Talent has never been an issue for Georgia football under Kirby Smart.
Since arriving in Athens, Smart has never signed a recruiting class ranked outside the top six. Yet, despite his 2026 roster consisting of classes that ranked second, first, second, and fifth, the Bulldogs only have one player named among the 50 “players in college football.”
Pro Football Focus produced a ranking of the 50 best players entering the upcoming season, and Georgia is once again considered to have one of the nation’s most talented rosters. Yet, junior safety KJ Bolden is the lone Bulldogs representative on the list at No. 11.
“Bolden was the No. 1 safety recruit in the 2024 recruiting class and has lived up to the hype, emerging as the nation’s top safety,” PFF writes. “No returning safety has been more valuable over the past two seasons, according to PFF WAA. Bolden also ranks second among returning safeties in PFF overall grade (90.7).”
With that ranking, PFF views Bolden as the third-best defensive player in the nation. He ranks only behind Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore and Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons. Both of whom ranked behind Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith at No. 2 and 3, respectively.
Playing a Georgia defense filled with youth and inexperience, Bolden was one of the few returning starters on the unit. Despite being a sophomore in his own right, Bolden immediately found himself in a leadership role, mentoring a secondary that, aside from cornerback Daylen Everette and STAR Joenel Aguero, was made up of underclassmen getting their first real chance at major playing time.
Bolden and Everette provided the stability in a secondary that, aside from them, consisted of a revolving door of contributors. That was especially the case at the safety position opposite Bolden.
After an early-season injury to Kyron Jones, Georgia rotated through the likes of JaCorey Thomas and Zion Branch to help provide stability on the back end.
While his safety partner was more of a revolving door, Bolden played in all 14 games, totaling 76 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, two interceptions, and five passes defended. He earned second-team All-SEC honors via the coaches and is likely to enter the season on the preseason watchlist for the Jim Thorpe Award.