Georgia’s 2025 defense felt like a Ferrari stuck in second gear. Sure, the engine was loud, and the parts were premium, but the result was disappointing. They finished 107th nationally in sacks, which is a sad statistic for a program that’s been built on defensive dominance. Everyone knew that something was missing. Thankfully, Kirby Smart has a weapon in the making in a rookie, someone who even had David Pollack flabbergasted by his antics when he was only in grade three!

That kid was Khamari Brooks. Now he doesn’t stand out immediately in Georgia’s 2026 class. He arrived at Athens with a hip fracture that cut short his senior season. He is a four-star recruit and the 10th-best prospect in the state of Georgia. But on closer look, Brooks is the guy Georgia will need at a position that became a nagging problem: EDGE rusher.

“He might be that missing piece for Georgia as they try and get that edge rusher that plays their style, that can also be physical on rundowns, not just a finesse player like Damon Wilson has been so far in his college career of hunting the quarterback,” Steve Wiltfong told to Rivals on February 8, “but being sturdy on first and second down – but being elite when you have to be getting after the quarterback.”

Brooks’s absence from the 2025 season is the only reason he isn’t as talked about. But those who have seen him know that he has been absolutely lethal as a defensive recruit. Brooks came to Athens with 131 total tackles, 17 TFLs, and 13 sacks. He’s a rookie who needs to be watched out for. He’s won a state championship as a junior and also helped the basketball team clinch a state title. Brooks can turn out to be the juice that Georgia needs to spark up its defense.

The Bulldogs’ defense wasn’t all that bad in 2025. In fact, there was an improvement from the regular season Ole Miss game onwards, including pass rush. However, it wasn’t enough to be seen as a threat. Most of the pass rushing was done by young players like Chris Cole and Zayden Walker. Entering the Sugar Bowl, Georgia’s defense had a pressure rate of 31.0% and was ranked 86 in the country. The defensive line couldn’t step up in pass rushing. The DL that led in sacks in 2025 was Christian Miller, who only recorded 1.5 sacks.

Khamari Brooks’ fiery game is the reason why he is expected to create an impact on the Georgia D-line in 2026. This unit clearly lacks some oomph, which is exactly what he possesses. Along with these elite skills, the EDGE also brings some interesting Georgia history back to the program.

Khamari Brooks has unique historical ties to Georgia

Brooks comes from a family that has also produced some impactful Georgia players. His step-grandfather was Charles ‘CJ’ Junior, who was a receiver in the 1981 National Championship-winning team. His great uncle is Horace King, who was one of the first five black players in Georgia football. He also played for nine seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions.

Brooks was also coached by former Georgia great David Pollack at North Oconee. The two go way back, with Pollack noticing Brooks when he was in third grade and attending a youth football camp. David Pollack used wristbands to signal the plays. Across the field was Brooks, bigger and stronger, but that was not what rattled him. Instead, the fact that by halftime, the eight-year-old had cracked the code and was calling out where the ball was going before the snap, like an experienced linebacker, took him aback.

“That blew my mind,” Pollack has said. “He was brilliant. Never rushed. Never panicked. He played at his pace.” Three years later, the EDGE finally made it on the coach’s team. And in high school, Brooks continued to make him proud by building his stellar resume.

All of them will have a big reason to celebrate when Khamari Brooks makes his debut on the field this year. The EDGE will be playing at a position that has created stars like Jalon Walker and Nolan Smith Jr. in recent years, and is expected to be the next.