Georgia football junior Zion Logue emerging, confident Dawgs’ D-Line will maintain dominance

ATHENS — The most obvious and quite literally biggest concern for Georgia football is arguably on the defensive line, but two key players in the clubhouse are confident the Bulldogs have it covered.

Zion Logue, a 6-foot-5, 295-pounder expected to be one of the new faces along the defensive front, explained this is the opportunity he and his up-and-coming linemates have been looking forward to with UGA opening spring drills on Tuesday.

“It’s a great opportunity to prove myself, as well as for Jalen Carter (6-3, 310), Warren Brinson (6-4, 305) and Naz Stackhouse (6-3, 320),” said Logue, who certainly looked the part standing in front of media at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall.

“We get a chance to prove ourselves to our coaching staff and to our teammates.”

There are big shoes to fill, indeed, with the Bulldogs’ defensive line sending projected first-round draft picks Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt and Travon Walker to the NFL.

UGA was second in the nation in run defense last season after leading the country the previous two years and ranked seventh in the country in sacks.

Georgia fifth-year senior offensive lineman Warren Ericson has spent the past four years lining up across from the Ones, Twos and Threes on the defense line.

Ericson indicated that he, too, is confident with how the Bulldogs will reload upfront.

“I think as great as our defensive line was last year, we have another great defensive line this year,” Ericson said. “We’re losing a few guys on the offensive line, and we’re losing a few guys at different positions,

“Spring is all about being competitive and guys stepping up and getting better as a team.”

Logue, who played in all 15 games last season and had 11 tackles and a sack, said the mindset and depth that has been built by defensive line coach Tray Scott is key.

“Our room is loaded - we can go out and play with any guy in our room right now,” Logue said. “We have a burden of responsibility, it’s like a chain…. no weak links.”

Logue said it’s why Georgia defensive linemen wear the linked chain at times during each game.

“You’ll see guys coming out with it every game, you wear that chain around your neck, it’s a burden, no weak links. Coach Scott talks about it every day.”

Tymon Mitchell (6-3, 300) and Bill Norton (6-6, 300), two of Logue’s former roommates, are other defensive linemen expected to step up as Georgia looks to live up to the reputation last year’s front built as being the best in the nation.