It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Georgia has one of the most talented defenses in the country yet again in 2026.

While the Bulldogs have to replace a few key pieces from last year’s unit, Georgia does bring back a number of players with All-American potential.

Two have been highlighted as the “most-feared defensive players” entering the 2026 season by Brad Crawford of CBS Sports. Crawford had safety KJ Bolden as the No. 12 defensive player in the sport, while cornerback Ellis Robinson comes in at No. 9.

“Technically sound with top-end speed, Robinson fits any scheme, but especially Smart’s plan that revolves around heavy trust in his corners,” Crawford wrote. “He is also comfortable playing in high-pressure man coverage situations. Robinson naturally matches route tempo without grabbing or guessing and was rarely beaten last season, his first as an every-down starter for the Bulldogs. If Robinson’s trajectory holds, the former five-star could be one of Smart’s most complete cover corners in Athens. That’s saying something given the handful of first-round picks at the position before him.”

Both arrived at Georgia with great expectations, as Robinson and Bolden signed as 5-star prospects in the 2024 recruiting class.

Bolden proved to be an instant contributor for the Bulldogs, whereas Robinson ended up redshirting in his first season in Athens. But Robinson had a strong 2025 in Athens and has the potential to be the best cornerback in the country this upcoming season.

“Ballplayer,” cornerback Demello Jones said of Robinson. “Better version of last year. His game is gonna speak for itself this year, and it did a lot last year. He’s been working. You’re gonna see the work that he put in, for sure.”

Robinson missed Georgia’s spring game with ankle and knee injuries but those are not expected to be long-term or limit his availability this summer.

Georgia was one of three teams to have multiple defenders in the top-12, joining Oregon and Notre Dame.

What is perhaps most exciting for the Bulldogs is that they have a handful of defenders who could very easily become household names this season. Senior linebacker Raylen Wilson deserves mention, as does junior Chris Cole. He led the Bulldogs in sacks last season and should step into some of the snaps left by CJ Allen.

Defensive tackle Elijah Griffin could easily emerge as one of the top defenders in the sport if he continues on his current trajectory. He was an SEC All-Freshman defender and should be a monster in the middle of the Georgia defense.

The Bulldogs have elite defenders at all three levels in 2026. It’s easy to understand why the Bulldogs are seen as one of the top title contenders for the upcoming season.