Compared to previous years, Georgia’s NFL draft departures list is a little light. The team didn’t have many seniors, and only four underclassmen declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.

The losses of linebacker CJ Allen, defensive tackle Christen Miller, wide receiver Zachariah Branch and offensive tackle Monroe Freeling are sizable, as Robby Kalland of CBS Sports noted that Georgia was one of the college football programs most impacted by the 2026 NFL Draft.

Yet because of other forces in college football — namely the transfer portal and NIL — Kalland believes these departures will greatly test the Georgia program next season.

“Kirby Smart has proven over the years that he reloads rather than rebuilds,” Kalland wrote. “But for a Georgia team that’s slipped from its perch of the nation’s unquestioned best to simply being “one of the best,” the 2026 season will be a test of how easily they can fill gaps in this new era.”

Georgia brings back plenty of talent at linebacker and on the defensive line. Allen won’t be easy to replace but Raylen Wilson, Chris Cole and Justin Williams could help give Georgia the best linebacker room in the country. On the defensive line, Elijah Griffin is poised to be one of the breakout stars in the sport in 2026.

On the offensive side of the ball, replacing Branch would seem to be the biggest challenge for Georgia. The Bulldogs brought in Isiah Canion out of the transfer portal while signing Craig Dandridge, Ryan Mosley and Dallas Dickerson as a part of the 2026 recruiting class.

Georgia is hoping that the likes of Talyn Taylor, Landon Roldan and Sacovie White-Helton can help give Gunner Stockton a major assist in the passing game. Taylor was a five-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. A collarbone injury limited Taylor to just six games in 2025.

“Talyn, man, he a dawg, I ain’t gonna lie,” Branch said of Taylor prior to the Sugar Bowl. “I just saw him from the first day, just his explosiveness, his burst, and the way that he catches the ball. And just really has elite effort, honestly. I mean, there’s plays where you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s tired, but he’s still out here running 22 miles per hour every single time.’ So just his toughness and his mindset overall is something that I’ve seen grow as well throughout this season.”

On the offensive line, Earnest Greene has starting experience at left tackle, having manned the spot in 2023 and 2024. Freeling’s departure does open up more playing time for Juan Gaston and 2026 signee Ekene Ogboko. Georgia is very high on both options, even it may take them time to play as well as Freeling did in 2025.

Georgia had 13 players taken in last year’s NFL draft, with only Ohio State having more players drafted. Yet Georgia actually improved its regular season record, going 11-1. Georgia won the SEC, beating Alabama in the SEC championship game. Yet the season ended once again with a quarterfinal loss in New Orleans.

Georgia has not won a College Football Playoff game since the 2022 season, the last time the Bulldogs won a national championship. It’s clear the Bulldogs face a different standard, as they’ll need to prove they can go on a playoff run to remain at the top of the sport’s hierarchy.

The Bulldogs open the 2026 season on Sept. 5, when they face Tennessee State.