Kirby Smart doesn’t bring in players from the Transfer Portal unless he believes they will contribute to his team and fit the culture he’s established inside the program’s football facility. Sometimes, this strategy works, and sometimes, it doesn't.
With spring practice a month away, let’s review where that group stands:
Wide Receiver Zachariah Branch: Considered the plum of the group after going into the portal from Southern Cal, the Bulldogs expect Branch to be a key part of the offense.
During his two seasons in Los Angeles, Branch caught 78 passes for 823 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 87 yards and a score.
At 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, Branch should also be the team’s primary weapon at punt returner after returning two punts for touchdowns during his career with the Trojans.
He’s expected to play slot receiver in Mike Bobo’s offense. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Safety Zion Branch: The brother of Zachariah, the older Branch saw his seasons cut short in both 2023 and 2024 for the Trojans
He did manage to play in all 13 games for the Trojans last fall in a backup role, with 19 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack.
Branch has two years of eligibility remaining.
While we don’t expect to see Branch earn a starting role, he’ll provide some valuable depth at safety for the Bulldogs, who need some at the position with Malaki Starks and Dan Jackson moving on to the NFL.
Athlete Micah Bell: Bell joins brother Dillon Bell in Athens, giving Georgia three sets of siblings on the team, including Zachariah and Zion Branch, along with Oscar and Henry Delp.
Like his brother, Micah Bell can do many things and comes to Georgia listed as an “athlete” because he can play many roles. Bulldog coaches will use the spring to sort out those roles.
Bell started his career at Notre Dame but played in only three games before transferring to Vanderbilt. With the Commodores, he did not play in any games.
He’ll have three years of eligibility.
Wide Receiver Noah Thomas: Georgia further fortified its receiving corps by adding 6-foot-5 wideout Noah Thomas, the leading receiver last season for Texas A&M with 39 catches for 574 yards and eight touchdowns.
Thomas is projected to take over at the X position for the Bulldogs, but like all newcomers, he’ll need to hit the ground running to learn the offense.
Last year his best performance came in a 43-41 loss in four overtimes at Auburn on Nov. 23. He had five catches for 124 yards with two scores. He had six receptions for 109 yards and one score in a 21-17 victory over Arkansas on Sept. 28.
He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Safety Adrian Maddox: Maddox had originally announced his intentions to transfer to Florida but flipped to Georgia after playing last season at UAB.
He began his college career at Alabama State before transferring to UAB. In his only season at UAB, Maddox played in 11 games and registered 44 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and one interception.
Per PFF, Maddox played 393 snaps last year for the Blazers, with an overall grade of 77 and a coverage grade of 83.1.
He has two years of eligibility.
Safety Jaden Harris: Harris started 13 games last year for Miami before the Atlanta native decided to call Georgia home.
He has two years of eligibility remaining.
In his 13 games for the Hurricanes, Harris picked up 40 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups and an interception. He’s expected to compete for one of the starting jobs at safety opposite returning starter KJ Bolden.
