Uncover the Game-Changing Secret Behind #9 Elijah Griffin’s Unstoppable Rise
Christen Miller and Xzavier McCloud return as the most experienced interior linemen. Big Jordan Hall could also be on the cusp of a breakout season. And it’s not like Tray Scott has just been neglecting to recruit. Joseph Jonah-Ajonye was a five star recruit in the class of 2024 but was sidelined last season following foot surgery. His fellow defensive tackle signees Jordan Thomas, Nasir Johnson, and Nnamdi Ogboko also redshirted last season and will be fighting for snaps in the rotation.
But more and more of college football is what happens while your staff is making other plans. Georgia needs ballers on the defensive line, and it needs them right now. Elijah Griffin has the potential to be one of those ballers, and he may have to be if the Bulldogs are to again make the College Football Playoff and avoid an early exit.
Why does Griffin have the opportunity to make an immediate impact? One reason is because Georgia lost a lot up front from the 2024 unit. Gone are perennials defensive tackle starters Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins’ decision to jump into the NFL Draft seemed like a bit of a head scratcher at first, but was vindicated by his fifth round selection.
But Griffin looks like a difference maker to me if he can stay healthy and push through the grind of the SEC schedule.
When you peek at Georgia’s defensive front for 2025, a glaring truth hits you—the Bulldogs are in serious need of fresh talent to step up and fill some big shoes. Among these promising newcomers, Elijah Griffin seems poised to shoulder a hefty load, catching more eyeballs than most true freshmen usually do. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Georgia’s program rarely tosses its rookies into the fray right away. They’ve got that methodical approach—bring ’em in, let ’em learn the ropes a season, rack up experience, then maybe start rotating on the field. But here’s the twist — football, especially at the college level, often dances to a cha-cha of unexpected circumstances. With key veterans like Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson no longer anchoring the line, and the surprising NFL leap of Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Georgia’s defense demands immediate firepower. Sure, seasoned linemen like Christen Miller and Xzavier McCloud are back, and there’s a cavalry of redshirted stars waiting in the wings. Still, if Griffin can navigate the relentless grind of the SEC without a hitch, he might just be the game-changer the Bulldogs are hunting for in their quest to return to the College Football Playoff—and dodge an early departure. LEARN MORE
2025 ceiling: Griffin shows consistency and stays healthy , earning significant snaps behind Miller and McCloud on the way to a freshman All-SEC season.
Georgia needs a host of young defensive linemen to step up in 2025, but few will have as many eyes on them as Elijah Griffin.
You won’t find many true freshmen on this list of players Kirby Smart needs a good season from in order for 2025 to be a successful year. By design a program like Georgia’s isn’t meant to rely on players brand new to campus to step in and take over key roles. Ideally even the bluest of blue chipper would come to Athens, spend a year slowly picking up more and more playing time and then in year two perhaps move into the starting rotation.
2025 floor: Unforeseen injury issues require a redshirt.
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