Georgia Bulldogs safety KJ Bolden made an immediate impact for UGA and quickly earned playing time as a true freshman. The standout defender played a pivotal role in the 2024 Georgia defense, drawing national attention from sportswriters.
On Tuesday, the Football Writers Association of America honored Bolden by naming him a Freshman All-American. This recognition followed an impressive debut season where Bolden tallied 59 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, one sack, and one forced fumble.
Bolden was regarded as a major recruiting victory for Georgia in the 2024 recruiting cycle and he wasted no time proving he was worth the accolades. He made an impression early at Georgia, and by the start of fall camp, it was evident that he would play a key role in the Bulldogs’ secondary.
From the opening game against Clemson, Bolden received significant playing time and supported veteran Malaki Starks as Starks alternated between the safety and STAR roles. Bolden appeared in all 14 games during his freshman season, earning starts against Florida and Tennessee. He logged at least five tackles in eight contests, including a career-high eight tackles during Georgia’s home victory over Tennessee.
Bolden projects as one of the SEC’s top safeties in 2025.
