ATHENS — It’s no longer feasible to not use the transfer portal to build out your roster.
Even a program that recruits the high school ranks as well as Georgia still needs to rely on the transfer portal to make up for the talent exiting the program. The Bulldogs had 16 players leave the program via the transfer portal this offseason.
That’s down from the 21 that left last season. Georgia also leaned more on the transfer portal in this cycle, pulling in 10 players out of the transfer portal.
Six of them went through spring practice with the Bulldogs, adding an additional four players during the spring window.
Below is a ranking of how impactful we think the new additions will be for Georgia for the upcoming 2025 season. Of the additions, seven have multiple years of eligibility beyond this season, but what they can do beyond this season isn’t factored into these rankings.
No. 10. Micah Bell, running back
Georgia landed Bell as a transfer from Vanderbilt. Prior to that Bell played at Notre Dame. He’s repped at both wide receiver and defensive backs but will assist the running back room in his time at Georgia.
Bell is the younger brother of senior wide receiver Dillon Bell.
No. 9. Joshua Horton, defensive line
Horton is one of four spring arrivals, as he comes over from Miami. Horton has three seasons of eligibility remaining and is at best viewed as a depth add on the defensive line this season.
While Georgia does have to replace four contributors from last year’s group who went to the NFL, there are players ahead of Horton on the depth chart who will get the first crack at playing time.
No. 8. Waltclare Flynn, offensive line
Flynn edges past Horton in large part due to the position he plays. While Georgia has plenty of young offensive linemen hoping to break into the lineup, Georgia isn’t all that deep at the center position.
Drew Bobo is the clear starter for the Bulldogs at the position. But when he briefly missed time this spring, it showed how shallow the depth is at the position. Malachi Tolliver, a redshirt freshman, was next up at the position. Behind him was freshman Cortez Smith Jr.
Flynn doesn’t have much experience, as he redshirted at Central Florida last season, but he does give Georgia another body.
No. 7. Jaden Harris, safety
Harris is one of three defensive back additions to come in via the transfer portal. Harris comes in from Miami, where he does have starting experience.
Based on spring practice, Maddox and Branch seem to be ahead of Harris. But that Georgia made a point to add three defensive backs shows that it clearly has plans for Harris.
No. 6. Adrian Maddox, star
We have Maddox just ahead of Harris for this exercise. During spring practice, JaCorey Thomas worked as the team’s first-string safety alongside KJ Bolden. At star, Joenel Aguero was viewed as Georgia’s top choice.
Maddox did perform well at G-Day, finishing with a sack.
No. 5. Zion Branch, safety
We’ve got Branch just ahead of Maddox and Harris because he’s got the highest physical upside of Georgia’s three defensive back additions. Georgia does not have another defensive back that can move like Branch.
He’ll have to stay healthy, something he didn’t do at USC, in order to stay on the field and give Georgia another athletic body in the secondary.
No. 4. Noah Thomas, wide receiver
It would not surprise us in the slightest if Thomas ended the season as the most impactful transfer addition. He led Texas A&M in every receiving category a season ago and has a history with wide receivers coach James Coley.
The reason we have Thomas at four is no fault of his own, but rather the presence of Colbie Young. Both give Georgia a big-bodied wide receiver that the offense lacked a season ago. The Bulldogs will look to get contributions out of both this fall, even if their production eats into the others.
No. 3. Joshua McCray, running back
McCray won’t be Georgia’s leading rusher, as Nate Frazier is expected to be Georgia’s lead running back.
But McCray’s physical running style should help him earn carries for Georgia this season. Like Thomas, he comes to Georgia with proven production. He led Illinois in rushing last season, adding 10 touchdowns as well.
No. 2. Elo Modozie, outside linebacker
McCray and Thomas have proven production at the Power 4 level. Modozie led his last school in sacks last season, but he did so for Army.
The reason we see him having a bigger impact is because of the situation at outside linebacker. Georgia likes what it has in Gabe Harris, but the junior can and will also help along the defensive line as he did in his first two seasons in Athens.
If Modozie can handle the jump in competition, he should be able to log plenty of snaps for the Bulldogs.
No. 1. Zachariah Branch, wide receiver
Thomas, McCray, or Modozie could all finish as No. 1 and it would not come as a surprise.
But there are two things that separate Branch from his contemporaries. Georgia does not have someone in the wide receiver room who can stretch the field with their speed like Branch. He’ll split reps at the slot receiver position but expect him to be a key piece in the receiver room.
What also helps Branch is that he will make a massive impact as Georgia’s punt and kick returner. Special teams are massively important to Kirby Smart and Branch should be an ace in that regard.
