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ATHENS - Georgia Bulldog head coach Kirby Smart knew exactly what he was doing when he put together his 2026 recruiting class.
The Dawgs added several offensive linemen who could be multi-year starters in Ekene Ogboko and Zykie Helton who has already earned a starting role.
The added multiple dynamic tight ends, promising pass-catchers, and a giant group of playmaking defensive backs.
They also signed two natural pass-rushers who made an immediate impact in their first college game last weekend.
Of course that’s PJ Dean and Khamari Brooks.
Dean, a former four-star prospect from North Carolina, played early in Georgia’s 63-3 win over Tennessee State and made his presence known with 1.5 sacks. He got off to a slow start due to an injury, but now that he’s healthy, Smart expects the first-year defender to keep providing quality depth.
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“He's been a big plus for us,” Smart said after Georgia’s season-opening win. “He's going to be a good football player. He's a little bit lighter than we imagined he would be, but he can run. With Amaris Williams being out, we've got to find ways to rush the passer. I do think he's going to help us add depth. He's a tremendous kid. He loves to work.”
Then there’s Brooks. A local defender who shined on both sides of the ball for North Oconee (GA), the freshman from Bogart, Georgia saw the field early in his first game as a Bulldog. The 6-foot-3 245-pounder made three tackles in week one and earned some praise from head coach Kirby Smart earlier this week.
“He's got great work ethic,” Smart told reporters on Monday. “I think it's still yet to be determined how ready he is. I think there's a lot of guys that get battle tested in practices. They got battle tested in the first scrimmages to find out where they are. He missed some time in fall camp with an injury and he fought back from that and he's really just now coming back from that. So we're trying to grow him and expedite his learning process so he can help us.”
While Brooks and Dean were able to get into the game early on, there were several other freshmen defenders who saw action later and made a big impact.
Elijah Littlejohn, a former four-star prospect from Charlotte, made three tackles, one sack, and one TFL during Georgia’s dominant week one victory. First-year linebacker Nick Abrams also recorded one tackle in his Georgia debut.
