ATHENS — There’s no panic in the Georgia football building, and certainly, no surprises.
Coach Kirby Smart has said many times that part of acquiring elite talent is the inevitably that many players will declare themselves eligible for the NFL draft as underclassmen, particularly with many starting their careers as early enrollees.
Thus, it was an expected reality that projected 2022 NFL Draft first-round picks Travon Walker and Nakobe Dean would forego their senior years, and likely second-day pick Lewis Cine (second or third round) would also leave early.
Those announcements all came on Friday, along with news that potential first-round NFL pick George Pickens had indeed declared himself eligible for the 2022 draft, as DawgNation first reported on Thursday night.
The four talented underclassmen join a group of nine departing seniors, eight of whom have already accepted Senior Bowl invites.
Zamir White made his decision to leave on Friday and will likely get an invitation to an all-star game, if not the Senior Bowl, possibly the East-West Shrine Game.
Smart also said last Tuesday, the morning after the Bulldogs beat Alabama 33-18 in the CFP Championship Game, that players would leave and some would go in the transfer portal.
“We’ll have multiple kids ... go into the portal that we’ve had discussions with that held that off, out of respect for the team,” Smart said.
“I thought that was tremendous. We’ll have that. Everybody will think that’s a terrible thing. But in some cases it’s actually a good opportunity for kids.”
Indeed, and with the COVID-19 allowances for team roster numbers no longer in place, teams are expected to have to get back down to 85 scholarship players.
That’s a balancing act for Georgia, which Smart said has “16 or 17″ early enrollees on scholarship and on campus.
The Bulldogs are expected to have more attrition this weekend.
That list in the portal, at the moment, includes:
• CB Jalen Kimber
• CB Ameer Speed
• CB Lovasea Carroll
• DB Latavious Brini
• WR Justin Robinson
• WR Jaylen Johnson
Smart and Georgia have been active, though very selective, talking with players in the portal as well.
“I know people don’t understand it, but other teams are 10 days up on you because they finished January 1st, your competitors,” Smart said. “And you’re going, wait, they’re doing what? We’re trying to win a national championship.”
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett is among those who may or not be back with the Bulldogs. Bennett said he will come back only if he can “trust the decisions made” by Smart and the UGA coaching staff.
RELATED: What Stetson Bennett said on Good Morning America show
Here’s a look at players’ status
DEFENSE
Key returning players
DT Jalen Carter
DL Zion Logue
DL Warren Brinson
CB Kelee Ringo
LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson
FS Christopher Smith
RELATED: Christopher Smith boosts Bulldogs with news of return
SS Dan Jackson
Star Tykee Smith
Unknown/not announced
OLB Nolan Smith
CB Nyland Green
OLB Adam Anderson (suspended indefinitely)
OLB Robert Beal, Jr.
Departing players
NT Jordan Davis
DT Devonte Wyatt
LB Quay Walker
LB Channing Tindall
SS Lewis Cine (underclassman draft)
CB Derion Kendrick
LB Nakobe Dean (underclassman draft)
DE Travon Walker (underclassman draft)
DB Lovasea Carroll (portal)
CB Jalen Kimber (portal)
CB Ameer Speed (portal)
DB Latavious Brini (portal)
OFFENSE
Key Returning Players
OT Broderick Jones
OL Sedrick Van Pran
OL Tate Ratledge
OT Warren McClendon
OG Warren Ericson
OT Amarius Mims
TE Brock Bowers
WR Adonai Mitchell
WR Ladd McConkey
RB Kenny McIntosh
RB Kendall Milton
RB Daijun Edwards
QB Brock Vandagriff
Unknown/not announced
WR Kearis Jackson
WR Arian Smith
WR Jermaine Burton
WR Arik Gilbert
WR Dominick Blaylock
WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint
TE John FitzPatrick
OL Clay Webb
OL Owen Condon
TE Darnell Washington
QB Carson Beck
QB Stetson Bennett
QB JT Daniels
PK Jack Podlesny (graduate)
Departing players
RB Zamir White
RB James Cook
WR George Pickens (underclassman draft)
OL Jamaree Salyer
OG Justin Shaffer
WR Justin Robinson (portal)
WR Jaylen Johnson (portal)
P Jake Camarda
