Georgia Bulldogs Making Up for Lost Time Heading in 2026 Season

The Georgia Bulldogs are making up for lost time heading into the 2026 season.

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Demello Jones (15) celebrates a tackle with linebacker Chris Cole (9) and linebacker Quintavius Johnson (33) in the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Georgia Bulldogs are making up for lost time heading into the 2026 season.

The Georgia Bulldogs made it evident this offseason that they wanted to focus on retaining the players on their roster as opposed to getting super active in the transfer portal. The Bulldogs had 15 players enter the transfer portal and took in just nine players from other programs.

Georgia might be going against the grain of what is considered the new meta in college football. It could simply be explained as that is what Kirby Smart has always believed in. You recruit good players of high school, you develop them and prepare them for the next level. It's what led to two national titles in the first place.

However, this offseason, might be explained as Georgia making up for lost time.

Kirby Smart Set to Prove the Doubters Wrong

Jan 1, 2026; New Orleans, LA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart arrives prior to the 2026 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Mississippi Rebels at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Over the last few years, Georgia has remained as one of the top teams in the country. They have made back-to-back playoff appearances, but it hasn't resulted in much postseason success. A reason for that could be pointed toward a previous recruiting class for Georgia.

In 2023, Georgia landed one of the nation's top recruiting classes. They brought in 26 total players that year and it looked like Georgia was tracking to remain at the top of the sport. Mind you, this class came immediately after Georgia won it's second consecutive national title.

However, that class didn't pan out the way Georgia hoped it would.

Of the 26 players from that class, only eight of them are either still on Georgia's roster or finished their careers at Georgia. Those names: Monroe Freeling, CJ Allen, Raylen Wilson, Jordan Hall, Lawson Luckie, Gabe Harris, Kyron Jones and Peyton Woodring. Every other player from that class has since transferred out of the University of Georgia.

Considering the amount of attrition Georgia has experienced from that class, the Bulldogs were never able to turn that class into a unified and impactful group of players. Thankfully for Georgia, that trend didn't last long.

In 2024, Georgia signed what many considered the top recruiting class in college football. Of the 30 players who enrolled from that class, only six of them have transfered out of Georgia. Those names: Jordan Thomas, Ondre Evans, Nitro Tuggle, Kris Jones, Marques Easley and Nyier Daniels.

It should be noted that Daniels, Easley and Tuggle were indefinitely suspended from the team following violations of team rules and later entered the portal.

The 2024 class is not entering their third year at the University of Georgia. Year three is often the point and time when players make the biggest jump in their impact on the field. So with the majority of that class still at the University of Georgia, the Bulldogs will have the opportunity to prove that retaining and developing players still leads to success in college football.

An even better sign for Georgia? In 2025, the Bulldogs landed another top recruiting class that consisted of 27 total players. Only one player from that class has entered the portal, which was Dominick Kelly, who was a late entry to the portal this offseason and committed to Ohio State. Every other player from that class remains on Georgia's roster.

Another large group of players that will get another offseason of development heading into year two of their careers.

Some might say Kirby Smart's method heading into this season is outdated and the sport is passing him by. The real truth is this is Georgia's first chance in the expanded playoff era and in the NIL era of college football that Coach Smart will have a roster filled with players that have remained committed to Georgia and his staff has gotten to develop for multiple seasons.