind him, but Beck earned it. My main note: consistency over flash. Hope he rocks it.
Running Back: This one was interesting. Branson Robinson’s injury definitely shook things up. Saw Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards listed as co-starter at one spot, which made sense. But then Roderick Robinson II right there too. And of course, Cash Jones – everyone loves that guy. Felt a bit crowded, but in a good way? Means they’ve got options.
Wide Receiver: Been worried about who steps up after losing monsters. Focused on who got the “OR” designation. Saw Ladd McConkey (thank goodness he’s back healthy) and Dominic Lovett leading the pack at a couple spots. Then Rara Thomas, Arian Smith… Mekhi Mews popped up too. Seems like a decent mix, but honestly? I’ll need to see them against real opponents to feel better about this group replacing last year’s firepower.
Tight End: Brock Bowers… obviously. Dude’s a beast, QB’s best friend. But right there next to him? Oscar Delp. Really liked what I saw glimpses of last season. That combo is gonna be nasty. Made a note: Expect lots of two-TE sets again. It just works.
Offensive Line: Scrutinized this one hard. Starting five: LT Earnest Greene, LG Dylan Fairchild, C Sedrick Van Pran (massive relief he stayed), RG Tate Ratledge, RT Xavier Truss. Solid unit returning mostly intact. Biggest takeaway? Experience right down the line. Feels like the anchor of the whole offense.
Front Seven (DL & LB): Lost SO much talent to the NFL, so this was critical. Nazir Stackhouse and Zion Logue anchoring the middle. Mykel Williams at End? Love it. Gotta keep pressure on. Then the LBs… Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Smael Mondon Jr. leading the inside. Chaz Chambliss and Marvin Jones Jr. at Jack. Speed, speed, and more speed. Feels fast. Maybe a bit less physically imposing than last year’s juggernaut at first glance, but the coaches know how to develop.
Secondary: Safety looked deep – Tykee Smith, Javon Bullard, Malaki Starks. Real ball hawks there. Corner? Kamari Lassiter and Nyland Green listed as starters. I’m optimistic, but cornerback was the one spot I wrote down a little question mark. Need guys to lock down outside consistently. Depth feels younger there.
Biggest Surprises & My Gut Feeling
Honestly, not many huge shocks. Coaches played things pretty straight.
- Glad they confirmed Beck as QB1 officially. Ends the chatter.
- RB room is interesting with co-starters, curious who gets the hot hand early.
- WR still has that question mark hovering until proven otherwise in game action.
- OL stability feels like a major win.
- Front seven looks incredibly athletic, maybe sacrificing a tiny bit of bulk for speed this year?
Overall Feel? Still a stacked roster, no doubt. The identity might shift slightly – maybe leaning on that OL and TEs even more, with Beck managing things early while the new WRs find their feet and that fast defense gels. Definitely feels like another championship caliber team on paper. But man, college football ain’t played on paper. Can’t wait for kickoff to see how it all actually clicks!
