By Skeeter Smith
Georgia’s impressive run finally comes to an end after losing to Alabama in the SEC Championship. As we enter transfer portal season, the Bulldogs will look to fortify their roster, aiming to elevate it back to championship caliber. Here’s a breakdown of the position groups and potential players they may pursue during this portal window.
Defensive Line:
During their back-to-back title runs, The Dogs dominated the trenches on the defensive side of the ball. With superstars like Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, it was nearly impossible for teams to find success running the ball against Georgia. Since 2019, The Bulldogs have given up only 76.5 yards per game on the ground. This past year was a step back, as they gave up 117 yards per game.
Georgia will look to reinforce that defensive front by getting some names out of the transfer portal. The biggest name in the portal right now is defensive lineman Walter Nolen. You can expect most of the country to be after Nolen, but he would be a huge boost to that defensive front if the Dawgs are able to pull him in.
Running Back:
With the potential departure of Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards to the NFL, Georgia could be facing a youth-centric running back room in 2024. They are very high on Branson Robinson, who suffered an injury prior to the season, but look for the Dawgs to add some experience to the running back position.
One name that Georgia has been attached to early is Trevor Etienne. In his 2 years at Florida, Etienne rushed for 1,472 yards and 14 touchdowns while splitting carries. With the possible departures coming, the Bulldogs may be able to offer him a real chance at being a true number 1 option. Mississippi State transfer Woody Marks has also been mentioned as a potential candidate as well.
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Wide Receivers:
Similar to their running back situation, Georgia’s receiver room could look very different in 2024. Dominic Lovett, Ladd McConkey, Ra-Ra Thomas, and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint all have the option to go pro, and with the Bulldogs only having two receivers committed to their 2024 class, Georgia will more than likely look to add some proven depth to that position.
Former 5-star Julian Fleming has been rumored to be very interested in Georgia after his departure from Ohio St. Michael Jackson out of USC was in Athens this past weekend, and Vanderbilt transfer Landon Humphreys is also a name that Georgia has been interested in early in this process.
OLB/Edge:
One thing that hurt Georgia in the SEC championship against Bama was their inability to get consistent pressure on Jalen Milroe. In fact, Georgia only accounted for 29 sacks this season, which is middle of the pack in the SEC. On top of that, Georgia struggled to set the edge at times this season, which led to higher rushing yards allowed than what Georgia is used to seeing.
Texas A&M transfer LT Overton has had his name attached to the Bulldogs early on in the portal process.
