ATHENS - A starting defensive lineman for No. 3 UGA Football is no longer with the program. That news comes only days before the No. 3 Bulldogs first game of the season. Xavier McLeod is no longer at Georgia a team spokesperson confirmed to Dawg Post. McLeod transferred to Georgia from South Carolina. He had 30 tackles in 29 games for the Bulldogs. His first start came a year ago against Mississippi State. Dawgs247, which broke the news earlier Monday, reported that McLeod described himself as “done with football” and “retired.”The roster move means the Bulldogs will have to gather more snaps from a defensive line that’s steady if not spectacular. Georgia is expected to have one of the best rushing defenses in the country, but losing McLeod will hurt them in terms of depth and production. McLeod was a steady force for Georgia - starting the the Bulldogs’ Sugar Bowl appearance last season. The question now is which Bulldog will get more snaps as a result of a starting defensive lineman leaving the program. The return of the bulk of the Dawgs’ defensive line from a season ago - Jordan Hall, Gabe Harris, Elijah Griffin, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye and Josh Horton means the Dawgs are still deep at that critical position. But the focus will be on how much Griffin and Harris can combine to neutralize opposing run games as well as get pressure on the quarterback, which was a weakness a season ago. Georgia ended 2025 with only 20 sacks all season long.Griffin was one of the top young defensive linemen in the SEC a season ago. Coach Kirby Smart did not address McLeod’s departure Monday at his regularly-scheduled press conference. The No. 3 Bulldogs open against Tennessee State Saturday Between the Hedges in Sanford Stadium. Georgia is listed as a massive 45.5-point favorite to win the game. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow