'Everybody's just buying in, myself included:' Bullard embracing his role as a starter for the Bulldogs
'Everybody's just buying in, myself included:' Bullard embracing his role as a starter for the Bulldogs
ATHENS — Georgia sophomore Javon Bullard has become one of the Bulldogs’ best defenders this season. He’s impressed in his first year as a starter after playing limited snaps in 2021.
Bullard wasn’t a highly-recruited prospect out of high school and was rated as a three-star. He was touted as the nation’s No. 634 overall player, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. Bullard was also the lowest-ranked member of the Bulldogs’ 2020 recruiting haul.
He had a few Power Five offers, including ones from New Mexico State, Wake Forest Tennessee, South Carolina, Washington State, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh, among others.
However, the Milledgeville, Ga., native decided to stay in the Peach State and attend its flagship school, the University of Georgia. He committed to the Bulldogs on Aug. 17, 2020, and inked his official letter of intent nearly four months later on Early Signing Day.
“He did a lot of workouts during Covid, sent his tapes, and kept working out more and more, which was indicative of ‘I want to be there. It’s important to me.’ And both parents have military backgrounds,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said on Nov. 5. “He’s a tough kid. We thought he was a good fit for our program and a good football player.”
Bullard has made a significant impact on the Bulldogs’ defense in 2022. He has recorded 36 total tackles, with 24 of them being solo stops. Bullard also has 6.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups and five quarterback hurries in his sophomore year.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound defensive back has also made progress since arriving on campus. He is currently starting for Georgia at the STAR position, which acts as a hybrid safety but can also be an extra defensive back if needed. He’s had to learn a lot in the last two years.
"I feel like I've progressed pretty well over the two years that I have been here. It's all that preparation from last year that's helping me this year, especially since I have taken on a bigger role,” Bullard told reporters on Tuesday. “Coming into this season, after last season, I knew I'd have a bigger role in this defense, and we just have different roles that we all have to embrace. Everybody's just buying in, myself included.”
Bullard is a bit undersized for a typical SEC defensive back, although his hits pack a mean punch.
His speed and athleticism give him the edge when competing on the field. Bullard’s prowess as a player at STAR has impressed his older teammates, especially senior safety Chris Smith.
“Javon [Bullard] is one of the toughest football players I've ever seen in my life. Just the way he works day in and day out, man, it's so impressive,” Smith said earlier this season. “Nothing surprises me about any of the guys we have, especially Javon, you know? He's such a hard worker. He's got such a strong mind. He's willing to work and learn every day, day-in-and-day-out. So nothing surprises me about Javon. He’s worked hard.”
Bullard had his best game of the season on Nov. 5 when Georgia beat then-ranked No. 1 Tennessee, 27-13. The sophomore defensive back had seven total tackles and a pass breakup for the Bulldogs; however, he also had three quarterback hurries and two sacks.
Georgia’s defense held the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense and total offense to just six points until late in the game. The Volunteers finally reached the end zone in garbage time. Bullard’s seven total tackles were tied for a team’s second-best with cornerback Kelee Ringo.
“He’s like a little stick of dynamite,” Smart said on Nov. 5. “… He kept coming off the edge and was really impactful as a rusher, and the guys in the back end held up. … He played really hard and tackled well. He’s physical and he’s passionate about playing the game.”
Bullard, who was a four-time All-Region player at Baldwin High School, now heads into the 2022 SEC Championship game against LSU on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Bulldogs (12-0) opened as 18-point favorites over the Tigers (9-3) in Atlanta.
Georgia will hope to bring pressure off the edge with Bullard and several other defenders. The Bulldog defense will be tasked with containing LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who’s a dual threat. He’s rushed for 824 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.
“He’s a great quarterback, great athlete. Explosive guy,” Bullard said of Daniels on Tuesday. “He can make a play at any second. We have to be tuned in and try and limit that.”
Georgia is currently ranked No. 1 nationally in scoring defense, allowing an average of 11.3 points per game. The Bulldogs are also the fourth-ranked overall total defense in the nation.
Bullard is one of many Georgia players making a difference on its defense in 2022. The Bulldog defensive unit prides itself in playing together with many contributors making plays.
“That’s the thing with this defense, it’s kind of like a ‘help me, help you’ defense,” Bullard explained. “We take ownership in that, just knowing what we have to do in our job.”
Here is the video from Bullard’s Tuesday press conference: