ATLANTA — It is understandable why there is some question as to how to pronounce Elo Modozie’s name by the national media at SEC Media Days.

The Army transfer is not yet a widely known name, as he arrived at Georgia following the conclusion of spring drills.

He had 6.5 sacks a season ago and fills a major need for Georgia at the outside linebacker position.

Head coach Kirby Smart believes it won’t take long for the rest of the sport to actually learn Modozie’s name.

“People are going to know that name before the year is over, and I’m sure he’s going to get people to pronounce it the right way,” Smart said in an interview on the SEC Network. “He’s a tremendous kid, he’s a hard worker, really good athlete, and we’re looking forward to watching him flourish in this system.”

Modozie was one of four transfer additions the Bulldogs made after spring practice. Of the 10 total transfers Georgia brought in this offseason, Modozie is easily the most interesting newcomer on the defensive side of the ball.

The Bulldogs need to replace a significant amount of their pass rush production from last season, as 29.0 of the 37.0 sacks are gone. Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker became first-round draft picks, while Damon Wilson transferred to Missouri.

That created a pretty wide hole at the outside linebacker position, leading to Georgia grabbing the 6-foot-3, 248-pound defender from the transfer portal in April. Modozie was not the only transfer option available but he was Georgia’s top choice at the outside linebacker position.

Modozie has yet to strap on the pads at Georgia, with fall practices expected to begin later this month.

But thanks to his time at West Point, Modozie has had little trouble fitting in with Georgia’s ultra-competitive atmosphere.

“I feel like he fits right in,” cornerback Daylen Everette said. “He didn’t really come in nervous or anything. I feel like we did a good job bringing him in as a brother. Just being around him every day is just fun.”

Modozie will very likely be judged by how productive he is as a pass rusher. But his impact should extend beyond the stat sheet. Adding Modozie allows Georgia to be more flexible with junior outside linebacker Gabe Harris, as he will also help on the defensive line.

The addition of Modozie eases the burden on sophomore Quintavius Johnson, who suffered an ankle injury at the conclusion of spring practice. Johnson underwent Tightrope surgery, but he is expected to be fully ready for the start of fall camp.

Georgia signed three talented freshmen as a part of the 2025 recruiting cycle, with Isaiah Gibson, Chase Linton and Darren Ikinnagbon all working with the team during spring practice.

Those three all have more experience at Georgia than Modozie. But it remains to be seen if they can match Modozie’s work ethic.

“I think Elo’s just a great person. He wants to get better,” linebacker CJ Allen said. “He wants to learn the defense. He wants to win. I think him coming here to learn the defense is huge for him.”

To this point, Modozie has only been limited to impressing in workouts. Smart noted the staff has seen flashes from Modozie and that they’ve liked what Modozie has brought to the field.

Georgia will have to wait until Aug. 30 to see if his talents translate to the field.