Greg McElroy knows there is a lot to like about the Georgia secondary entering the 2026 season.

The Bulldogs bring back proven entities like Ellis Robinson and KJ Bolden at safety.

Bolden in particular is a big reason McElroy ranked Georgia as the No. 4 secondary in the country for the coming season.

“You got a guy that is terrific as a sophomore in 2025,” McElroy said on a recent episode of the Always College Football podcast. “He was second on Georgia’s defense last year in tackles as a sophomore. He also had a couple picks, one against Arch Manning, one against Tennessee, and he earned second-team All-SEC honors as a result. He’s a 20-year-old guy entering into his junior year, one of the better defensive backs in the entire country.”

For all the talent in Georgia’s secondary, there is still a sizable question mark for this coming season.

Georgia brought in multiple transfer defensive backs this offseason in an effort to plug holes in its secondary. Gentry Williams from Oklahoma and Braylon Conley provide reinforcements at cornerback.

 At the safety spot opposite Bolden, the Bulldogs do have a hole to fill.

“The question for Georgia is that the second safety spot opposite Bolden, that competition’s not settled just yet coming out of spring,” McElroy said. “You got Rasean Dinkins, Kyron Jones, Ja’Marley Riddle. One of those guys has to step up. And if that happens at fall camp, then Georgia has a legitimate argument to be in the top two.”

Coming out of spring practice, it was two newcomers who weren’t mentioned by McElroy who have generated the most buzz.

Of the transfers, Clemson’s Khalil Barnes earned the start on G-Day and seems to have taken naturally to Georgia’s star position. He spent the previous three seasons at Clemson and brings in a wealth of experience.

Another big star of spring practice was Tyriq Green. Like Bolden, he had a stellar high school career for Buford High School in Buford, Georgia.

Green played at both safety and cornerback on G-Day, coming down with an interception in the spring game.

Georgia has a lot of veteran options in its secondary to address the one real hole the Bulldogs have in the defensive backfield. But it wouldn’t be a surprise if its best alternative is the true freshman in Green.

“Tyriq made a lot of plays this spring, picks-wise, forced fumbles,” Bolden said of Green. “Just a ball player, man. He always puts his hand around the ball. Just to see him go out there and compete every day and doing what he’s doing, man, I’m proud of Tyriq. He’s got some big things coming soon.”

Georgia opens the 2026 season on Sept. 5 when it takes on Tennessee State. The game is set for 3 p.m. ET and will give us our first look at Georgia’s defensive backfield.