ATHENS — Georgia had 37.0 sacks a season ago. The players responsible for 26.0 of those sacks were in Athens for the final time on Wednesday, taking part in Georgia’s Pro Day.

Players like Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams spent part of Wednesday reminiscing about all that they accomplished during their time in Athens and how much they love the place that helped mold them into potential first-round draft picks.

"This is home. It’s like no other,” Walker said. “When I walk into the building, I most definitely just miss being in the building. It’s the family. I grew here.It’s like no other, from the coaching staff to the training staff to the equipment staff to the custodians in the building, the compliance, the EQ, everybody, to my teammates. Those people are a special place in my heart.”

The Bulldogs are certainly going to miss all that Walker, Williams, Chaz Chambliss and others brought to the table for the Georgia defense in recent seasons.

Now, Kirby Smart and company have to figure out how they’re going to replace all that Walker, Williams, Chambliss, Smael Mondon, Warren Brinson, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and Nazir Stackhouse did for Georgia.

For as much talk as the offensive line has gotten to this point — the Bulldogs lose four starters from last year’s group which didn’t play up to its standard — the defensive front seven will experience significant turnover when factoring the defensive line, outside linebacker and inside linebacker positions.

On the defensive line, it’s clear the departing members expect big things from Christen Miller. Williams, Brinson and Stackhouse all spoke about Miller’s importance to not just develop as an every-down player but also to really take steps forward as a leader.

Miller will miss time this spring due to labrum surgery on his shoulder. Which makes what he does away from the field even more important.

“Christen is a great kid. Very charismatic, expressive, if you will,” Stackhouse said of Miller. “Great ballplayer when he puts his mind to it. He becomes a really good player on the field and being on the field.

“I’ve seen like when he puts his mind to it, he goes out there. He handles business. Christen keep doing your thing. Everything you’ve been doing up to this moment has got you where you need to be. So don’t stop.”

Other defensive linemen to earn praise on Wednesday include Jordan Hall and freshman Elijah Griffin. Brinson compared the latter to Jalen Carter, setting the bar very high for the newcomer.

At outside linebacker, Georgia is a lot less experinced. Chambliss led this group for the last four seasons. Georgia also saw Damon Wilson enter the transfer portal, as he ended up at Missouri.

This spring, Gabe Harris is out with labrum surgery, much like Miller is. Harris will play a critical role for Georgia this fall, but he won’t be able to do much this spring.

Which puts even more on sophomore Quintavius Johnson.

“I think Quintavius, Q, he just wanna do the right thing,” linebacker CJ Allen said. “He just wanna be in the right spot and do it to his best ability. No matter what it is, special team, his defense, no matter what, he just wanna come in and do the right thing.”

Behind Johnson, Georgia has three freshmen in Isaiah Gibson, Chase Linton and Darren Ikinnagbon. But those three all have just one college practice under their belts to this point.

At inside linebacker, Georgia brings back a good bit more talent. CJ Allen and Raylen Wilson return for their third seasons in the program. Chris Cole and Justin Williams are two of the more promising players on the whole team.

Even in losing a three-year starter in Mondon and Butkus winner in Walker, expectations remain high for this room.

It’s perhaps why the worry over the lack of returning sacks on the defensive side of the ball isn’t as big as the offensive line makeover.

The standard is the standard at Georgia, and the defensive front has always been at a very level under Smart.

So long as he is still involved, there’s confidence Georgia can find replacements for its draft-bound Bulldogs.

“Keep the standard,” Walker said. “You’ve got to play to the standard there in the inside backer room. It’s like no other. I feel like our inside backroom is the heartbeat of the team. The way we carried it here when I was here, the years before me, and the way they will carry it until now, it will be great.

“I can’t wait to see those guys go out there and compete and help lead the team.”