ATHENS — It’s fair to say that Georgia’s defense was not its usual dominant self in 2024.

It gave up 41 points against Alabama. Another 31 in a win over Mississippi State. Ole Miss only scored 28 points, but it got whatever it seemed to want last season, while Georgia Tech scored 42 points and rolled up 563 yards of offense against the Bulldogs.

And this was a defense that had three first-round picks on it in Mykel Williams, Jalon Walker and Malaki Starks. Georgia now has to replace all three of those standouts.

Yet confidence in this group remains high. ESPN’s Greg McElroy had Georgia as the No. 4 ranked defense going into the 2025 season, even with some of the glitches from last season.

“So this was a group that was a little bit up and down last year, but I do think their low points, that floor should be quite a bit higher than last year, partly because I just trust Kirby Smart,” McElroy said on the Always College Football Podcast. “I think he’s one of the best defensive minds in the entire country. I think he creates a culture of physicality and toughness that a lot of people don’t want to play against. And it’s hard to play against this group collectively.”

Georgia does bring back defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann and co-defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson. The Bulldogs were able to retain their entire coaching staff from last season.

Georgia is placing a big bet on continuity entering this upcoming season. And for all the defense was not last season, it did also have some standout showings in wins over Clemson and Texas.

McElroy does concede that Georgia needs to replace some key difference-makers from last season. Georgia lost 29.0 of its 37.0 sacks from last season to the NFL.

But McElroy rarely worries about personnel on Smart’s teams. He knows Georgia recruits and develops talent better than almost everyone.

One such player that McElroy is bullish on is defensive tackle Christen Miller.

“He’s got a chance, I think, to be a breakout candidate there on the interior of the defensive line,” McElroy said. “I don’t know if he’s quite Jalen Carter or Jordan Davis, but he could be the next man up as far as a dominant presence there. He started only 10 games and was banged up throughout most of the year. But there was a lot of potential that was flashed at times last year.”

Miller did miss spring practice as he recovered from offseason labrum surgery. If he can remain healthy in 2025, he should be a major piece on Georgia’s defensive line.

The fourth-year junior is Georgia’s most experienced defensive lineman. A year ago, he finished with 27 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. That is despite missing time late in the year with a shoulder injury.

If Georgia is to have an elite defense in 2025, it will need Miller to become one of the nation’s most disruptive players.

“I’ve seen the transition he made, the leap he made last year,” defensive lineman Jordan Hall said of Miller this spring. “Y’all don’t know how much work we put into offseason last season. This year is a big year for him, a big year for our defensive line, but he’s the leader in our room, and he has some special things coming for this season.”

McElroy also highlighted Hall, Xzavier McLeod and freshman Elijah Griffin as players to watch on Georgia’s defensive line this year.

Ahead of Georgia in McElroy’s rankings were Penn State at No. 3, Ohio State at No. 2 and Texas at No. 1. Notre Dame landed at No. 5.

Georgia opens the 2025 season against Marshall on Aug. 30. The game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. ET start.