Len’Neth Whitehead transfer helps Georgia running back room but doesn’t answer biggest question

If there was one position where Georgia was thought to possibly add a player via the transfer portal coming out of spring practice, the thought was that it would be at running back.

Georgia has five scholarship players at the position. But it finished spring practice with just one of them having made it healthy through all 15 spring practices. That would be freshman Roderick Robinson.

Prior to picking up a hamstring injury that sidelined him for most of spring practice, Milton spoke about the importance of being available for Georgia

“I would say a big thing is being able to just go through the season and maintain my health,” Milton said. “I would say that’s kind of one of the biggest points of this offseason. I focused on rehabbing and things like that. I made that a high emphasis.”

Even Whitehead doesn’t come in with a clean bill of health. He missed two of his three seasons at Tennessee due to injury. He did play in eight games for the Volunteers during the 2021 season and ran for 207 yards. He will also be returning home, as he starred at Athens Academy as a 4-star recruit in the 2020 recruiting cycle.

Bringing in Whitehead now gives Georgia four transfer additions this offseason. All four were at SEC programs last season. That is not a coincidence.

Whitehead gives Georgia another body in the running back room that is familiar with the rigors of the SEC. His addition doesn’t drastically change the upside of the room, nor does it answer the biggest question about the position for the 2023 season.

Someone is going to need to emerge as an every-game leader for Georgia in 2023. Whitehead doesn’t project to be that guy for Georgia. What he does add is another possible option and someone who, if needed, could reduce the number of hits a Milton, Edwards or Robinson take during the 2023 season.

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