ATHENS — Georgia junior receiver Matt Landers has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, per AL.com reports.
Landers had just two catches for a career-high 27 yards this season, both in the opening game at Arkansas, and was not targeted in the 24-21 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pounder from St. Petersburg, Fla., appeared to gain some much-needed momentum in last year’s Sugar Bowl win over Baylor when he made a career-high three catches in the game.
But Landers never could quite find his stride with the Bulldogs after choosing them over Florida, Auburn and Cincinnati as a 3-star prospect in the 2017 class.
Landers, himself, said he had “a lot left to prove” during the 2019 season.
RELATED: Landers said he had ‘little altercation’ with coach freshman year
Coach Kirby Smart had said he felt Landers had come a long way last year.
“Matt and I have had our differences on the practice field many of times,” Smart said during the 2019 season, “and Matt has come a long way.”
But apparently, Landers had not come far enough to hold off a surge of incoming talent at the receiver position over the past two seasons.
Sophomore George Pickens is back as the Bulldogs’ top receiving option now that JT Daniels is under center and slinging the ball downfield, with freshman Jermaine Burton a close No. 2.
Redshirt sophomore Kearis Jackson remains involved, as do the Bulldogs’ tight ends, a recent trend that’s expected to continue with freshman Darnell Washington and sophomore John FitzPatrick returning.
Georgia also expects to get redshirt sophomore Dominick Blaylock back from injury.
The Bulldogs have already seen receivers Trey Blount and Makiya Toungue leave the team via the NCAA transfer portal, and Tommy Bush has not been playing with the team since he was involved in an off-field accident.
Here’s a look at the Georgia leaders in receiving yards:
WR Kearis Jackson, 36 catches, 514 yards
WR George Pickens, 36 catches, 513 yards
WR Jermaine Burton, 27 catches, 404 yards
RB James Cook, 16 catches, 225 yards
TE Darnell Washington, 7 catches, 166 yards
RB Kenny McIntosh, 10 catches, 111 yards
WR Demetris Robertson, 12 catches, 110 yards
TE Tre McKitty, 6 catches, 108 yards
TE John Fitzpatrick, 10 catches, 95 yards
WR Arian Smith, 2 catches, 86 yards
WR Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint 4 catches, 62 yards
RB Zamir White, 6 catches, 37 yards
WR Matt Landers, 2 catches, 27 yards
*5 others with one catch not listed