Right before Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs play their fifth straight SEC Championship Game against Alabama, the team hit a roadblock. Word on the street is that Smart’s program is suing Missouri defensive end Damon Wilson for $390k for not complying with his contract. According to college football insiders, this could be the beginning of the end for the transfer portal.

“Georgia is suing a former football player for almost half a million dollars,” Evan Hand said on X. “This might be the beginning of the end for the transfer portal.”

Wilson played two years at Georgia before transferring to Missouri. He had a great season this year, racking up 20 tackles, nine sacks, a fumble recovery, and a pick. His transfer and outstanding performance may have contributed to the issue.

The problem is tied to his NIL contract with the Classic City Collective, Georgia’s former collective. Wilson signed the deal while he was still with the Dawgs back in late 2024. He agreed to a 14-month contract that would pay him for various activities, including appearances, events, and representing the team.

The deal was worth approximately $500,000 in total, comprising $30,000 per month and two $40,000 bonuses for remaining in Georgia.

Inside that contract, there was a “liquidated damages clause.” This essentially means that if Wilson left the school early by withdrawing or transferring, he would be required to repay the remaining unpaid amount to the school’s collective.

Wilson transferred before the deal ended, having played for them for two years back in January, and Georgia says that means he has to return $390k.

Georgia claims they have already paid Wilson $110,000; however, because he did not complete the entire contract, he is legally obligated to repay the remaining amount. Many schools are now adding these clauses to stop players from leaving so easily. However, this raises a significant question: Is it fair to penalize student-athletes for making career decisions?

If Georgia wins the lawsuit, it could change college sports. Other schools might use the same type of contracts, which could lead to more lawsuits or pressure on players.

This case may establish the first significant rule governing NIL deals and transfers in the future.

Damon Wilson was aware of it the whole time

This was not actually the first time Damon had heard about the money issue. In fact, back in January, when he was talking to other schools, he reportedly told them he had a $400,000 buyout sitting on his NIL rights.

That means any school that wanted him would have to pay Georgia’s collective that money before they could even pay him his own salary.

When Wilson was first recruited, he received some tremendous NIL offers, even seven-figure numbers. He chose Georgia, and he was still one of the most expensive players in their 2023 class because NIL has become complicated, with some players accepting money but not fulfilling their deals.

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Some schools promise money they never pay, and Georgia started adding buyout clauses to protect itself. Wilson’s contract was one of these.

So when Damon entered the transfer portal, he didn’t just carry his talent with him; he also took the $400,000 buyout tag. For example, if he asked Missouri for $500,000 a year, Missouri would have to pay that after paying Georgia $400,000 just for the right to sign him.
It’s safe to say that Missouri was willing to do this.

They saw value in landing a high-level player and were ready to pay both the buyout and Damon’s own salary. But bigger programs like Ohio State were not. They reportedly backed away because paying Damon, in addition to the $400,000 fee, was simply too much.

Wilson was told about the lawsuit in November 2025, and now he has only a short time to reply. If he doesn’t respond fast enough, the court can rule against him automatically.