ATHENS — For Georgia, the first transfer portal window has come to a close.
The Bulldogs saw 12 players depart the program following the end of the 2024 season. Some have found new homes, while others are still waiting to make their decision.
But Georgia didn’t just sit on its hands either. The Bulldogs were aggressive in adding talent as they’ve brought in six players via the transfer portal thus far.
The two biggest impact additions come at wide receiver, as the Bulldogs added Zachariah Branch from USC and Noah Thomas from Texas A&M. Both arrive at Georgia with plenty of hype, as Branch and Thomas could very much help cure Georgia’s wide receiver woes.
“Branch, who also returns kicks, didn’t seem as electrifying with the ball in his hands as he did in 2023. If he can tap into his vast potential, he could put up big numbers at Georgia,” On3’s Andy Staples wrote. “But what happens this season for Branch could answer whether his production in Los Angeles was a USC issue or a Branch issue.
“If Thomas and Branch pay off, whichever quarterback wins the starting job — Gunner Stockton or Ryan Puglisi — might have an easier time in 2025 than Carson Beck had in 2024."
Georgia also made three additions on the defensive side of the ball, bringing in safeties Zion Branch, Jaden Harris and Adrian Maddox. Georgia also welcomed Vanderbilt’s Micah Bell to the program. He is the younger brother of wide receiver Dillon Bell and he spent the past season at Vanderbilt.
Perhaps more interesting though are the positions were Georgia did not bring anyone in. Edge rusher is certainly a position of interest after Damon Wilson entered the transfer portal. Wilson was expected to be a starter and key piece on the Georgia defense in 2025.
Now he’ll look to finish his career somewhere else. As of publish time, Wilson has not yet found a new school.
At quarterback, Georgia has hosted and been linked to a number of targets. Fernando Mendoza, DeShawn Purdie and Dylan Lonergan have all had interest in Georgia.
Yet each of them ended up committing elsewhere. Which could say a lot about Georgia’s belief in quarterback Gunner Stockton.
“(Carson) Beck’s elbow injury gave Kirby Smart and his staff a chance to find out what they have in Stockton in the biggest games of the season,” ESPN’s Eli Lederman wrote. “Stockton got the job done in the SEC title game and pulled off an overtime win over Texas. He then threw for 234 yards on 20-of-32 passing against an excellent Notre Dame defense in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs were in the mix for Mendoza but appear to be moving forward with Stockton as their QB1 for 2025.”
The start against Notre Dame was the first of Stockton’s career. Georgia did lose some quarterback depth to the transfer portal, as Beck ended up at Miami and Jaden Rashada also elected to transfer.
While the winter transfer portal window has closed for every team except Notre Dame and Ohio State, there is a second transfer portal window that runs from April 16 through April 25. That will give teams the chance to further address needs.
It also gives players the opportunity to look elsewhere. Given the winter portal season wasn’t as active as it was a season ago for Georgia — the Bulldogs saw 21 players depart via the transfer portal last offseason — it’s fair to wonder if more roster turnover might be coming.