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Summer is here, sort of, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans and give them names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay.
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so that Bucs fans can be the most informed.
So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.
Georgia has become one of the premier pipeline programs for NFL linebackers, and Chris Cole enters the 2026 season looking to become the next name on that list. The former five-star recruit steadily carved out a larger role during his first two seasons in Athens and now sits atop the Bulldogs' MONEY linebacker position heading into his junior campaign.
Cole's appeal starts with his versatility. Georgia has deployed him in multiple ways, allowing him to play as a traditional off-ball linebacker while also utilizing him in space and as a pressure player. That flexibility showed up statistically in 2025 when he produced 59 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks despite making only one start during the season.
What stands out most about Cole's profile is his comfort in coverage. He moves well in space, handles receiving threats effectively and possesses the range to impact plays outside the tackle box. Those traits are becoming increasingly valuable as NFL defenses search for linebackers capable of staying on the field in every situation.
The next step for Cole is consistency. The flashes are already there, and the athletic ability is evident. With a full season as Georgia's starting MONEY linebacker, he has an opportunity to establish himself as one of the top linebacker prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft class.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report on Georgia's Chris Cole
Continue reading...
Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so that Bucs fans can be the most informed.
So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.
Background Info
- Position: Linebacker
- School: Georgia
- Height: 6-foot-3
- Weight: 235 pounds
- Class: Junior
- Hometown: Salem, Virginia
- Former five-star recruit
- Ranked among the top linebacker recruits in the nation coming out of high school
- 2024 SEC All-Freshman Team selection
- Current starter at Georgia's MONEY linebacker position
- Member of Georgia's SEC Football Leadership Council
- Named to the preseason Butkus Award watch list entering 2025
Notable Career Stats
- 2025: 59 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and two pass breakups
- Played in all 14 games during the 2025 season
- Recorded a sack against Tennessee, Alabama, Austin Peay and Charlotte in 2025
- Registered a career-high seven tackles against Texas and Ole Miss (CFP)
- 2024 SEC All-Freshman Team selection
- Recovered two fumbles during the 2024 season
- Appeared in all 14 games as a true freshman
Notable PFF Numbers
2025
- 81.8 overall defensive grade
- 75.6 run defense grade
- 77.3 pass-rush grade
- 68.2 coverage grade
- 88.9 tackling grade
- 21 pressures
- 17 defensive stops
- Four missed tackles
2024
- 70.4 overall defensive grade
- 77.4 run defense grade
- 67.5 pass-rush grade
- 53.4 coverage grade
- 13 pressures
Strengths
- Excellent athletic profile for the linebacker position
- Comfortable matching running backs and tight ends in coverage
- Carries routes vertically and operates well in space
- Versatile defender with experience in multiple alignments
- Effective playing off the ball, in the slot and as a situational pressure defender
- Physical at the catch point and during route stems
- Reliable tackler
- Strong sideline-to-sideline range
- Productive against top SEC competition
- Three-down linebacker potential
- Leadership traits and special teams experience
Player Summary
Georgia has become one of the premier pipeline programs for NFL linebackers, and Chris Cole enters the 2026 season looking to become the next name on that list. The former five-star recruit steadily carved out a larger role during his first two seasons in Athens and now sits atop the Bulldogs' MONEY linebacker position heading into his junior campaign.
Cole's appeal starts with his versatility. Georgia has deployed him in multiple ways, allowing him to play as a traditional off-ball linebacker while also utilizing him in space and as a pressure player. That flexibility showed up statistically in 2025 when he produced 59 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks despite making only one start during the season.
What stands out most about Cole's profile is his comfort in coverage. He moves well in space, handles receiving threats effectively and possesses the range to impact plays outside the tackle box. Those traits are becoming increasingly valuable as NFL defenses search for linebackers capable of staying on the field in every situation.
The next step for Cole is consistency. The flashes are already there, and the athletic ability is evident. With a full season as Georgia's starting MONEY linebacker, he has an opportunity to establish himself as one of the top linebacker prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft class.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report on Georgia's Chris Cole
Continue reading...
