Which Georgia Bulldog Cornerback Will Step Up in 2022?

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ATHENS - As we head closer and closer to the beginning of the 2022 season, plenty of eyes will be on Kirby Smart’s defense as the Oregon game approaches.

The secondary should be one of the strengths of the Georgia Bulldog defense with multiple starters returning, but there’s one big question mark that remains.

Who will be the other cornerback opposite of Kelee Ringo?

The former 5-star, whose pick-6 secured Georgia’s national championship last season, has his cornerback spot held down. Safeties Christopher Smith and Dan Jackson appear to be the two starters there heading into the season. Tykee Smith and William Poole have a great chance to lock down the STAR position, with Javon Bullard also getting a look.

But who will win the other cornerback job?

Sophomore Kamari Lassiter is an option as he appeared in 15 games as a backup cornerback and on special teams, making 11 tackles last year as a freshman.

Then there’s red-shirt freshman, Nyland Green‍. A long, athletic cornerback with impressive ball skills, Green was one of the highest-ranked defenders in Georgia’s 2021 class, and sources say he’d made big strides this off-season. He didn’t play a ton last fall, but it’s easy to see the talent and lengthy frame that he brings to the table.

Another sophomore, Javon Bullard, could see more playing time this fall due to his overall toughness and versatility. He might get a strong look at the STAR position, but you can’t rule him out just yet for the other cornerback spot.

“Javon is an extremely hard worker”, defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann told reporters this week. “We ask all of our guys to compete at a certain level every day. Javon does a great job of that. He is a guy who was part of that COVID class, so you learn a lot about those guys when they get here. He is a competitor and brings the type of energy we want all of our guys to have.”

The Bulldogs have plenty of talented freshman cornerback on the roster as well, but that’s never an ideal situation. Even still, the Georgia staff is excited about what they’re seeing early on from the incoming group of freshmen

“When you look at (Jaheim) Singletary, he’s long. He’s competitive. He loves football. He has good ball skills. Julio (Julian Humphrey) is extremely fast. Has great size. Another guy that is willing in terms of his toughness, which is required at that position. They are both working to become better at corner. For them, they got here this summer and we put them to work. They are really making good progress.”

The opportunity is there for someone to step up and become a starting cornerback for the reigning national champions. Look for it to be a fierce competition over the next several weeks between some really impressive cornerbacks.

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