A Dozen And A Half Decisive ‘Dawgs: #17 Chris Cole
· Yahoo Sports
We continue our tour through the eighteen Georgia Bulldogs whose efforts will define the 2026 season with a linebacking Dawg who is no longer a pup.
Chris Cole enters his third season in Athens carrying more responsibility than ever before. The 6’3, 235-pound linebacker from Salem, Virginia arrived as a five star recruit, and now the Bulldogs need him to translate that pedigree into a breakout year.
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Cole’s numbers tell a story of steady growth. As a true freshman he notched 16 tackles and two fumble recoveries, earning a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team. Last season he took a real step forward, playing in all 14 games and finishing with 59 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, and a team-leading 4.5 sacks. That sack total actually led a Georgia defense that managed just 20 sacks all year, a number that tied for 107th nationally and ranked dead last in the SEC. It’s a stat that says as much about the unit’s needs as it does about Cole’s individual promise.
With CJ Allen off to the NFL Cole steps into a larger leadership role at linebacker, working alongside fellow returning veterans Raylen Wilson and Justin Williams. Kirby Smart has praised his growth this spring, noting how much Cole has improved as a pass rusher, even while conceding that improving the pass rush will require a group effort rather than a one man job.
It’s been obvious since he stepped on campus that Cole possesses a rare blend of length, speed, and coverage instincts, traits that trace back to his days as a high school safety. He shows real range in space, closes on ball carriers with excellent speed, and reads plays quickly and instinctively. Those instincts let him step into extended run when Georgia needed a coverage linebacker in 2024, and that versatility remains his calling card.
Cole still needs to add strength and functional mass to consistently shed blocks against physical SEC run games. His tackles for loss and sack totals, while promising, need to climb significantly if he’s going to match the ceiling scouts once projected. Consistency, translating those athletic flashes into weekly production, is the real question mark entering fall camp.
Off the field, Cole faced scrutiny after a February reckless driving arrest, though Smart has stood by his character. On the field, the path forward is simple. Georgia needs its pass rush fixed, and Cole is square in the middle of that equation. For a program with national championship aspirations, his development from promising contributor to proven difference maker may decide how far the defense can carry them.
Go ‘Dawgs!!!