ATHENS — Georgia football sophomore outside linebacker Brenton Cox has entered the transfer portal after parting ways with the Bulldogs.
The portal reflected the transaction early on Monday afternoon.
Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning provided a clue earlier Monday morning that something could be amiss with Cox.
When asked how Cox might contribute to the team this season, Lanning replied, “That’s a good question. I would leave that up to coach Smart at this time.”
Cox, who was at the Bulldogs Fan Day on Saturday signing autographs, has been mired in competition for backup duties in a deep outside linebackers room.
Azeez Ojulari finished last season strong, and incoming freshman Nolan Smith and junior college transfer Jermaine Jonson impressed in spring drills.
Lanning also noted the play of Walter Grant, Adam Anderson and Robert Beal when asked about the outside linebackers group on Monday, notably leaving out Cox.
Four of the eight Georgia players who have entered the transfer portal this offseason had dealt with disciplinary action, including Cox.
Junior receiver J.J. Holloman had previously been the most recent Bulldogs player to enter the transfer portal after a 2018 domestic incident involving his girlfriend recently came to light.
RELATED: Georgia coach Kirby Smart reveals timeline on J.J. Holloman
Cox was arrested along with teammate Robert Beal on April 2 by the UGA Police Department with less than one ounce of marijuana found in their Rooker Hall dorm rooms, according to the Athens-Clarke County jail booking recap report.
RELATED: Details emerge on misdemeanor arrest of Brenton Cox
Cox took to social media following his arrest this spring, saying “some of us are facing hard obstacles in life that other people are making even harder.”
RELATED: Brenton Cox speaks out after marijuana arrest
Cox played in 13 games as a true freshman last season, making 20 tackles with 3 pass deflections and a sack.
But there were some rough patches, including an exchange of shoves with senior D’Andre Walker during the Middle Tennessee game.
“We had kind of a bust on defense, we didn’t close as we should have, and they gashed a pretty good run,” UGA captain Jonathan Ledbetter said last fall, explaining why Walker had gotten on to Cox.
“They did it two to three times, and the same individual was not closing.”
Kirby Smart explains Georgia teammates exchanging shoves
The containment issue came up again for Cox in the SEC Championship Game after Walker had exited with injury.
Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts was able to break contain on key plays as the Tide rallied for the win in he fourth quarter.
A 2018 Under Armour All-American, Cox was named to the 2017 All-State Class 5A First Team defense by the AJC and the Associated Press.
Cox was an ESPN.com five-star prospect, #11 in the ESPN 300, #8 overall prospect in the Southeast, #5 ranked DE nationally, #3 overall prospect in Georgia.
