Georgia Great Aaron Murray Sounds Alarm on Program’s Transfer Portal Losses

The Bulldogs great is concerned after the exodus of UGA players into the portal continued Friday.

The transfer portal has brought on an unprecedented level of player movement in college football, and even the back-to-back national champions aren’t immune. 

Georgia has seen an exodus of players seeking to transfer elsewhere. As of Friday, 17 players are in the portal according to On3. Linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson and cornerback A.J. Harris, two former blue-chip recruits, are among the latest entrants into the portal. 

UGA isn’t alone in losing a number of talented players to the portal, but that hasn’t stopped one notable former Bulldog from ringing alarm bells. On Friday, Georgia great Aaron Murray, a quarterback for the program from 2009 to 2013, expressed concern over the losses.

“Idk if I have seen this many 5 ⭐️ leave a program before,” Murray posted on X (formerly Twitter). “What is the world is happening in Athens? These top recruits not liking all the competition?”

Brock Vandagriff, a former five-star quarterback recruit, is among the most notable transfers out, and has already committed to another SEC program: Kentucky.

Defensive lineman Jonathan Jefferson is SMU-bound. Wide receiver Jackson Meeks is heading to Syracuse, where former UGA assistant Fran Brown has taken over as head coach. On Friday, offensive tackle Austin Blaske committed to North Carolina.

Murray, a former Georgia QB, expressed concerns over the team’s 2024 transfer portal osses :: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

Meanwhile, the Georgia staff, which is prepping for the Dec. 30 Orange Bowl against Florida State, has not yet landed an incoming transfer in its 2024 recruiting class. The program has once again thrived in traditional high school recruiting, with 28 players currently committed in a top-ranked class, though quarterback Dylan Raiola—the top-ranked player in the class—has caused some consternation with his impending visit to Nebraska. 

The departures probably shouldn’t be overly concerning to Murray and the rest of the Bulldog faithful, however. Kirby Smart’s program is still 41–2 over the last three years, with a pair of national titles and compete for the nation’s best recruiting class on an annual basis.