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Georgia DL poised for 'big jump' in sophomore year
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- Georgia DL poised for 'big jump' in sophomore year
Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Elijah Griffin had a good freshman year in 2025, totaling 22 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. One of his best games last year was against Charlotte in Week 13 in November, where he got one sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, and three quarterback hurries. The former five-star recruit from Savannah, Georgia , got on the field and was a contributor, but did not receive first-team All-SEC preseason honors, although he did make the second-team.
Griffin is poised to have a big year in 2026 and is expected to be a starter for the Bulldogs' defense. At 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, Griffin is athletic and does well against the run and at rushing the quarterback.
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Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart spoke about Griffin's athleticism at SEC media days.
"His weight room numbers and his combine numbers, whether it's twitch, movement, acceleration, all these things we measure, he's comparable to some of the best defensive linemen we've had," Smart said. "But we haven't seen that on the field yet and he has only been a freshman. I you think back to those great ones we've had, they were not dominant as freshmen.
"I mean, his numbers when he got here were like, okay, wait, he has the highest bench, highest strength, highest quickness of the room," Smart continued. "But now he's learning how to actually use that, and we want to see a big jump in his play and his disruption inside back."
Griffin will be entering his sophomore season and will be looking to have a big season with key defensive players like defensive tackle Jordan Hall and edge rusher Gabe Harris. Griffin could make a greater impact this season and may even be named to first-team All-SEC at the year's end.
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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Georgia DL poised for 'big jump' in sophomore year
