What Should UGA Football Be Looking at in the NCAA Transfer Portal?
ATHENS - Can UGA football better itself in the NCAA’s Transfer Portal? That’s the question that has to be asked this week as Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs gear up for another run at the national title this fall.
Georgia’s G Day game showed that this UGA football team is solid, but not spectacular. There are spots that make sense to bolster the team. But Kirby said after G Day that he really wasn’t interested in any turnover this spring.
“I hope I get to keep my entire roster and go play the whole year with my entire roster,” he said Saturday.
That didn’t happen. Former UGA RB Branson Robinson put his name in the portal Wednesday.
We’ve yet to go through a season without transition through the portal. Some of it has been irrelevant - former Kentucky QB Brock Vandagriff made a lot of news a year ago leaving UGA, but he’s since stopped playing football after an up-and-down season for the Cats. Players like Michael Jackson and Jake Pope transferred into and out of UGA without playing a significant snap.
All that is to say - in terms of the number of players in (or out), the transfer portal for Georgia hasn’t been a massive game changer. Georgia’s starting backfield in 2024, QB Carson Beck and RB Trevor Etienne, didn’t play up to expectations that season. Both have used the portal. This is part of life now.
Keep in mind that if Georgia wants to get a player through the portal, that player can not play this fall in Silver Britches if they are transferring from an SEC school. SEC-to-SEC transfers must sit out a season before playing at their next SEC destination.
This is a new part of college football - a flashy one with lots of attention, but with mix results to be sure.
Kirby once more:
“There’s tons of kids that want to be at the University of Georgia, and I’m worried about the ones that want to be here - not the ones that don’t.”
So what positions are out there that could benefit from someone coming in if someone leaves UGA?
Georgia upgrade at quarterback?
I’m sure they could upgrade, but at what cost (literally and figuratively)? Gunner Stockton has all but won the starting job at UGA, and he’s a steading force at that spot. Time will tell how he progresses, but we are pretty early into his career to look for the ejection seat.
In addition, right now there isn’t anyone in the portal that’s an upgrade at quarterback. If you think Nico Iamaleava is an upgrade, remember that SEC rules prohibit him from transferring to UGA and playing in 2025. He would have to sit until 2026.
The portal may have helped UGA’s receivers the most this cycle. Could there be another player out there to add to Noah Thomas and Zachariah Branch?
Georgia’s tight ends room sure seems totally full. On the offensive line, the Bulldogs are going to start a group that’s going to have to gel together over the next few months. Injuries about decimated this group in 2024. Do the Bulldogs have enough depth to help bolster this offensive front in the fall?
Georgia’s defensive line is lacking star power, but the Dawgs had a solid day against the run Saturday at G Day. Where will the pass rush come from this fall, and is there someone that could help on that front in the portal?
Georgia’s linebackers sure look deep. This is sort of like the tight ends… is there a need to add here? Perhaps with a pass-rusher. Georgia lost Damon Wilson (for some reason) to Missouri this winter. He was a rush threat for the Dawgs - now he’s gone.
Georgia is going to have to rebuild its secondary going into 2025. That spot has been one of the most consistent over Kirby’s time in Athens, but only two regular starters from a season ago return for a UGA program that was 38th overall in the nation last year in passing yards allowed.
Georgia’s two specialists return, so a portal entry for this season at kicker or punter would be surprising.