Ja'Marley Riddle
Georgia·6-0·185 lbScouting Report
A rangy, ball-hawking safety still filling out.
The case for
- Natural playmaker with six interceptions in two college seasons
- Produced a pick-six against Temple as a true freshman
- Scouts praise his speed and physicality on the back end
The worry
- Light frame at 6-0 and 185 pounds draws size concerns from scouts
- Durability questions after a significant leg and ankle injury in the Military Bowl
- Was limited in Georgia spring practice while recovering from that injury
Full report
Ja'Marley Riddle is a ball-hawking safety who arrived at Georgia as a junior after two productive seasons at East Carolina. A Camden County High School product in Georgia, he was a three-star recruit in the 2024 class, and 247Sports rated him 86 overall and the 121st-best safety nationally. He started the final six games of his freshman year at ECU, finishing with 63 tackles and three interceptions, one of them a pick-six against Temple. As a sophomore he started all 13 games, took First-Team All-AAC honors, and posted 70 tackles, four tackles for loss, three interceptions and six pass breakups. Over two seasons at ECU he piled up 134 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and six interceptions. 247Sports reports that scouts love his natural playmaking ability, speed and physicality on the back end, and that he was viewed as a potential NFL Draft pick. The same report flags concerns about his overall size and durability because of a fairly light frame. Georgia lists him at 6-0 and 185 pounds. His ECU season ended badly, as he went down with a significant leg and ankle injury on his third defensive snap of the Military Bowl win over Pittsburgh. That injury limited him in Georgia's spring practice. His 2026 role in the Georgia secondary has been modest so far: four games, one start, 13 tackles and a pass breakup. His best day came against Auburn with six tackles, three of them solo, and a pass breakup. He enters the rest of the season needing to show the ECU playmaking can carry over against SEC competition.
Every strength
- Earned First-Team All-AAC honors as a sophomore
- Started all 13 games at ECU in 2025 with 70 tackles and four tackles for loss
- Added six pass breakups in 2025, showing he can compete at the catch point
- Brought high-school versatility as a running back, receiver and returner, which points to ball skills and open-field instincts
- Immediately earned Georgia snaps as a transfer, with a start and a six-tackle game against Auburn
Every weakness
- Only 13 tackles in four games at Georgia, so the SEC sample is small
- Has not yet recorded an interception, tackle for loss or sack at Georgia
- Held a starting role in just one of four Georgia games, so his role is still unproven
- Physicality against bigger SEC runners and receivers is not yet proven
Draft Movement
Up 3 spots since Oct.
Where he sits on the consensus big board, each week since Oct. Up is better.
College Stats
| Season | Team | G | Tkl | TFL | Sacks | Hur | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 |  East Carolina | 13 | 63 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 2025 | East Carolina | 13 | 70 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 2026 | Georgia | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 32 | 140 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 |
From our play-by-play, so the yards can sit a touch under the official box score.
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $170K on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Georgia's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
Portal: transferred from East Carolina to Georgia for 2026.
Every P4 player priced, math public: College players & NIL · Roster spend
Awards & Honors
First-Team All-AAC (2025); 2025 Military Bowl champion; 2024 Military Bowl champion; Three-star 2024 recruit (247Sports 86, No. 121 safety); Region 1-7A Co-Athlete of the Year and First Team All-Region (high school)