Projecting Who's Staying and Who's Leaving from Georgia After Bowl Game
Georgia narrowly missed a shot at a third straight national championship in 2023, but the dynasty might not be ending anytime soon.
After crushing a short-handed Florida State team 63-3 in the Orange Bowl, the Dawgs closed the campaign at 13-1.
While the SEC enters a fresh era with Oklahoma and Texas set to join the conference, the offseason should be business as usual in Athens. NFL draft prospects will leave and some players will transfer, but Kirby Smart's program will again have a loaded roster in 2024.
The following sections—who's staying, leaving and on the way—are a mix of projections and reported/confirmed plans.
Who's Staying
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Carson Beck
He wasn't flashy. He was, however, very effective. As a first-year starter, Carson Beck closed the regular season with 9.4 yards per attempt—a top-10 mark in the country. Beck has already said he'll return in 2024, only confirming Georgia's inevitable spot as a CFP favorite.
Several Key Receivers
Tight end Brock Bowers will be gone, but UGA should welcome back a few valuable wideouts. The big question mark is whether Ladd McConkey and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint turn pro. However, call it a sneaking suspicion that both return in 2024 alongside Dominic Lovett and Rara Thomas to give the Dawgs a high-floor receiving corps.
Next Wave of NFL Defenders
While the defense is expected to lose a few starters—more on that shortly—Georgia knows it can build around three true juniors. Edge-rusher Mykel Williams, cornerback Daylen Everette and safety Malaki Starks have established themselves as key players for UGA.
Who's Leaving
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Brock Bowers, the Real Matchup Nightmare
"Too big for defensive backs and too fast for linebackers" is a commonly used description for tight ends. How often that actually translates to the field is debatable. Brock Bowers, though, put that phrase into action in his three seasons. He earned AP All-America honors each year and will likely be a top-10 selection in the 2024 NFL draft.
More NFL Draft Departures
The latest big board from B/R's NFL Scouting Department features Bowers as the second-best prospect. Behind him, offensive tackle Amarius Mims (26th), cornerback Kamari Lassiter (41st) and safety Javon Bullard (48th) are top-50 talents. The pro pipeline is still flowing nicely.
Outgoing Transfers
More than a dozen players have exited Georgia in the last three transfer cycles, so this is nothing new. Still, the Dawgs already have 19 players—including quarterback Brock Vandagriff, edge-rusher Marvin Jones Jr., linebackers Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Xavian Sorey Jr. and several young defensive backs—in the portal.
Who's on the Way
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Offensive Reinforcements
Georgia had a decent rushing attack in 2023, but the room lacked a playmaker. Florida transfer Trevor Etienne posted two 700-yard seasons with the rival Gators and may change that in a hurry. Georgia is also adding Miami wideout Colbie Young and Vanderbilt receiver London Humphreys, who combined for 1,002 yards and nine scores this year.
5-Star Defenders
Within the nation's top-ranked class, UGA inked a quartet of 5-stars. Unsurprisingly, they're all defenders. The group includes cornerback Ellis Robinson IV (third overall), linebacker Justin Williams (eighth), safety KJ Bolden (14th) and D-tackle Joseph Jonah-Ajonye.
The Rest of the No. 1 Haul
Overall, the Dawgs signed 28 players in the 2024 cycle. Following those 5-stars, Georgia has 20 more 4-star signees with six additional top-100 prospects. Outside of that top-100 group, a notable player is 4-star quarterback Ryan Puglisi. He became particularly important to UGA's class after 5-star Dylan Raiola's last-minute flip to Nebraska.
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