ATHENS — Georgia football might not have the number of proven front-line players other contenders feature entering the season, but the Bulldogs have plenty of talent.

The ESPN experts might not be able to identify exactly who will emerge, but it seems they’re aware it’s inevitable.

How else to explain the Bulldogs eighth-consecutive Top 5 preseason ranking despite only have three players in ESPN’s Top 100?

An ESPN panel of experts voted linebacker CJ Allen the highest-ranked of the players at No. 38, with defensive lineman Christen Miller No. 56 and safety KJ Bolden No. 80.

The list wouldn’t seem to jibe with ESPN’s panel of experts ranking Georgia No. 4 in its poll.

Indeed, seven of the Top 10 teams in the preseason AP Top 25 had four or more players in the Top 100, as did No. 20 Indiana.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart, entering his 10th season as the Bulldogs’ head coach, has fans accustomed to seeing UGA near the top of the rankings with several players graduating to the NFL.

Here’s a look at how many players each of the AP Top 10 teams had in the ESPN Top 100 preseason ranking of players:

1. Texas (6)

2. Penn State (7)

3. Ohio State (5)

4. Clemson (7)

5. Georgia (3)

6. Notre Dame (4)

7. Oregon (3)

8. Alabama (5)

9. LSU (4)

10 Miami (3)

Georgia has a handful of other players capable of cracking the Top 100 by the end of the 2025 campaign after being afforded the opportunity to play a more relevant role, including (though not limited to):

LB Raylen Wilson

RB Nate Frazier

WR Zachariah Branch

TE Lawson Luckie

CB Daylen Everette

DL Elijah Griffin

LB Chris Cole