Georgia needs a host of young defensive linemen to step up in 2025, but few will have as many eyes on them as Elijah Griffin.
You won’t find many true freshmen on this list of players Kirby Smart needs a good season from in order for 2025 to be a successful year. By design a program like Georgia’s isn’t meant to rely on players brand new to campus to step in and take over key roles. Ideally even the bluest of blue chipper would come to Athens, spend a year slowly picking up more and more playing time and then in year two perhaps move into the starting rotation.
But more and more of college football is what happens while your staff is making other plans. Georgia needs ballers on the defensive line, and it needs them right now. Elijah Griffin has the potential to be one of those ballers, and he may have to be if the Bulldogs are to again make the College Football Playoff and avoid an early exit.
Why does Griffin have the opportunity to make an immediate impact? One reason is because Georgia lost a lot up front from the 2024 unit. Gone are perennials defensive tackle starters Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins’ decision to jump into the NFL Draft seemed like a bit of a head scratcher at first, but was vindicated by his fifth round selection.
Christen Miller and Xzavier McCloud return as the most experienced interior linemen. Big Jordan Hall could also be on the cusp of a breakout season. And it’s not like Tray Scott has just been neglecting to recruit. Joseph Jonah-Ajonye was a five star recruit in the class of 2024 but was sidelined last season following foot surgery. His fellow defensive tackle signees Jordan Thomas, Nasir Johnson, and Nnamdi Ogboko also redshirted last season and will be fighting for snaps in the rotation.
But Griffin looks like a difference maker to me if he can stay…
Source link : https://www.dawgsports.com/football/24480433/a-dozen-decisive-dawgs-9-elijah-griffin
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Publish date : 2025-08-09 00:07:00
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