Georgia will open the season when it hosts Tennessee State 3 p.m. Saturday. I’m so excited to help our DawgNation team cover the game – we’ve been preparing tons of coverage for y’all, both on game day and throughout this week, so make sure you’re checking back for updates as usual.
In August, the Bulldogs have gone through an intense fall camp and have shown improvement.
“I thought there was really some positives on both sides of the ball,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said following the team’s second scrimmage. “Offense continues to be effective and efficient in the red area. Run game in terms of putting dents in the defense and being physical was really good. Defensively, I think, there was some good. Some turnovers in there, some sacks and created some havoc, which is important. But all in all, I thought both sides of the ball continued to get better.”
Before we all pack into Sanford Stadium or crowd around our TVs this weekend, let’s take a look at the depth chart. Today, we’ll focus on the offense:
Georgia football offensive depth chart, starters for 2026
Quarterback
Gunner Stockton (Sr.)
Ryan Puglisi (R-Soph.). Ryan Montgomery (R-Fr.), Hezekiah Millender (R-Fr.)
Colter Ginn (R-Soph.), Bryson Beaver (Fr.)
Analysis: The story with this group is about what happened behind Stockton during fall camp. Puglisi didn’t have the best performances in either scrimmage, opening the door for Montgomery to close the gap. We still expect Puglisi to be Georgia’s first call as the backup quarterback, but it’s more important than ever that Stockton stay healthy. The gap between starter and backup is very steep here.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) holds the ball during their first football practice at the University of Georgia practice facility, Wednesday, August 5, 2026, in Athens, Ga. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
Running back
Nate Frazier (Jr.), Chauncey Bowens (R-Soph.)
Dwight Phillips Jr. (Jr.)
Bo Walker (Soph.)
Jae Lamar (Fr.), Nick Peal (Fr.)
Analysis: The loss of Dante Dowdell will be felt at some point this season. The Bulldogs have been able to keep Frazier and Bowens healthy through fall camp, in part because of how they limited their workload. Georgia would love to get both of them going at the same time, something that didn’t happen a season ago.
Junior tailback Nate Frazier hauls in a pass during the first day of Georgia's fall camp practices on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, in Athens, Georgia. (Jeff Sentell/DawgNation)
Georgia running back Chauncey Bowens (5) runs after a catch during 2026 G-Day spring football game at Sanford Stadium, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Athens. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
Wide receiver
X:
Isiah Canion (Jr.)
CJ Wiley (Soph.), Thomas Blackshear (R-Fr.)
Ryan Mosley (Fr.)
Z:
London Humphreys (Sr.)
Talyn Taylor (R-Fr.), Landon Roldan (Soph.)
Craig Dandridge (Fr.) Tyler J. Williams (R-Fr.), Jeremy Bell (R-Soph.)
Slot:
Sacovie White-Helton (R-Soph.)
Landon Roldan (Soph.), Kaiden Prothro (Fr.)
Dallas Dickerson (Fr.)
Analysis: This position group did not have the fall camp it needed to. Aside from London Humphreys, it’s hard to call anyone a standout from the August practices.
Humphreys, Canion and White-Helton are going to be key pieces in the rotation. After that, it very much feels up for grabs. Roldan had a strong second scrimmage, while it seems like the light may have come on for Taylor during the closing stretch of practices.
This is still the biggest question mark for Georgia entering the 2026 season. If anything, it might be an even bigger concern after preseason practices.
Georgia wide receiver London Humphreys (16) runs after a catch during the third quarter against UMass at Sanford Stadium, Saturday, November 23, 2024, in Athens, Ga. Jason Getz / AJC)
Georgia wide receiver Sacovie White-Helton (18) runs after a reception against Austin Peay linebacker Will Middleton (4) during the first half at Sanford Stadium, Saturday, September 6, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (Jason Getz / AJC)
Tight end:
Lawson Luckie (Sr.)
Jaden Reddell (R-Soph.), Elyiss Williams (Soph.), Ethan Barbour (R-Fr),
Prothro, Colton Heinrich (R-Soph.), Lincoln Keyes (Fr.), Brayden Fogle (Fr.)
Analysis: Just because Luckie is listed atop the depth chart does not mean he’ll be the only one to play. Thanks to some added weight, Luckie hopes to never come off the field for Georgia in 2026.
Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo can be creative with how he uses Reddell, Williams and Barbour, as all three bring something different to the table.
Prothro is expected to help more as a wide receiver, but the Bulldogs know his long-term home is at tight end.
Georgia tight end Lawson Luckie (7) scores a touchdown during the second half in an NCAA football game at Sanford Stadium, Saturday, November 15, 2025, in Athens. Georgia won 35-10 over Texas. (Hyosub Shin / AJC)
Georgia early enrollee TE Ethan Barbour gets in some work during an early period of Sugar Bowl prep for Notre Dame on Friday, December 27, 2024 in Athens, Georgia. (Jeff Sentell/ DawgNation)
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Trivia time
DB Ellis Robinson led Georgia and tied to lead the SEC with how many interceptions last year?
Every Bulldog who made an NFL roster
Sunday was a big day in the NFL world, as teams had to trim their rosters down to 53 active players.
For some, they officially made an NFL team for the first time. Three undrafted free agents made the cut, as the Minnesota Vikings kept wide receiver Dillon Bell and punter Brett Thorson. The Chicago Bears also kept long snapper Beau Gardner. In total, 11 members from last year’s Georgia team made NFL rosters. The Bulldogs had eight players taken in the 2026 NFL Draft.
It marks the second straight year two Georgia undrafted free agents made the roster of the Vikings. Chaz Chambliss and Benjamin Yurosek did so last season.
Two Bulldogs found new homes this weekend via trade. The Dallas Cowboys sent a third- and sixth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for offensive tackle Broderick Jones and a fourth-round pick. The Steelers took Jones in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Indianapolis Colts traded a sixth-round pick for offensive lineman Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and a seventh-round pick. Van Pran-Granger had spent his first two NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
A number of former Bulldogs were cut this weekend, including Mecole Hardman, Channing Tindall, Azeez Ojulari, Dominic Lovett, Dan Jackson, Cash Jones, Noah Thomas, Malik Herring, Monty Rice, Zamir White, Trevor Etienne, Trey Hill, Lawrence Cager, Tre’ McKitty and Nazir Stackhouse. They will all hope to find new homes or potentially land on practice rosters.
Smart unfazed Kiffin adding NFL Players, other SEC coaches speak out
LSU coach Lane Kiffin might ultimately get the last laugh on the SEC adding two former NFL players to LSU’s roster, but Smart’s not sweating it.
“I don’t have any qualms about teams that are trying to have acquisitions and get players from the NFL,” Smart said on Friday during an appearance on 92.9 The Game.
“If they think it’s the right thing for their team — I just don’t think it’s the right thing for ours.”
The SEC, along with the three other “Power 4” conferences, voted to ban former professional and NFL players from returning to college sports last week, but on Friday, a judge in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, granted a request from players’ attorneys to prohibit the SEC from enforcing sanctions against a school, coach or athlete if the players return to play at the collegiate level.
The SEC had deemed a violation would be in order, which would constitute a half-season suspension of the head coach, a 50% forfeiture of a school’s athletic budget and a forfeiture of league voting privileges, per a Yahoo.com report.
A preliminary injunction hearing, which will determine if the restraining order allowing the players to return will be more permanent, is scheduled for Thursday in Baton Rouge with the SEC and commissioner Greg Sankey now added to the case as defendants.
Smart has said he wants to keep his focus on his program, but he’s made his stance on the issue clear.
“I want great players as much as the next guy, (and) everyone wants to get the best team they can and that (Class of 2022 NFL players) is a competitive market to do that,” Smart said.
But, Smart indicated, it’s not what he envisions as best for the college game.
“There’s a certain line everyone has to make a decision if they want to cross, if they feel comfortable with it,” Smart said, “and I’m an enthusiast of traditional college football, and it being college football that everyone has to make a decision if they want to cross (over into the NFL) and if they feel comfortable with it.
“I’m an enthusiast of traditional college football, and it being college football players.”
