Cade Mays reportedly entered his name into the transfer portal on Wednesday, with the intention of him transferring to Tennessee, as ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported.
Shortly after that news came out, it was also learned that Mays’ father and mother filed a lawsuit against the University of Georgia Board of Regents and the Athletic Association stemming from an incident that happened prior to Mays’ public commitment to Georgia in December of 2017.
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According to the lawsuit, which was filed in Athens-Clarke County and obtained by DawgNation, the Mays family is suing for $3 million in lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering.
Documents show that the lawsuit was filed on Dec. 5 of 2019, which was before the SEC championship game and Sam Pittman’s announced departure for the Arkansas job. Pittman was Georgia’s offensive line coach and a big reason Mays ended up signing with Georgia.
According to the complaint, “Plaintiff Kevin Mays’s right pinky finger was partially amputated as the subject’s folding chair wedged against the column. His severed finger shot across the floor. UGA Offensive Line Coach Sam Pittman picked up plaintiff Kevin Mays’ severed finger from the floor, and it was put on ice.”
At the hospital, Kevin Mays described the pain as a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. The complaint stated that Mays could not have the finger reattached and that he needed to undergo a skin-graft surgery.
The event happened on Dec. 15 of 2017, which was prior to Cade Mays announcing his commitment to Georgia.
Mays was a long-time Tennessee commitment but backed off his pledge to the Vols when then-coach Butch Jones came under fire.
Mays is from Knoxville, Tenn., and his father played for the Vols. Mays’ younger brother, Cooper, also signed as a member of Tennessee’s 2020 recruiting class.
Due to current SEC and NCAA transfer restrictions, Mays would not be eligible to play in the 2020 season unless he would be able to get a waiver from the NCAA.
Mays started six games for the Bulldogs and appeared in all 14 this season. He would have competed for the Georgia left tackle position in 2020, as he manned the position for the Sugar Bowl after incumbent Andrew Thomas declared himself eligible for the NFL draft.
Georgia saw two high-profile players transfer out last year in quarterback Justin Fields and tight end Luke Ford.
Fields was granted immediate eligibility and led Ohio State to the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoffs.
Ford, however, was denied his request for an eligibility waiver and sat out this season at Illinois.
Mays, assuming he leaves, would become the fourth offensive linemen from this season’s team to depart.
Thomas, fellow tackle Isaiah Wilson and guard Solomon Kindley all declared for the 2020 NFL Draft.
Georgia does return linemen Trey Hill, Jamaree Salyer, Ben Cleveland and Justin Shaffer, who have starting experience.
Georgia also signed four offensive linemen in the early signing period and have two more who are committed members of the 2020 class.
Two of those, Tate Ratledge and Broderick Jones, are 5-star prospects according to multiple recruiting services and could possibly help Georgia’s offensive line right away.
More Georgia football stories from around DawgNation
- Rapid reload for Georgia offense: Closer look at returning, incoming Bulldogs
- Report: Georgia offensive lineman Cade Mays enters NCAA transfer portal
- Georgia middle linebacker Monty Rice makes NFL draft decision
- Why Matt Luke must make a good first impression on the recruiting trail
- Georgia fades down the stretch, falls 78-69 to Kentucky
- The midyear enrollees for Georgia football are on campus in Athens
- Alex Huntley: South Carolina DT commit will likely give UGA an official visit
- Jalen Kimber: The stories you haven’t read yet about the UGA early enrollee
- Georgia football podcast: UGA fans awaiting Jake Fromm announcement
