Georgia football has eight scholarship players in the transfer portal right now, and if you want to count walk-ons, there are 10. However, that number and who is in the portal isn’t enough to deem it the end of the world for the upcoming season.
These things happen when there is a lot of success, and it’s 2021 — the transfer portal is doing this to a lot of teams. When the Dawgs lose players to the portal, that frees up a scholarship which means they can go get another player in the portal.
College football is a business, and while it sucks to see some fan-favorite players leave, they have to make the best decision for themselves.
Georgia football fans need to take a deep breath and realize the transfer portal works both ways.
The latest player to hit the portal is wide receiver Jermaine Burton, who shocked the Georgia fan base.
Burton finished the season No.2 on the receiving list with 26 catches for 497 yards and five scores.
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While this decision is interesting, it doesn’t surprise us either. Burton and wide receiver coach Cortez Hankton were close, so when the Hankton news dropped about him going to LSU, maybe Burton wanted to go with him.
There are so many other reasons than the ones fans have cooked up all over the internet. Of course, those opinions are just that, opinions, but still, when it comes to the transfer portal, a lot of time, it’s because that is the best decision for said player.
The transfer portal has completely changed college football along with the NIL deals, so while there should be some better monitoring on the portal, it’s also there to benefit teams when players leave. Georgia has done a fantastic job the last couple of years getting players out of the portal to come and contribute in Athens.
From the first year with Alabama defensive back Maurice Smith to most recently with getting Derion Kendrick from Clemson, head coach Kirby Smart knows how to use the portal effectively.
Another good thing about the portal is that kids can withdraw their names if they choose to stay. Robert Beal Jr. did that, and he finished the season as Georgia’s sack leader. Sometimes a player just needs to explore their options to reaffirm their decision.
At the same time, if the player feels like he didn’t, then he has the opportunity to go without hurting his eligibility.
Yes, there are eight scholarship athletes from Georgia in the portal right now, but that is eight more scholarships the Dawgs can use to their advantage.
Some Fans speculate that because Stetson Bennett is coming back for his super senior season, Burton put his name in the portal, which isn’t a good look. It’s never good to assume things, especially about a guy that just won the team a national championship.
Burton has his own reasons for leaving Georgia, and maybe he won’t leave at all. Regardless, it’s not any of the fans’ business, and they should show support to him because he did his job in Athens.
Only time will tell with that one, but Georgia fans need to take a deep breath — these portal numbers are far from disastrous.
The guys in there, two will be super seniors, and among those not doing that, only two had significant playing time. Those other four players are looking for the right place because maybe Georgia wasn’t for them.
There is a spring season coming up, too, so more could put their name in there, and even though college football has had this portal for a little while now, it still stings to see players leave. However, Georgia has a lot of time deep-diving into the portal and finding some excellent talent.
Ten days ago, Georgia won the national championship, and now Dawg fans are worried about the roster. Enjoy the title a bit longer and trust that these coaches know what they’re doing. The transfer portal can be a great tool, and if anyone knows how to use it to their teams’ advantage — it’s Kirby Smart.
Georgia fans need to realize there is nothing to worry about, especially with the talented 2022 class coming in and the ability to have all spring to use the portal. A lot can happen between now and football season, so deep breath, Georgia fans, and know the Dawgs are just fine.