The Georgia Bulldogs are set to lose four of five starting offensive linemen from the 2024 season. Left guard Dylan Fairchild, center Jared Wilson, and right guard Tate Ratledge are all foregoing their last year of eligibility and entering the NFL Draft. Sixth-year senior and starting right tackle Xavier Truss is out of eligibility and is certain to try his hand in the pro ranks as well. So, where does that leave Georgia for the 2025 season along the offensive line?
One area that offensive line coach Stacy Searles will have experience returning is at the two tackle positions. Both Monroe Freeling and Earnest Greene III started at left tackle for the Dawgs at different times during the 2024 season. Freeling played right tackle before switching over to the left side. So it wouldn’t be a stretch to see those two have the early lead at solidifying the starting tackle spots for Georgia in 2025. Others pushing for playing time: Bo Hughley (6’7″, 295-pound Redshirt Sophomore), Jahzare Jackson (6’10”, 348-pound Redshirt Freshman), and Nyier Daniels (6’8″, 345-pound Redshirt Freshman).
At the guard positions, senior Micah Morris has played quite a bit in the rotation for Georgia Bulldogs at both right and left guard during his career. Whichever spot Morris doesn’t take, the other will be a competition between a quartet of highly touted prospects.
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- Daniel Calhoun – 6’6″, 325 pounds – Redshirt Freshman
- Jamal Meriweatehr – 6’7″, 305 pounds – Redshirt Sophomore
- Marques Easley – 6’5″, 325 pounds – Redshirt Freshman
- Michael Unini – 6’7″, 325 pounds – Redshirt Freshman
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All four have the size, athleticism, and pedigree to win the job and help Georgia re-establish their dominance across the offensive front.
Jared Wilson’s loss at center is the one that hurts the most. The good news for Georgia Bulldogs fans is that Bobo’s own son, Drew Bobo (6’5″, 305-pound Redshirt Sophomore), started two games for Wilson this past season when Wilson was out due to injury. Drew Bobo also was a hero of the SEC Championship game for the Dawgs, completing a pop pass to Arian Smith on a fake punt that helped Georgia topple the Longhorns.
Bobo won’t be handed the starting job, however. Malachi Toliver (6’5″, 320-pound Redshirt Sophomore), a former standout for Cartersville High School in Georgia, will be competing with Bobo. It is also worth noting that the aforementioned Micah Morris has worked some at center for Georgia in practice over the years.
Juan Gaston and Corez Smith are talented incoming freshmen who could conceivably work themselves into being rotational players in their first season between the hedges. Anyone who knows Kirby Smart and Georgia Bulldogs football under his watch knows that it is very, very rare for a freshman to find their way into the lineup for Georgia along the offensive line.
Development will be key and Coach Searles will have his work cut out for him to get a relatively inexperienced group ready for the rigorous 2025 Georgia Bulldogs schedule. The talent and size are absolutely there though, and Georgia has two tune-up games at home to start off the year in Marshall and Austin Peay before heading on the road for the third game of the season to face a hostile Tennesse Vol fanbase in Knoxville. Solidifying that group and its communication will be key to helping out a new starting quarterback in either Gunner Stockton or Ryan Puglisi.
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Photo: Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire
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