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ATHENS - Expectations are sky-high for the Georgia Bulldog defense in 2026.
After giving up 39 points to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl, Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann are back to the drawing board in a way in hopes of building a championship-caliber defense.
They’ve got plenty of experience returning at linebacker, promising pass-rushers and a dependable group up front in the trenches. However, it’s the secondary that could be Georgia’s best position group on defense.
Even while losing starting cornerback Daylen Everette to the NFL, insiders believe the Bulldogs could have one of the best cornerback duos in college football next year with Ellis Robinson and Demello Jones, two third-year players who are bound for giant junior seasons.
Kirby Smart had a lot to say about both of them this week...
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"I've seen an improvement in his (Demello Jones) maturity and his mental makeup”, Smart said this week. “He’s a typical corner that gets upset or frustrated if he gives up a play, and his recovery from that has been quicker. He's really physical. He's a really good tackler.”
“Demello can play safety if you want him too”, Smart added. “He plays the middle of the field really well. He's a really good athlete and he's stronger than the other guys. He doesn't sometimes look bigger, but he's more physical in terms of getting on and off blocks and striking people."
The physicality is where Jones really stands out. While he continues to improve in coverage, his ability to strike and tackle is something the Georgia staff loves. He plays hard, loves contact, and knows how to make a big stop on the perimeter. In year three, look for Jones to elevate his play to another level next fall. If he does, the NFL is waiting with open arms.
Playing in 12 games last season, the athletic 6-foot-1 185-pounder from Swainsboro, Georgia made 25 tackles and broke up five passes.
Then there’s Ellis Robinson. One of the more talented players on the entire roster, Robinson has a chance to be one of the best cornerbacks in college football next season. The Bulldogs spent lots of money and resources to keep him in Athens in hopes of a giant junior season. He played better and better last season and continues to make big plays this spring.
“He’s really talented”, Smart told reporters. “From the time he got here, he's got elite ball skills, elite cover ability, toughness, and he’s a competitor. The mental disposition and the stamina are probably two reasons he struggled as a freshman, because we had good players here. We had a couple guys that are going to end up being drafted and play in front of him, and he grew from that.”
“He could probably cover as good as they could then”, Smart added. “He didn't always know exactly what to do. He got better at that. He got better at having a short memory. I think the Tennessee game and some of the games where he had some plays given up, grew him up a lot. There's no good remedy to growing guys up other than go out there and play. He's played a lot of football, and he's playing well right now. He has to play within the system all the time. And that's important that he understands the technique we're asking him to play with. When he does that, he's a really good football player.”
Now, nobody is ahead of Robinson on the depth chart. He threw Daniel Harris into the transfer portal half-way through last season and is out to prove he’s one of the nation’s best this year. He’s got the instincts, ball-skills, and physical tools needed to have a lock-down 2026 season.
All in all, Georgia fans have to be thrilled with where the Bulldogs sit at cornerback. They still need to develop some depth and get others on the field, but if Robinson and Jones are at their best this fall, it’s going to be very, very tough to throw on the Dawgs next season.
