What we learned about Georgian football in the first window

What we learned about Georgian football in the first window of the transfer portal – DawgNation

dawgnationplaceholderConnor Riley,

DawgNation staff

dawgnationplaceholder@KconnorrileyPosted 2 hours ago

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What we learned about Georgian football in the first window of the transfer portal

ATHENS – The dust on the transfer portal has settled for the time being. The first window of the transfer portal closed on Wednesday, 45 days after it opened. In all, Georgia saw 10 players from his roster enter the portal.

The first to do so was Bill Norton when he entered on December 11th. The last was AD Mitchell, who waited until the last day of the window to put his name on the transfer portal. Players can still find a new home, but only those who are officially on the transfer portal can be contacted by other coaches.

Related: Georgia Football 2023 Squad Tracker: Live Transfer Portal Updates, NFL Draft Decisions & Manager News

The transfer portal will reopen on May 1, so Georgia and other college programs will continue to struggle with players coming and going later in the offseason. But for now, we have a better idea of ​​where things stand as Georgia’s roster heads into the offseason.

10 players enter the Georgian football portal

Georgia saw 13 players enter the transfer portal last offseason. That the Bulldogs had double-digit player numbers comes as no surprise. When you have as many talented players as Georgia and not all of them are getting playing time, players need to look elsewhere.

Three of the 10 players entering the portal have already found a new home. Norton is with Arizona, tight end Brett has since followed Buster Faulkner to Georgia Tech, and MJ Sherman is now a Nebraska cornhusker. Of the participating players, only Norton and Gilbert opted to do so before Georgia ended its season.

Georgian football players in the transfer portal

  • Bill Norton – transferred to Arizona
  • Brett Seither – Transferred to Georgia Tech
  • MJ Sherman – Transferred to Nebraska
  • TE Arik Gilbert
  • TE Ryland Goede
  • CB Jaheim Singletary
  • LB Trezmen Marshall
  • WR Dominick Blaylock
  • WR AD Mitchell
  • OL Jacob Hood

The positions most affected were tight end and wide receiver. Neither should come as a surprise given that the Bulldogs signed two tight ends in the 2023 recruitment cycle and are still recruiting Duce Robinson and Walker Lyons ahead of National Signing Day.

Related: Duce Robinson: How did the ‘Dawgs at Todd Hartley become a strong contender for 5-star TE?

Mitchell’s loss no doubt hurts given his ability to make big plays for Georgia while Blaylock was a popular figure on the Georgia team. But Georgia braced itself for life without both as it signed three wide receivers in the 2023 cycle. Tyler Williams, Yazeed Haynes and Anthony Evans are all already on campus.

Georgia also went out and added two of their own players via the transfer portal. The Bulldogs landed Missouri wide receiver Dominic Lovett and Mississippi State wide receiver RaRa Thomas. The Bulldogs were proactive in this, landing both before Mitchell or Blaylock entered the transfer portal.

Only two of the transfer portal’s players were in the program in their freshman year, with cornerback Jaheim Singletary and offensive lineman Jacob Hood departing after being signed as members of the 2022 signing class. Norton, Seither, Marshall, Goede and Blaylock signed as members of the Class of 2019. Sherman was a 2020 signee, while Mitchell and Gilbert both joined Georgia ahead of the 2021 season.

Most importantly, Georgia didn’t see any quarterbacks or running backs enter the transfer portal. Stetson Bennett and Kenny McIntosh will both move to the NFL, but Georgia is on good terms for now. Singletary was the only defender to leave while Sherman, Hood and Marshall were the only players to switch from their respective positions.

Which adds Georgian football via the transfer portal

After not taking any players from the transfer portal last offseason, Georgia added three this offseason. The additions of Lovett and Thomas have already been well covered and will continue to be as spring training approaches. With Mitchell, Blaylock and Kearis Jackson all leaving the program, Georgia will need someone to replace their production.

Lovett and Thomas seem like the best candidates.

“You really like the people they are. They’re phenomenal people,” Georgia wide receiver coach Bryan McClendon said before the Peach Bowl. “They did well and made games and everything else in our conference when they played against the same competition that we play against. They know you can always judge what they’re doing against the level of the competition they’re up against.”

The other transfer Georgia has brought in is defenseman Smoke Bouie. While Lovett and Thomas are proven players at the SEC level — they each led their respective teams at reception last year — Bouie only played in seven games for Texas A&M last season.

During the 2022 recruitment cycle, he was a one-time Georgia commitment only for him to eventually sign with Texas A&M.

Bouie is the rare example of a player Georgia missed out on recruiting but still believes in the long-term benefits he offers. The Bainbridge, Georgia native has three years left to play and is trying to make the most of his second chance.

Georgia saw Kelee Ringo and Chris Smith depart for the NFL draft. Bouie is not expected to be a cornerback for Georgia as he is likely to step into the star or security role. Georgia brings back Javon Bullard and Malaki Starks. Bouie has a chance to fight for a spot this spring alongside Dan Jackson, Tykee Smith and David Daniel-Sisavanh. Georgia also signed safeties Joenel Aguero, Kyren Jones and Justyn Rhett in the 2023 signing class.

What’s next for Georgian football via the transfer portal

Georgia is expected to see more transfer portal movements in the May window. Last year Georgia saw Tymon Mitchell move to TCU after the spring and he became a key player for the Horned Frogs last season.

Related: TCU defenseman Tymon Mitchell is hoping to win his second national championship against his old team

The Bulldogs also saw Amarius Mims briefly enter the portal in offensive tackle before deciding to remain a member of the team. He is now expected to be one of Georgia’s first offensive tackles next season.

With a program as big as Georgia, the goal won’t be to win more players than it loses. That’s impossible in a place that places so much emphasis on college recruitment.

The goal will be to keep your best players. Georgia mostly did this in this first window, knowing that some talented players will always seek greener pastures elsewhere.

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