The transfer portal has become college football’s modern arms race, and for the first time under Kirby Smart, Georgia appears to be lagging behind the pace. While programs like Texas A&M, Florida, and Ole Miss aggressively shop in the portal supermarket, Georgia seems to be with an empty shopping cart.

So far, Georgia ranks 10th in the SEC in transfer portal team rankings, with just five commits and a 74.50 rating per On3. That number stands out even more when you look at the departures, because they have been significant too.

Running back Roderick Robinson, who scored a touchdown in the SEC Championship game against Alabama, is gone after three years with just six carries in 2025. Defensive back Daniel Harris, who started the first three games before losing his job, hit the portal. But that’s not all.

Defensive lineman Jordan Thomas transferred to South Carolina after playing just 64 snaps over two seasons. Safety Joenel Aguero landed at Ole Miss, and cornerback Ondre Evans committed to NC State. Add in tight end Pearce Spurlin, who got medical clearance after a heart condition and entered the portal, plus several offensive linemen and linebackers, and Georgia has lost about eleven scholarship players.​

On the flip side, Georgia has brought in some talent, just not at the volume other SEC programs are operating with. They’ve added Khalil Barnes, a defensive back from Clemson who has ties to Athens. Georgia is also in “good shape” for another SEC defensive back, according to On3’s Steve Wiltfong. The Bulldogs have landed five portal commits total, including two four-stars. But it’s the quantity that’s raising eyebrows when you look around the conference. Georgia is heavily involved with edge rushers and defensive backs. But 11 outgoing recruits and just 5 incoming recruits hurt, especially when you’re in the SEC. 

But Kirby Smart has never been a portal-first guy, and maybe that’s not a problem. Since Smart arrived at Georgia, the Bulldogs haven’t finished outside the top-4 in consensus recruiting rankings. They have consistently landed five-star talent and developed them into NFL Draft picks. Smart’s philosophy has always been “recruit the best and play everyone.” He gives young players significant snaps to develop rather than relying on portal mercenaries. 

Kirby Smart is known for rotating players heavily. He gives young players a chance to reach their ceilings. And he builds that depth organically rather than getting players off the portal.“If you come to Georgia, you expect to play,” Smart said at SEC Media Days, emphasizing how his system creates opportunities for high school recruits.

That development model has worked pretty well until now. The portal isn’t everything. And his track record suggests he’s figured out how to build a program that doesn’t need to be.​

Smart pivots fast after the portal setback

Just when it looked like Georgia might’ve caught a break in the portal, Tre Richardson pulled the rug out from under them. The Vanderbilt transfer wide receiver had visited Athens and seemed like a perfect fit. He had 46 catches for 806 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025 made him one of the more productive wideouts available. But Richardson stunned the Bulldogs by committing to Louisville instead. He left Kirby Smart staring at a receiver room that desperately needed immediate help. 

Smart didn’t panic, though. Less than 48 hours later, he locked down Dallas Dickerson, a three-star hometown kid from North Oconee who’d just been released from his Kentucky letter of intent after the Wildcats changed head coaches. “I am going to Georgia, and this feels like a dream coming true,” Dickerson said after his commitment. “I grew up watching the Dawgs. It’s also great that I get the opportunity to play with two high school teammates.”​

Dickerson ran a 4.42 forty at a Georgia camp and joked it was one of his “slower” times, plus he’s got track speed of 10.36 in the 100 meters. At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, he fits Georgia’s receiver prototype perfectly and helped North Oconee win a state championship in 2024. He’s now the fourth Titan on the roster alongside freshman edge rusher Khamari Brooks, rising sophomore Landon Roldan, and transfer Khalil Barnes. 

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