ATHENS — Georgia inside linebacker Jaden Hunter has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Hunter is the son of the late Georgia receiver Brice Hunter, a UGA team captain and All-SEC pick who holds the school record for most receptions in a season (76, 1993).

Hunter’s mother, Brandi Hunter-Lewis, played basketball for Georgia (Brandi Decker) and was a member of two Final Four teams.

The Bulldogs have heavily recruited the linebacker position, diminishing Hunter’s chances for playing time. Hunter has also dealt with a hamstring injury this spring, according to coach Kirby Smart.

“Jaden has entered the portal, he’s seeking opportunities and has his own goals,” Hunter-Lewis said when contacted by DawgNation. “This has nothing to do with the University of Georgia or the coaching staff.

“Jaden loves Georgia and has respect for our family’s legacy at the University of Georgia.”

Players can enter the NCAA transfer portal and still remain at their current school, and the family has not ruled that out.

“I think at this point it’s just safe to say we’re exploring more opportunities,” Hunter-Lewis said, “and we’re going to trust God.”

Hunter, a redshirt sophomore from Atlanta’s Westlake High School, would be the third player to leave the Bulldogs program since the conclusion of the 2018 season.

Quarterback Justin Fields transferred to Ohio State and has been cleared by the NCAA for immediate eligibility.

Fields, like Hunter, was seeking a better opportunity for playing time after failing to pass incumbent Jake Fromm on the Bulldogs’ depth chart.

Tight end Luke Ford transferred to Illinois and had his first waiver request for eligibility denied.

Ford transferred back to the Land of Lincoln on account of his grandparents “deteriorating health.”

Hunter appeared in two games last season, against Austin Peay and Middle Tennessee State, and two games in 2017, against Appalachian State and Missouri.

Al.com first reported Hunter’s portal entry with a social media post.