Good News: Georgia’s LB will return for senior season

On Friday, Georgia football received some much-needed good news.

According to On3 Sports’ Pete Nakos, junior linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. will remain for his senior season, foregoing a chance to join the 2024 NFL draft.

Multiple draft evaluators rated Mondon, a second-team All-SEC selection in 2023, as a first-round choice. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN ranks Mondon as a top-5 prospect at his position.

Mondon’s return is a significant boost for a UGA linebacker room that has undergone significant turnover since the SEC Championship loss to Alabama.

Jamon Dumas-Johnson, a preseason All-American selection, surprisingly entered the transfer portal on Thursday, joining fellow linebackers Xavian Sorey Jr. and E.J. Lightsey.

Mondon’s comeback, combined with late-season surges by freshmen C.J. Allen and Rayland Wilson, positions UGA’s inside linebacker room well for the 2024 season.