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Roquan Smith has moved on to the NFL, leaving a huge void that Georgia must fill on its defense.

So how will the Bulldogs replace last season’s top defender?

“Obviously (Roquan) is a great player, but it’s next man up,” defensive coordinator Mel Tucker said. “So we’ll rally and we’ll develop the guys that we have and we’ll see what the identity of this defense is this year.”

Smith, the No. 8 overall pick in April's NFL draft, had 137 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 2017 and won the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker. Among the replacements for Smith include Natrez Patrick, Juwan Taylor, Monty Rice and Tae Crowder.

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Kennesaw State guard Simeon Cottle shoots a technical foul shot during the second half of a game against South Florida Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 at Kennesaw State University. (Daniel Varnado/For the AJC))

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Austin Walters died from an overdose in 2021 after taking a Xanax pill laced with fentanyl, his father said. A new law named after Austin and aimed at preventing deaths from fentanyl has resulted in its first convictions in Georgia, prosecutors said. (Family photo)

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