The drawback to winning a national title is that, more times than not, you can expect your team to suffer a mass exodus of talent following the season.

Georgia is no different.

The Bulldogs lost more than half their roster, the vast majority of which came on defense. Only 3 starters remain on a unit that was considered the best in America, compared with 7 on the offensive side.

Fear not, though, Georgia faithful! The cupboard is far from bare. The Bulldogs have a reliable, if not overly gifted, quarterback, heaps of potential littered throughout the defense and an embarrassment of riches at tight end.

Here’s a look at how each position group stacks up as we draw closer to the season opener.

QB: B+

The fact that this grade is this high is a testament to the returning starter, Stetson Bennett. Sure, he’s everyone’s favorite topic of debate when it comes to the Bulldogs. But Bennett enters 2022 as the unquestioned starter and a seasoned veteran.

We can put asterisks on any statistic we want — the nearly 3,000 passing yards, the 29 touchdown throws, the 176.7 passer rating — but the fact is that Bennett helped lead Georgia to a national title, and the vast majority of teams around the country would love to have this type of player returning under center.

Now, the rest of the quarterback room is the question. It’s assumed Carson Beck will be Bennett’s primary understudy after another successful spring, but he has inspired very little confidence in limited live action. After Beck, neither Brock Vandagriff nor newcomer Gunner Stockton has completed a pass at the college level.

So for all those who yearned to see Bennett replaced a year ago: You better hope he stays healthy and on the field in 2022.

RB: B+

Georgia typically refills its running backs room with relative ease, and this season will be no different after the loss of Zamir White and James Cook. Senior Kenny McIntosh looks to enter the season as the primary back, but expectations have always been high for oft-injured Kendall Milton. If both remain healthy — a bigger “if” for Milton — they should form one of the better 1-2 punches in the conference once again.

Keep an eye on incoming freshman Branson Robinson, however. Early returns in camp on the former 4-star recruit are positive, and some images out of camp have looked downright physically freakish. Don’t be shocked if he’s leading the charge by season’s end.

WR: A-

What Georgia lacks in a true star pass catcher it makes up for with depth. Kearis Jackson, who feels like he has been on the team for a decade, is the elder statesman here and a reliable receiver. From where I’m sitting, Ladd McConkey looks like the favorite to lead the team in receiving, but the development of true sophomore A.D. Mitchell will be intriguing to watch. He has the physical tools to blossom into a high-tier player.

The wild card of this group? Dominick Blaylock. Blaylock looked like a budding star as a freshman but has since battled an endless string of injuries. If he can stay healthy, he could become a weapon for Bennett.

TE: A+

Not much to say here. This is the best tight end room in college football, and if Georgia repeats as national champion, it will be a primary reason why. Brock Bowers posted 882 yards and 13 touchdowns as a freshman, and expectations are understandably through the roof for his follow-up campaign. Each of the next 3 tight ends on the roster would likely start at almost any other school in the country.

Darnell Washington, at 6-foot-7, is a matchup nightmare in the red zone, and newcomer Oscar Delp was one of the stars of the team’s spring game. Oh, and former LSU star Arik Gilbert, after a year away from football for personal reasons, is expected to be one of the team’s primary weapons. This is what we call an abundance of riches.

OL: B

Replacing Jamaree Salyer and Justin Shaffer on the left side is no small task, but Kirby Smart and Co. should have answers in Amarius Mims and Broderick Jones. Mims, who nearly transferred out of Athens during the offseason, may have been Smart’s most important recruiting job. At 6-foot-7 and well north of 330 pounds, he has all the physical ability to mold into a game-breaking left tackle. Don’t underestimate the importance of continuity between Bennett and center Sedrick Van Pran, either.

One player to keep tabs on is Tate Ratledge. Expected to be a big part of Georgia’s line a year ago, he suffered a Lisfranc injury in the season opener against Clemson. All reports are that he is progressing well and can be an impactful player when he comes back.

DL: B+

You can put this grade on the back of junior nose tackle Jalen Carter. Jordan Davis and Travon Walker have moved on and become first-round NFL Draft picks, but Carter is just the next guy in line. An absolute physical freak, No. 88 is projected as a top-5 pick in next year’s Draft and will be the one player Georgia can’t live without up front.

The Bulldogs are solid if not great at the surrounding positions, but players like Zion Logue and Tramel Walthour are certainly capable. I will be interested to see the early opportunities for incoming freshman defensive end Mykel Williams. The No. 2 defensive lineman in the most recent signing class, Williams could be the next star waiting in the wings.

LB: A-

For all the talent Georgia lost at linebacker, it really looks like a fairly settled position for the Bulldogs. Edge rusher Nolan Smith is the most talented of the group — he, too, will likely be a first-round pick next year. Last year’s leader in sacks, Robert Beal Jr. is back as well.

Smael Mondon Jr. will be an interesting player to watch. A former highly touted recruit, Mondon was mostly relegated to special teams and mop-up work a year ago. He figures to become a key contributor inside, filling the extremely sizable cleats of Nakobe Dean.

DB: B

For some reason, this seams like the position most prognosticators point to as a potential position of need for Georgia. And it may end up being that. But, at least among first-stringers, it looks strong. National championship hero Kelee Ringo returns and is projected by some as a first-team All-American and a future first-round pick.

Maybe the biggest question mark entering the season is what can be expected of Tykee Smith. Is he healthy? Is he improved? Can he get on the field and stay there? Georgia fans lamented his absence all last season, but we’re not really certain what caliber player he is. If he is half as good as fans hoped when he transferred in from West Virginia last summer, then he, Ringo, Christopher Smith and Dan Jackson may make up a formidable defensive backfield.