Georgia Bulldog LB Xavian Sorey "Playing Well" According to Kirby Smart
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ATHENS - Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have a 5-star linebacker on the roster who has a chance to FINALLY have his breakout season this fall.
That would be Xavian Sorey.
One of the top linebacker prospects across the country in the 2021 class, Sorey is someone Georgia fans haven’t seen much from over the last two years. At least, not on defense.
The 6-foot-3 215-pounder has played plenty of special teams, but you don’t recruit 5-stars to just play special teams. Playing in a backup role behind starters Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Smael Mondon, Sorey did play in 12 games during Georgia’s 2022 national championship season, but only made three total tackles.
It’s go-time for Xavian Sorey, and while there’s still plenty of talent ahead of him on the depth chart, Smart said in last week’s press conference that the Florida native is starting to come on this spring.
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"He has rotated in with the ones”, Smart said recently about Sorey. “He has shown some exceptional acceleration flashes. Consistency is the biggest thing with him. There might be a mental lapse every now and then. He will be the first to admit it. When he gets it right, he can be really good.”
Sorey was extremely raw out of high school, playing his first three seasons at the small school of Graceville where he used his size and natural talent to dominate opponents who just weren’t very good. Still, his size, ability to strike, and overall potential made him an attractive prospect for Smart, assistant Glenn Schumann, and the rest of the staff.
“This kid played at a really small school until he went to IMG. Then at IMG, he had a foot injury. He lined up at the end of the line. He had never stepped back and keyed. It took him a while to get adjusted. Channing (Tindall) went through it a little bit where you don't play at the second level a lot. You have to key and diagnose. He has tools that some guys on our team don't have. We have tried to utilize those and will continue to. He is developing. He is rolling in with those guys and playing well."
It won’t be easy to take time away from the current starters, and there are some talented true freshman inside linebackers eager to see the field as well. But if Sorey can play to his 5-star potential and continue to develop over the next several months, he’ll provide even more depth for a defense bound to be one of the game’s best in 2023.
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