ATHENS — The NCAA Board of Directors has approved a new waiver policy that will grant all fall sports athletes an added year of eligibility, regardless of whether or how much they compete in the fall or spring semester.

 

 

According to The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach a “blanket waiver” has been passed that will allow athletics’ aid to a fall sports athlete who would have used up his/her eligibility in 2020-21.

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That means seniors on current football teams can return without counting against the 85-scholarship limit.

A recommendation to move fall championships to the spring was also approved. That measure does not, however, apply to the FBS football ranks as things stand.

A look at the Georgia football roster reveals the new added senior eligibility aid rule won’t likely have much of an impact for the Bulldogs, barring injuries.

Most of the UGA seniors have either already started or played enough to show NFL draft or free agency potential.

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The added year of eligibility could, however, trigger some Georgia sophomores and juniors to consider a transfer now that they would have three or four years of eligibility remaining at another school.

The Bulldogs have had three prominent players transfer during this past offseason: Cade Mays (Tennessee), Otis Reese (Ole Miss) and Divaad Wilson (Central Florida).

Because Mays and Reese transferred within the conference, the SEC must also approve their requests for immediate eligibility.

Mays’ case is getting particularly ugly, with Tennessee fans growing frustrated and an attorney claiming Mays needed to transfer because of a supposed “toxic environment.”

Here’s a look at how the Bulldogs’ roster breaks down, by class.

RS Senior/ grad transfer (5)

QB Jamie Newman

TE Tre’ McKitty

WR Demetris Robertson

OG Ben Cleveland

DT Julian Rochester

Senior (10)

OG Justin Shaffer

DE Malik Herring

DT Devonte Wyatt

OLB Jermaine Johnson

OLB Walter Grant

MLB Nate McBride

MLB Monty Rice

STAR Mark Webb

S Richard LeCounte

CB D.J. Daniel

RS Junior  (9)

QB Stetson Bennett

WR Matt Landers

WR Trey Blount

OL Netori Johnson

OLB Robert Beal

STAR William Poole

CB Eric Stokes

CB Ameer Speed

S Latavious Brini

Junior (10)

RB James Cook

OL Jamaree Salyer

C Trey Hill

NT Jordan Davis

OLB Adam Anderson

MLB Channing Tindall

MLB Quay Walker

CB Tyson Campbell

S Chris Smith

P Jake Camarda

RS Sophomore (9)

QB JT Daniels

RB Zamir White

TE John FitzPatrick

WR Tommy Bush

WR Kearis Jackson

OT Owen Condon

OG Warren Ericson

DE Tramel Walthour

OLB Azeez Ojulari

Sophomore (9)

RB Kenny McIntosh

WR George Pickens

WR Dominick Blaylock

DE Travon Walker

OLB Nolan Smith

MLB Nakobe Dean

MLB Trezmen Marshall

STAR Tyrique Stevenson

S Lewis Cine

RS Freshman (11)

QB D’Wan Mathis

TE Ryland Goede

TE Brett Seither

WR Makiya Tongue

OT Xavier Truss

OT Warren McClendon

C Clay Webb

NT Tymon Mitchell

DT Bill Norton

DT Zion Logue

MLB Rian Davis

Freshman (25)

QB Carson Beck

RB Kendall Milton

RB Daijun Edwards

TE Darnell Washington

WR Marcus Rosemy

WR Jermaine Burton

WR Arian Smith

WR Justin Robinson

WR Ladd McConkey

OT Broderick Jones

OT Tate Ratledge

OT Chad Lindberg

OT Austin Blaske

OG Devon Willock

C Sedrick Van Pran

C Cameron Kinnie

DT Jalen Carter

DT Warren Brinson

DT Nazir Stackhouse

OLB Mekhail Sherman

CB Jalen Kimber

CB Kelee Ringo

CB Daran Branch

S Major Burns

K Jared Zirkel

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