Justin Williams has not yet had the chance to show why he was the No. 1-ranked linebacker prospect in the 247Sports Composite rankings for the 2024 recruiting cycle.

The Georgia linebacker room has consistently been one of the best position groups in the country. That will likely be the case once again in 2026, even with the Bulldogs having to replace All-American linebacker CJ Allen.

With Allen now playing for the Indianapolis Colts, Williams has a chance to really show what he can do. Cooper Petagna of CBS Sports expects Williams to not only become a well-known name throughout the sport this fall but also validate his 5-star recruiting ranking.

“A 6-2, athletic second-level player with excellent range, the Texas native figures to be a key part of the Bulldogs’ defense this upcoming season,” Petagna said. “Although the sample size is still somewhat limited, don’t be surprised if Williams makes the most of his opportunities this fall and becomes a household name in the middle of Glenn Schumann and Kirby Smart’s defense.”

Williams worked his way into the linebacker rotation last season for the Bulldogs, as the now-junior was able to play in every game for the Bulldogs.

When Allen suffered a November knee injury against Texas, Williams took on a larger role in the late stages of the season. In 2025, Williams finished with 36 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and a pass breakup.

While Williams will look to make a name for himself this upcoming season, he is not the only talented inside linebacker on Georgia’s roster.

Raylen Wilson enters his fourth season in Athens. He’s seen just about everything during his time in Athens. Georgia expects Williams to be a more vocal leader this fall, in addition to being a wrecking ball in the middle of Georgia’s defense.

Wilson was tabbed as one of Georgia’s three player representatives at SEC media days in Tampa, Florida, next week.

Then there is Chris Cole. Like Williams, he signed as a 5-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Cole led Georgia in sacks last season with 4.5. On early downs, Cole will line up next to Williams. But in passing situations, he will move out to an edge rusher at times, with the hope of giving Georgia a more powerful pass rush.

As the Bulldogs look to up their sack total from a season ago, expect Cole to play a bigger role in that regard for the Georgia defense. That should create an even bigger opportunity for Williams this coming fall.

The Bulldogs have had a number of linebackers put up impressive third seasons under Smart. Roquan Smith, Nakobe Dean and Jalon Walker all won the Butkus Award during their third seasons in Athens.

Williams won’t be expected to play at that level for Georgia this year.

But it’s clear that with a less-crowded depth chart and plenty of natural ability, Williams will have every opportunity to showcase his talents in 2026.