Georgia football received some much needed good news on Friday. Junior linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. will return for his senior season, passing on a chance to enter the 2024 NFL draft, per On3 Sports’ Pete Nakos.
Mondon, a second-team All-SEC selection in 2023, was graded as a first-round pick by multiple draft analysts. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Mondon rated as a top-5 prospect at his position.
Mondon’s return is a big boost to a UGA linebacker room that has seen major turnover since the SEC Championship loss to Alabama.
Preseason All-American selection Jamon Dumas-Johnson unexpectedly entered the transfer portal on Thursday, joining fellow linebackers Xavian Sorey Jr. and E.J. Lightsey.
Mondon’s return, paired with the late season surge by freshmen C.J. Allen and Raylen Wilson, puts UGA’s inside linebacker room in a good spot ahead of the 2024 season.
