The Georgia Bulldogs have one of the best rosters in the country, but that roster lost 20 players to the transfer portal this offseason. No loss can break the Bulldogs, but these five losses will hurt.
Even Kirby Smart and the formidable Georgia Bulldogs are not exempt from the ongoing roster changes that have become commonplace in college football due to the transfer portal. Although Georgia remains highly talented, the overcrowded competition at nearly every position has led to 20 players transferring out of the program.
While these departures may not significantly dampen Georgia’s championship aspirations, they do impact the team’s depth, particularly in crucial positions. The absence of former five-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff is notable, as he was expected to be the primary backup to Carsen Beck. Without Vandagriff, there is a heightened sense of concern among UGA fans if Beck ever faces delays in recovering from a hit during the upcoming season.
Interestingly, Vandagriff’s departure, significant as it may be, doesn’t even rank among the top five losses the team experienced in the transfer portal this offseason. Surprisingly, all five of the most impactful departures came from Georgia’s elite defense.
Despite losing only two players who had started games in Athens, the team managed to make four starting-experience additions out of the six new players acquired. Consequently, it has been a positive net gain for Georgia in the offseason, even with the departure of these five defensive players.
Jamon Dumas-Johnson
the linebacker position. In the 2023 season, injuries prevented Dumas-Johnson from securing a starting role for Georgia despite his notable contributions in the nine games he played, accumulating 34 tackles and 3.5 sacks as part of the Bulldogs’ linebacking corps alongside Smael Mondon Jr.
During Dumas-Johnson’s absence, the freshman C.J. Allen stepped in and made a significant impact, concluding the season with 41 tackles. Allen’s performance demonstrated enough potential to instill confidence in Kirby Smart regarding the future of the team’s linebacker unit.
With the departure of three linebackers, Georgia is placing its trust in a youthful group, with Mondon being the sole experienced linebacker. The focal points of this rebuilding effort are Allen and the highly-regarded five-star freshman linebacker, Justin Williams.
While Georgia, being a top-tier team, may not undergo a full-scale rebuild, Kirby Smart recognizes the need to periodically rejuvenate specific position groups. The linebacker position is currently undergoing such a transformation, as Smart works towards cultivating a formidable and youthful linebacking core.
Xavian Sorey Jr.
Another departing linebacker from Georgia is Sorey, who gained starting experience with two starts in 2023. Sorey has chosen to join Arkansas, where he is expected to assume a more significant role.
Over his three seasons at Georgia, Sorey accumulated 24 tackles, a sack, and one pass breakup. While not a pivotal component of the Bulldogs’ defense, he provided valuable experience and could have been a reliable option to support young linebackers if they faced challenges early in the season.
The decision to undergo a rebuild at the linebacker position, especially with the emergence of promising talent like Williams, is viewed as a positive move for Georgia. Williams is anticipated to become one of the standout players on the entire defense in the near future. Although Sorey’s departure is considered acceptable, on a roster as robust as Georgia’s, there are few losses that would significantly impact the team’s contention status.
Marvin Jones Jr.
In his two seasons with Georgia, Jones Jr., a former five-star recruit, registered just 16 tackles and two sacks. Despite forcing a fumble in 2023, his productivity fell short of expectations for his second year in Athens.
While Jones may still possess untapped potential, Georgia opted not to wait for it to materialize, given his underwhelming performance. In the previous season, he played 237 snaps but managed only five quarterback pressures. Considering his role as a pass-rusher, his pass-rush win rate was a mere 4.6%, a figure deemed unacceptably low for the Bulldogs’ defense.
The significance of this departure lies more in the disappointment surrounding Jones’s career trajectory. The move to the transfer portal serves as a symbol of developmental setbacks within the Georgia coaching staff. While there are numerous successes to highlight, the departure of a five-star player due to underperformance raises concerns and could be seen as a signal for improvement in player development.
Despite this disappointment, there is no immediate cause for concern, as Georgia has experienced numerous victories. However, the departure of a highly touted player who didn’t meet expectations should serve as a reminder to be vigilant, as it indicates the possibility of underperforming recruits, though it is currently a distant prospect.
Nyland Green
Similar to the Jones situation, Nyland Green, a top 100 recruit in 2021, was anticipated to evolve into a lockdown corner for one of the nation’s premier defenses by the 2023 season. However, Green ended up playing only 27 snaps, falling short of the expectations placed on him. Purdue has now taken a chance on his untapped potential, and with multiple losses in the secondary, the depth of that unit is likely to face scrutiny.
The highly-regarded recruit Ellis Robinson IV, ranked as the No. 2 recruit in the country, may find himself in a position where he needs to contribute significantly as a true freshman. This scenario arises because a former highly-touted recruit, Green, didn’t develop into the reliable veteran that was initially expected.
Similar to the Jones situation, Green’s departure won’t cripple the Bulldogs, and the lack of development in this case is not a cause for panic. However, having a former four-star cornerback with three years of experience on the roster would undoubtedly be a more favorable scenario for Georgia. The loss of Green highlights the unpredictability and challenges that can arise in player development, even with highly touted recruits.
A.J. Harris
Harris’s situation differs from Jones and Green because he didn’t have the opportunity to undergo significant development. In his single season at Georgia, Harris played 89 snaps and allowed five catches on nine targets in coverage. As a true freshman, he managed one pass breakup, showcasing some promise, but unfortunately, his potential within Georgia’s defense remains unknown.
When you bring in the nation’s top cornerback as part of the No.1 high school recruiting class, it’s common for upperclassmen at that position to explore other opportunities through the transfer portal. This is a trend in modern college football, driven by the competitive nature of recruiting top talent. While it’s a trade-off that any coach in the country would likely make, it does result in reduced depth on what is considered the best roster in the sport. This is a calculated risk, especially if Ellis Robinson IV, the highly-touted recruit, doesn’t live up to expectations or pan out as hoped.