Georgia football makes it clear what it needs from KJ Bolden in 2025

In discussions about sophomore safety KJ Bolden this offseason, very little has been said about his on-field ability.

Bolden answered a lot of those questions as a freshman last season for Georgia. He finished with 59 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and 2.0 tackles for loss. He fit in seamlessly as he made the transition from high school to college.

Now, Georgia wants him to evolve from a role player to a leader. It’s part of the reason the conversation around Bolden this offseason has not been nearly as loud as it was a season ago, when coach Kirby Smart challenged Bolden before he played a down at Georgia.

“KJ Bolden played a lot of snaps last year. He’s coming back,” Smart said of Bolden at SEC Media Days in Atlanta. “We need him to be a leader. We need him to help set the tone for how to go about things.”

Georgia has to replace Malaki Starks and Dan Jackson in the secondary. Starks was a three-year starter and All-American at Georgia, while Jackson became a folk hero over his many years of service to the program.

That’s a significant amount of institutional knowledge exiting the Georgia secondary. The Bulldogs dipped heavily into the transfer portal for help at safety, adding Adrian Maddox, Zion Branch and Jaden Harris. In addition to playing safety, those three could help at the star position, too.

Time will tell if those three can contribute immediately, with Georgia also bringing back Joenel Aguero and JaCorey Thomas.

For Bolden, he’ll have to make sure all parties are rowing in the same direction, which is why much of the offseason discussion has centered on his leadership ability.

“Just seeing him grow and just little stuff like the weight room, him getting bigger, faster and stronger,” quarterback Gunner Stockton said. “Just seeing him grow up has been a great thing, and just being able to say he’s my teammate is awesome.”

Bolden, to his credit, has acknowledged and embraced the role of leader. He told reporters this spring that this type of role is why he came to Georgia, despite significant offers from Florida State and Auburn.

Bolden was one of four Georgia defenders voted first-team All-SEC at SEC Media Days this year. He was the youngest of four selections, as he enters his second year in the program.

Georgia has gotten great safety play since Smart became the program’s head coach. From J.R. Reed to Christopher Smith to Starks a season ago, the safety spot has produced consistently excellent players.