In a surprising move, former Georgia football quarterback JT Daniels will be entering the NCAA transfer portal. This will be the third time Daniels has entered the transfer portal. Daniels spent the 2022 season with West Virginia. He completed 61% of his passes for 2,107 yards and 13 touchdowns in ten games. He was replaced by backup Garrett Greene for the remaining two games as the Mountaineers finished with a 5-7 record.
JT’s football career has definitely been a memorable one, both for good and bad. He played at the famous Mater Dei High School in California, which has produced star quarterbacks such as Matt Leinart, Matt Barkley, and Bryce Young. As a five-star recruit, he committed to play at USC for coach Clay Helton.
After a solid freshman season in 2018, Daniels suffered an ACL injury in 2019. The Trojans’ backup quarterback Kedon Slovis, who will also be transferring this year, took over and played well in JT’s absence. Looking for a new opportunity, Daniels would enter the portal, and made his way to Georgia. The Dawgs were looking to replace three-year starter Jake Fromm, who was entering the 2020 NFL Draft.
Former Georgia Football quarterback JT Daniels will be entering the NCAA transfer portal
Daniels was not cleared to play until late in the 2020 season. His first game as a Bulldog was memorable, as he threw for over 400 passing yards to help Georgia defeat Mississippi State 31-24. Georgia would win the remainder of their games in 2020, including a come-from-behind win against Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl. His big arm and connection with Georgia receivers George Pickens and Jermaine Burton had fans excited for 2021.
However, we all know what happened in 2021. Daniels began the year as the starter, suffered a lat injury, and lost the starting job to Stetson Bennett, all while many fans (including myself) clamored for him to become the starting quarterback again multiple times throughout the season. I’d say everything worked out in the end though.
Despite his stat-line from 2022, Daniels should garner some interest from other schools. At 6’2, he has great arm talent and can spread the ball across the field quickly. However, some coaches might be skeptical about the fact that he has lost the starting quarterback job more than once in his career.
What schools might be interested in JT? One that pops to mind is Georgia Southern. The Eagles are being led by Clay Helton, who recruited Daniels to USC. They will also be looking for a new starting quarterback for next season, as their current starter, Kyle Vantrease, will be leaving after their season ends. Could Helton convince his former QB to come to Statesboro?
Another school that could be in the mix is the California Golden Bears. Daniels grew up in Santa Ana, CA, and he may want to be closer to home after spending the past three years on the East Coast. Cal’s QB, Jack Plummer, is also a fifth-year senior, so they will also be looking for a new starter.
With over 1,000 players reportedly in it, the transfer portal has become college football’s version of free agency. Georgia already appears to be actively recruiting players from the portal. Former Mississippi State wide receiver Rara Thomas announced that he received an offer from the Dawgs yesterday.
As a sophomore, Thomas had 44 catches for 626 yards and seven touchdowns. He would be a great weapon to pair alongside AD Mitchell, Ladd McConkey, and other returning wide receivers for Georgia in 2023.
Offered🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/aIoknWdtCd
— Rara thomas (@Rarathomas_) December 5, 2022
It will be interesting to see where Daniels, Thomas, and the other players in the transfer portal end up. Kirby Smart would likely want to pick up some more weapons for the team, but for now, his focus is on beating Ohio State in the CFP Semifinal game.