Change of heart sees star Georgia running back declare for the NFL Draft

Georgia football has received a lot of great news so far this offseason, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Kirby Smart and his staff have added multiple impact transfers and even got some good news from some Bulldogs who decided to return to Georgia for another season.

One of those players was star running back Trevor Etienne, who earlier this offseason announced that he would be returning for another season at Georgia. However, just one week later, Etienne has had a change of heart as he announced late on Tuesday night that he is now declaring for the NFL Draft.

Where does Georgia turn now?

While it is really exciting to see a player of Etienne's caliber chase his dreams in the NFL, this news is a really tough pill to swallow. Etienne's return meant that Georgia would have one of the top running back duos in the country with sophomore Nate Frazier returning for his second season in Athens. Running back Cash Jones also announced his return as well which is huge for the passing game.

But this electric duo will no longer be taking the field at Georgia next season now that Etienne is heading to the draft. But even though this news is tough to see, Etienne will always be remembered as a great Bulldog. He came to Georgia last offseason after playing at Florida for two seasons, and he was cleary the best running back this season when healthy. This season he finished with 122 carries for 609 yards and nine touchdowns, and was one of the biggest reasons why Georgia was able to win an SEC Championship.

Heading into next season now, Georgia will turn to Frazier as the lead back who is more than ready for that role. Branson Robinson and Roderick Robinson will also return, and if they stay healthy will be great options as well. But it goes without saying that losing Etienne is difficult, but Georgia fans will continue to offer their full support as he surely will become a star in the NFL.