ATHENS — When you produce as much talent as Georgia does on an annual basis, you’re going to have a healthy amount of turnover. The Bulldogs saw 12 players depart for the NFL and an additional 18 leave via the transfer portal.

Yet despite those departures, Georgia is in relatively good shape in terms of its returning production numbers. ESPN’s Bill Connelly released where all 134 teams in the country rank in terms of returning production. Connelly also split it down into returning offensive and defensive production.

Georgia ranks 25th in the country in terms of offensive production and 80th in defensive production. Overall, the Bulldogs are No. 47 in terms of returning production for the 2024 season.

As for how the offensive rankings are determined, the numbers broke down as follows: returning WR/TE receiving yards: 23.5 percent, returning passing yards: 24 percent, returning OL snaps: 47.5 percent, running back rushing yards: 5 percent

Defensively, the numbers work out to: Returning tackles: 69.5 percent, returning passes defended (intercepted or broken up): 12 percent, returning tackles for loss: 10.5 percent, percent of returning sacks: 8 percent.

Georgia undoubtedly benefits from the return of key players such as quarterback Carson Beck, offensive linemen Tate Ratledge and Xavier Truss, defensive linemen Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse and linebacker Smael Mondon. All of those players could’ve entered the NFL draft but instead returned to school for another season.

Conversely, losing players defensive backs Tykee Smith, Javon Bullard and Kamari Lassiter explains why Georgia’s returning production on the defensive side skews lower. Georgia does bring in the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the country to go along with six players out of the transfer portal.

In comparison to other elite college football teams, Georgia actually returns a healthy amount of production. Of teams to finish the 2024 season in the top 12 of the final AP Poll, only Texas, Oregon and Missouri return more production.

Alabama (115), Michigan (127) and Washington (130) all rank outside the top 100. Each of those teams made the College Football Playoff in 2023, but now must replace loads of talent. All three schools will also have new head coaches as well.

Among SEC teams, Georgia ranks fifth in terms of returning production. The SEC will welcome Texas and Oklahoma to the league this year, with the Longhorns sitting at 25th in Connelly’s model and the Sooners at 67th.

Entering the 2023 season, Georgia ranked 80th in Connelly’s model. The Bulldogs finished as the No. 4 ranked team in the final AP Poll. The four teams that made the College Football Playoff this season ranked No. 5 (Michigan), No. 19 (Texas), No. 22 (Washington) and No. 125 (Alabama). So while some programs can overcome the lack of returning production, it obviously behooves some teams to have a strong established base of talent.

Georgia opens the 2024 season on Aug. 31 against the Clemson Tigers in Atlanta. Clemson ranks No. 54 in terms of returning production.