ATHENS — Georgia football has a way of reloading, and this offseason doesn’t figure to be any different.
The Bulldogs’ list of comings and goings can be a bit overwhelming once one gets beyond the addition of new recruits and the subtraction of NFL-bound players.
The transfer portal has become its own plus-minus measure, with Coach Kirby Smart looking to plug holes at positions where UGA ends up short due to roster attrition or outgoing talent.
For this exercise — let’s call it that, after all, the Bulldogs are in their own offseason training/conditioning phase — a look at the highest rated/graded returning players and departing players on offense and defense, per the pay-site PFF.com ratings.
Another list is made up of the incoming and outgoing transfer portal players who saw offensive or defensive snaps last season for their respective teams.
It’s important to note that the grades from the PFF (Pro Football Focus) website have no relation to the confidential grades or evaluations Smart and his coaching staff give to the players.
The PFF player grades are from games only, while Smart and his staff evaluate the players each day with thorough review of practice football from multiple camera angles.
PFF Highest-graded UGA returning offensive players
(Minimum 5 games or 40 snaps)
RB Nate Frazier, 79.7, 13 games, 290 snaps
OG Micah Morris, 70.4, 11 games, 432 snaps
OT Monroe Freeling, 70.2, 14 games, 609 snaps
OC Drew Bobo, 69.9, 10 games, 224 snaps
RB Cash Jones, 68.3, 14 games, 203 snaps
Notes: Cole Speer (66.6) is the highest-graded returning receiver (min. 5 games), a notch ahead of Dillon Bell (64.2).
Georgia’s talent-rich tight ends room, led by Oscar Delp (56.4 rating), was the lowest-graded position on the whole. Delp’s PFF pass-blocking grade (34.3) was lowest among 2024 starters regardless of position.
Gunner Stockton (56.4 overall, 57.2 pass grade, 55.3 run grade) was the only player to start a game on offense who had a lower overall grade than Delp, per PFF.
RELATED: Parting shots on Georgia football season, CFP
Highest-graded UGA departing offensive players
RB Trevor Etienne, 82.2, 10 games, 382 snaps
QB Carson Beck, 81.2, 13 games, 846 snaps
OC Jared Wilson, 79.6, 12 games, 810 snaps
OG Dylan Fairchild, 74.6, 14 games, 876 snaps
OG Tate Ratledge, 74.4, 10 games, 500 snaps
Notes: Receiver Arian Smith was the lowest-graded starter who is departing (57.7). Tight end Ben Yurosek (61.0) was second lowest, with lineman Xavier Truss (the 62.0) next up on the list.
Highest-graded UGA returning defensive players
DT Christen Miller, 82.2, 12 games, 385 snaps
FS KJ Bolden, 82.0, 14 games, 552 snaps
DT Xzavier McLeod, 74.0, 11 games, 158 snaps
LB CJ Allen, 73.8, 14 games, 641 snaps
CB Daylen Everette, 72.6, 14 games, 905 snaps
Notes: Miller was the highest graded defensive player, a testament to the importance of his return and anticipated rise to stardom in 2025.
Bolden graded higher than departing projected first-round pick Malaki Starks, a reason for great optimism in the 2025 UGA secondary.
Highest-graded UGA departing defensive players
OLB Chaz Chambliss, 80.9, 14 games, 436 snaps
DB Malaki Starks, 78.3, 14 games, 907 snaps
DL Mykel Williams, 78.3, 12 games, 402 snaps
DT Nazir Stackhouse, 75.2, 14 games, 503 snaps
DT Warren Brinson, 73.9, 12 games, 405 snaps
Notes: Butkus Award-winner Jalon Walker was only the 11th-highest graded player on defense, which says something about not reading too much into the numbers. At the same time, Walker’s 62.3 grade against the run represented the heart of the defense’s struggles.
Damon Wilson Jr., who flashed pass-rush skills, was the lowest rated defender (55.6) who had more than 100 snaps last season (14 games, 417 snaps). This could explain why he’s in the transfer portal, as much as some have speculated it was about the player seeking more money.
Incoming UGA portal player grades
WR Noah Thomas, Texas A&M, 69.9, 664 snaps
SS Jaden Harris, Miami, 57.1, 661 snaps
WR Zachariah Branch, USC, 66.2, 490 snaps
DB Adrian Maddox, UAB, 82.4, 393 snaps
DB Zion Branch, USC, 68.1, 217 snaps
Notes: Adrian Maddox was the highest-graded player on the UAB defense last season, exceptionally high (89.5) in pass coverage. Bolden (83.9) had the highest coverage grade on the UGA defense last season, which played an appreciably more challenging schedule than UAB.
Jaden Harris was the lowest-graded Miami defender with more than 100 snaps (overall 57.1) last season, and was rated 41.9 in tackling. JaCorey Thomas (27.5) is the only returning UGA DB who had a lower tackling grade.
Much will be expected from incoming receivers. For perspective, returning Georgia receiver Dillon Bell had a 64.2 overall grade last season, while London Humphreys overall grade was 60.6.
Departing UGA portal player grades
QB Carson Beck, Miami, 81.2, 846 snaps
CB Julian Humphrey, Texas A&M, 67.5, 427 snaps
OLB Damon Wilson, Missouri, 55.6, 417 snaps
WR Anthony Evans, Mississippi St., 63.8, 110 snaps
DT Jamaal Jarrett, USC, 53.0, 69 snaps
FS Justyn Rhett, Nebraska, 35.6, 23 snaps
DE Sam M’Pemba, Texas A&M, 54.0, 15 snaps
LB Troy Bowles, Michigan, 67.9, 12 snaps
DB Jake Pope, UNLV, 58.4, 11 snaps
Notes: Beck’s talent can not be denied, but even as his leadership grew to a respectable level by end of season, it was still the big question about his future at UGA or as an NFL prospect.
Humphrey will be an impact add for the Aggies, but he got beat out at UGA and made the decision to move on rather than stay in a rotation and compete.
Evans’ abilities in the return game were explosive, and while he flashed as a pass catcher, his run blocking (39.1) was subpar and led to Etienne’s pivotal fumble against Notre Dame.