Georgia Football’s Identity Remains Elite Despite Just One First-Team Athlon All-American Selection in Preseason Rankings
In the high-stakes world of college football, preseason accolades often serve as a snapshot of national perception—an early indicator of which programs are expected to dominate and which players are seen as future stars. For a powerhouse like Georgia, the expectation is always to be well-represented on any preseason honor roll, and that standard held true when Athlon Sports released its preseason All-American teams for the upcoming season. Six Bulldogs earned spots across the four teams, a strong showing by most standards—but curiously, only one landed on the prestigious first team.
That singular first-team nod, in a program brimming with talent and depth, might seem underwhelming on the surface. But when examined through the lens of Georgia football’s core identity, it tells a much deeper story about what this team represents: a culture of balance, discipline, and a relentless team-first mentality. Georgia doesn’t need the spotlight to shine on a few individuals—they win because of the sum of their parts. And that’s what separates Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs from the rest of the college football landscape.
In an era increasingly driven by flash, NIL buzz, and social media stardom, Georgia continues to build its success on substance. That’s what makes this team—and its relatively low number of first-team All-American selections—so telling. It reveals a program that does not rely on singular greatness but on cohesive excellence.
The one Georgia Bulldog to earn first-team preseason All-American honors from Athlon was safety Malaki Starks, a rising junior and arguably the best returning defensive back in the country. His selection is no surprise to anyone who has watched Georgia play over the past two years. Starks combines elite speed with high-level instincts and has developed into the heart of Georgia’s secondary, a position group that has become a hallmark of Kirby Smart’s defense.
Starks is the type of player who exemplifies Georgia’s identity: talented but unselfish, intelligent and highly coachable, with the versatility to adapt to different schemes. He plays with a level of maturity rarely seen in college football and provides the leadership that turns great defenses into legendary ones.
The fact that only he made the first team, despite Georgia returning numerous players with All-American talent, says more about the team’s internal structure and rotational depth than it does about individual recognition. There’s no doubt that if Georgia operated with a more top-heavy roster approach—funneling production through a few stars rather than spreading it around—more of its players would be on that list.
But that’s not how the Bulldogs play football. And that’s why they keep winning.
Though only Starks cracked the first team, five more Bulldogs found their names on Athlon’s second, third, or fourth teams. These players represent the next wave of stars and illustrate just how deep Georgia remains, even after numerous first-round NFL Draft departures.
Among them are stalwarts like:
- Nazir Stackhouse, the interior defensive lineman who earned third-team honors. Stackhouse may not always put up gaudy stats, but he routinely clogs up the middle and allows Georgia’s linebackers to fly around.
- Amarius Mims, the towering offensive tackle projected to be a future first-round NFL pick, also made the third team. Mims is a prototype of Georgia’s offensive line philosophy—massive, mobile, and technically refined.
- Carson Beck, the quarterback who quietly put together one of the nation’s most efficient seasons in 2023, made the fourth team. Beck’s return gives Georgia continuity at the most important position, and his presence elevates the ceiling of the entire offense.
- Ladd McConkey, the wide receiver who might be the most overlooked star in college football, also earned recognition. While McConkey doesn’t have the size or flash of typical No. 1 receivers, his route running, intelligence, and clutch performances have made him indispensable.
- Jamon Dumas-Johnson, the linebacker and defensive captain, rounds out the list. A vocal leader with sideline-to-sideline range, Dumas-Johnson brings the kind of presence that stabilizes an elite unit.
What’s striking about this group is that any one of them could reasonably be on a first-team All-American list. But again, the nature of Georgia’s scheme and depth works against gaudy individual stat lines. Players rotate, share snaps, and often sacrifice personal numbers for the betterment of the system.
When Athlon’s All-American list came out, some fans and national observers asked why Georgia didn’t have more first-team selections. The answer lies in the program’s philosophy—one that Kirby Smart has refined over years of building a dynasty in Athens.
Georgia recruits depth at every position and rotates early and often. The goal isn’t to build Heisman campaigns—it’s to build national championship teams. This is why Georgia can lose double-digit draft picks and still return as national title favorites.
Consider this: in 2022, the Bulldogs lost 15 players to the NFL Draft, including five first-rounders. Yet in 2023, they still went 13–1 and nearly made another Playoff run. That level of sustained excellence isn’t possible without a foundational identity rooted in team cohesion over individual glory.
That identity is on full display when preseason lists are released. Georgia doesn’t need to dominate those lists to dominate the field. The coaches preach competition in every practice rep. They rotate players because development is prioritized over raw exposure. This pays dividends not only on Saturdays, but also when players arrive in the NFL more polished, more versatile, and more durable than peers from other programs.
Another pillar of Georgia’s success—and the reason why six All-Americans with just one on the first team isn’t seen as disappointing internally—is its emphasis on development. Kirby Smart’s staff doesn’t chase star ratings after signing day. Once a player arrives on campus, their growth becomes the focus, and everyone starts with a clean slate.
That approach leads to late bloomers emerging as stars, and five-stars being pushed to elevate their game to earn time. It’s why Georgia has so many “quiet” contributors—guys who may not be on national radar screens in August but are making pivotal plays in December and January.
It also explains why players like Carson Beck, who might be flying under the national radar compared to peers at USC or Texas, are poised to become stars once the season begins. Georgia quarterbacks don’t need preseason hype—they need to operate the offense, manage games, and make big throws when it matters.
Winning by Design, Not Accident
Some programs stumble into success through an especially gifted quarterback or a once-in-a-generation player. Georgia’s current dominance is by design. It’s built off relentless recruiting, elite development, and a culture that prioritizes winning above all else.
This culture is reflected in everything from offseason workouts to the way depth charts are structured. It’s why former walk-ons like Stetson Bennett can become legends, and five-star recruits like Brock Bowers are willing to block just as aggressively as they catch passes.
So when Athlon announces its All-American teams and Georgia has “just” one player on the first team, there’s no panic in Athens. The players and coaches understand that recognition will come—not through individual awards, but through wins, championships, and the NFL Draft.
The Bulldogs’ relatively modest showing on preseason All-American teams might be a surprise to casual fans, but to those inside the program, it’s business as usual. Georgia doesn’t chase headlines—it builds legacies.
With six players earning All-American honors, even across various levels, Georgia still proves it has elite-level talent at all key positions. More importantly, that talent is distributed, not concentrated. That’s how championship teams are built.
And when the season begins, those same players left off the first team will be the ones making game-winning plays, anchoring elite units, and helping Georgia contend once again for a national title. Because in Athens, the mission has never been personal glory—it’s always been team greatness.
