Amarius Mims Departure Impact on Georgia's Immediate and Distant Future

"For the next three to four years, I'll be taking my talents to..."

Emphasis on the three. No longer do elite-level prospects, the ones that demand national television attention for their commitment announcements, believe they are going to be in college for four to five years that are allotted in college football. Today, elite-level prospects are expecting three and out. Three years of college service and the dollars of NFL contracts begin to flow.

So, when five-star prospects are facing the idea of having to sit for a second consecutive season to start their college career — a career that they originally envisioned only lasting three seasons in total — they tend to begin seeking opportunities elsewhere.

That's where the story is currently at with former five-star tackle, Amarius Mims who entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on Sunday evening after just one calendar year in Athens.

So, as the highest-rated tackle to ever sign with the Georgia Bulldogs heads to the portal, we bring you the immediate impact on this roster.

Right Tackle Depth Chart Sliding

With Owen Condon having already entered the portal, Mims now in as well, on top of Jacob Hood being banged, Georgia suddenly is extremely thin at the tackle spot. So, with Mims out, according to sources redshirt sophomore Austin Blaske will be called upon to man that second-team right tackle spot opposite of freshman Earnest Greene. Blaske traveled as a utility offensive lineman in 2021, possessing the ability to play both center and tackle.

2023 Tackle Overhaul

Expect Georgia to push their chips in on tackles in the 2023 recruiting class. They've already gained a commitment from in-state tackle Bo Hughley, a 6'7 prospect out of Langston Hughes High School. Names like Shamrod Umarov (Denmark High), Paul Mubenga (Buford High), and DJ Chester (ELCA) are all examples of in-state tackle prospects that are within a few hours' drive from Athens, Georgia that offensive line coach Stacy Searels should be all in on.

It's a desperate need for this football team in the 2023 class and it just so happens to be a really solid class in state at the tackle position. Names like Kadyn Proctor, Roderick Kearney, Samson Okunola, and Olaus Alinen are all tremendous prospects, and Georgia will make a run at them all, but locking down the state alone will suffice in this class.

Take A Page Out of Bama's Book

Alex Leatherwood, Evan Neal, and JC Latham. What do all of those Alabama five-star offensive tackle recruits have in common? Well, a short stint at offensive guard. Their way of cracking the lineup as a freshman, or redshirt freshman, was through the prism of offensive guard, not tackle, where they all will likely play in the NFL.

Broderick Jones was willing to enter the second season of his career knowing he was backing up Jamaree Salyer at left tackle, waiting his turn. Amarius Mims was not willing to do the same behind Warren McClendon.

But what if it didn't have to be that way? What if you recruited tackles through the prism of "if you don't play early, you move to guard" like Bama seems to do? Or at least seemed to have achieved in the time of the portal.

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