ESPN's Greg McElroy ignores doubters and ranks Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs defense in the top 5
The Georgia Bulldogs' defense took a huge hit this offseason, losing nine key players to the 2025 NFL Draft, but that isn't stopping ESPN's Greg McElroy from ranking them among the best this preseason. McElroy has the Dawgs clocking in at No. 4 on his list of top 10 college football defenses. "This might be […]
The Georgia Bulldogs' defense took a huge hit this offseason, losing nine key players to the 2025 NFL Draft, but that isn't stopping ESPN's Greg McElroy from ranking them among the best this preseason.
McElroy has the Dawgs clocking in at No. 4 on his list of top 10 college football defenses.
"This might be a little controversial because they were not quite the same last year as they were in year's past," McElroy said.
Georgia’s defense finished the 2024 season ranked 23rd nationally in points allowed per game with roughly 20.6 points per contest. While that's not too terrible, it's still a massive step backward from the elite dominance they showcased between 2021 and 2023, when the Bulldogs never ranked below 5th in scoring defense.
Still, McElroy has full trust in Smart's reputation as one of the nation's premier defensive minds, fostering a culture of physicality and toughness.
"I trust Kirby Smart. I think he's one of the best defensive minds in the entire country. He creates a culture of physicality and toughness. It's hard to play against this group regularly."
McElroy acknowledges the concern over how Georgia will compensate for losing standout first-round picks Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams, and Malaki Starks. However, he insists Bulldog fans need not panic, given UGA’s proven ability to reload talent swiftly, especially in the secondary, and the program’s consistent depth and recruiting success.
"When have you ever been super concerned about the past departures we've seen on Georgia's defense? They've had a lot of guys shuffling in and out of the lineup last year. Yet, they still played pretty good football for most of the year," he said.
Greg McElroy's Top 10 2025 College Football Defenses
- Texas Longhorns
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Oklahoma Sooners
- Michigan Wolverines
- Oregon Ducks
- Clemson Tigers
