Honestly, if you looked at the georgia football depth chart 2024 back in August and then compared it to the squad that limped off the field in the Sugar Bowl, you’d barely recognize it. That’s the nature of the beast in Athens. Kirby Smart’s program is a revolving door of five-star talent, but 2024 was different. It was a year of "next man up" being tested to its absolute limit. People love to talk about the depth, but staying at the top is basically a weekly game of Tetris with the roster.
Most fans fixated on Carson Beck and whether he’d be the next #1 overall pick. While he was the clear anchor, the real story of the 2024 depth chart was underneath the surface—the offensive line reshuffling and a defensive front that had to find its soul after losing a small army to the NFL.
The Quarterback Room: Not Just the Carson Beck Show
Coming into the season, the depth chart at QB was set in stone. Carson Beck was the guy. Period. He finished the season with over 3,900 passing yards, spreading the ball to basically anyone with a pulse and a jersey. But look closer at the 2024 season.
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When Beck wasn't "on," or when the game was a blowout (like that 59-21 thumping of UMass), Gunner Stockton got the keys. Stockton’s presence on the depth chart wasn't just for show; it was a security blanket. By the time the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame rolled around, the future of the position was already the main topic of conversation.
The depth chart looked like this:
- Starter: Carson Beck (The seasoned vet, finished 11-3 as a starter)
- Backup: Gunner Stockton (The heir apparent who saw significant mop-up and relief duty)
- Reserve: Ryan Puglisi (The freshman learning the ropes)
It’s kinda wild to think about how much pressure was on Beck. People forget he was operating behind an offensive line that was constantly shuffling.
Why the Offensive Line Depth Chart Was a Moving Target
If you want to know why Georgia struggled to assert themselves in the run game—the first time in the Kirby Smart era they were outrushed by opponents over a full season—you have to look at the big boys up front. The depth chart on paper looked elite. In practice? It was a mess of injuries and "sorta" ready backups.
Earnest Greene III and Tate Ratledge were the household names, but when Ratledge went down, the ripple effect was massive. We saw a lot of rotation.
- Left Tackle: Earnest Greene III
- Left Guard: Dylan Fairchild / Micah Morris
- Center: Jared Wilson
- Right Guard: Tate Ratledge (Injuries forced Morris and others into more snaps)
- Right Tackle: Xavier Truss
Basically, the 2024 Georgia football depth chart for the O-line was a lesson in "starts" versus "meaningful snaps." They had the bodies, but the cohesion wasn't the same as the 2021 or 2022 units. That 39% third-down conversion rate? That's not just on the play-calling. It's what happens when your depth chart at guard is a revolving door.
The Defensive Front: Finding the New Identity
Glenn Schumann and Travaris Robinson had their work cut out for them. The base 3-4 defense didn't change, but the faces did. Mykel Williams was the "star" on the depth chart, but he was more of a chess piece, moving from the edge to the interior depending on the package.
The interior was where the real battle for the depth chart happened. Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson provided the veteran presence, but we saw a ton of Christen Miller and Jordan Hall. Honestly, the depth here was good, but it lacked that "game-wrecker" like Jalen Carter. They were solid—allowing about 20 points per game—but they weren't the "No-Name Defense" of years past.
One thing people get wrong about the 2024 defense? They think the secondary was the weakness. Actually, the secondary was pretty locked in with Malaki Starks holding down the safety spot. The real volatility was at linebacker. Smael Mondon Jr. and CJ Allen were the "1s," but Raylen Wilson and Jalon Walker were constantly pushing for snaps. Walker, in particular, became a depth chart nightmare for opponents because he was technically a linebacker but played like a defensive end.
The Skill Positions: Arian Smith and the Transfer Portal Impact
Let's talk about the wideouts. If you looked at the georgia football depth chart 2024 in the spring, you saw names like Trevor Etienne (the Florida transfer) and Colbie Young. Etienne was a godsend. He was the most explosive thing in the backfield, but even he had to share the "RB1" title with Nate Frazier and Branson Robinson at various points due to health.
In the receiving corps, Arian Smith finally stayed healthy enough to lead the team in yards (817).
- WR-X: Colbie Young / Dillon Bell
- WR-Z: Arian Smith / Dominic Lovett
- Slot: Dominic Lovett / Anthony Evans III
Lovett was the most consistent, basically Beck's security blanket. But the real depth chart surprise was Dillon Bell. He was the ultimate "Swiss Army Knife." One play he's at wideout, the next he's taking a handoff. That kind of versatility is why Kirby Smart doesn't care as much about who is listed as the "starter" on the Monday press release.
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What Really Happened with the Special Teams?
You can't talk about the 2024 depth chart without mentioning Peyton Woodring. After some early career jitters, he became one of the most reliable kickers in the country. In a season where Georgia played four games decided by one possession—including that wild overtime win against Texas in the SEC Championship—the kicker was effectively the most important player on the roster.
Actionable Insights for the 2025 Transition
The 2024 season was a bridge. It showed that even a "down" year for Georgia involves an SEC title and a 6th-place finish in the AP poll. If you're tracking the roster moving forward, keep these points in mind:
- Watch the "Joker" Positions: Kirby Smart is moving away from static depth charts. Players like Jalon Walker and Dillon Bell prove that "positionless" football is the goal in Athens.
- The Trench Recovery: Expect the 2025 depth chart to be heavily influenced by the transfer portal on the offensive line. Being outrushed in 2024 was a wake-up call that "The Standard" wasn't met.
- The QB Transition: With Beck likely gone, the Gunner Stockton vs. Jared Curtis (or a portal addition) battle will be the only thing anyone talks about in the spring.
The georgia football depth chart 2024 was a story of survival and elite talent masking some very real chemistry issues. While they didn't get the Natty, they proved that Georgia's "B-team" is still better than 95% of the country's "A-team."
To stay ahead of the next roster moves, you should monitor the spring portal window. Kirby rarely lets a weakness (like the 2024 run defense) linger for two seasons in a row. Keep an eye on the defensive tackle commits; that's where the next championship will be won or lost.
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Next Steps for Fans:
- Review the final 2024 stat leaders to see which "backups" actually out-produced the starters.
- Compare the 2024 rushing stats against the 2021 season to see the exact drop-off in "Yards After Contact."
- Follow the early enrollees from the 2025 class who are expected to jump into the two-deep immediately at linebacker.