ATHENS — When it comes to the transfer portal, the only real surprise would be if nothing surprising happened.
The Georgia Bulldogs felt a shock Monday when outside linebacker Damon Wilson announced his plans to enter the transfer portal, outweighing announcements by Christen Miller, who said he is returning to UGA, and Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams and Malaki Starks, all of whom declared for the NFL draft.
Wilson, who had 22 tackles and three sacks last season, served as a rotational defender but saw plenty of snaps while spelling Williams and Chaz Chambliss at outside linebacker. Neither Williams or Chambliss — he was a senior in 2024 — will be on the team next season, which opened the door for Wilson to occupy a role.
Though Wilson plans to enter the transfer portal, it does not, in fact, mean that the native of Venice, Florida, is gone.
There are plenty of examples of players who have announced transfer intentions only to end up staying. Amarius Mims, Daniel Harris, Julian Humphrey and Miller have done so in recent years.
Wilson became the 10th Georgia player to announce they were entering the transfer portal this offseason. He is easily the most impactful of the players to go into the portal, in part because of what Georgia is projected to bring back at his outside linebacker position.
While Humphrey started 10 games this season, Harris had passed him on the cornerback depth chart, with Ellis Robinson and Demello Jones waiting in the wings. That is before factoring in whether Daylen Everette enters the draft or elects to return to Georgia for another season.
Georgia does not have the same depth at outside linebacker.
With 6½ sacks, Chambliss was the most productive player for UGA outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribelast season. The only players to have more sacks in a season under Kirby Smart are D’Andre Walker with 7½ in 2018 and Azeez Ojulari in 2020 with 8½.
While Chambliss and Wilson worked with Uzo-Diribe as their position coach, Georgia’s multiple fronts often gave Jalon Walker and Williams the chance to work as edge rushers in certain situations. Walker was tied with Chambliss for the team lead in sacks with 6½, Williams was third with five and Wilson, Smael Mondon Jr. and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins were tied for fourth with three sacks each.
If Wilson does end up transferring and Ingram-Dawkins decides to go pro, 27 of UGA’s 37 sacks from this past season will be gone.
Ingram-Dawkins and his decision now become all the more worth watching. He primarily plays defensive end and wouldn’t help as an outside linebacker, especially since Georgia isn’t likely to ask a 280-pound player to drop back into coverage on occasion. Ingram-Dawkins recorded his best season at Georgia this past year, producing 19 tackles, including eight tackles for loss and three sacks.
Beyond Ingram-Dawkins, Gabe Harris becomes a much more important piece in the Georgia defense. He has played all over the defensive front and flashed on occasion. Being that outside linebacker is now what it is, Harris is likely to play more there than with his hand in the dirt. He appeared in eight games last season, totaling 14 tackles, including 3½ tackles for loss and two sacks.
Harris signed in the same class as Wilson and Sam M’Pemba, who transferred to Texas A&M this offseason.
Rising sophomore Quintavius Johnson could pick up a lot of snaps as well. He earned a spot on special teams last season, an encouraging sign for a young player. He also made some waves in fall camp but ended being behind several talented players at the position.
Joseph Jonah-Ajonye also becomes an even bigger piece for Georgia moving forward. He was the Bulldogs’ top-ranked defensive lineman in the 2024 class and seemed well-positioned to be part of the D-line rotation as a freshman. But a foot injury limited him to just four games this fall, and he ended up redshirting.
Uzo-Diribe brought in a talented class of 2025 in Isaiah Gibson, Darren Ikinnagbon and Chase Linton. The three already are on campus and were with the team in New Orleans for the season-ending Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame. While they were all viewed as top-100 high school prospects by at least one of the major recruiting services, it would be a big request for any of them to provide what Wilson would be expected to contribute in 2025.
As a freshman, Wilson had a half-sack sacks and a half-tackle for loss. He was Georgia’s top-ranked signee for that cycle.
Entering what would be his third season at Georgia, he was expected to be a major piece of not just of the defensive front but the entire team. His potential exit, though not official yet, leaves Georgia facing major questions as it continues to build and shape its 2025 team.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
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