Georgia Football: How UGA transfers fared in regular season
College Football’s regular season is over, and today the focus is on Army-Navy, the Heisman Trophy and the season that was. As a part of that celebration of football, DawgsHQ is here to provide you with a check in on how Georgia transfers did in 2022 at their new homes.
Matt Landers (Arkansas)
Probably the most successful Bulldog to enter the transfer portal was wide receiver Matt Landers, and that says a lot about the improvement he’s made since leaving Athens. In his two seasons playing in Athens, Landers only managed to haul in 12 receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown. In his one season with KJ Jefferson and the Razorbacks, Landers caught 44 passes for 780 yards and seven touchdowns. He finished the regular season seventh in the SEC in receiving yards and fourth in receiving touchdowns, higher than any individual Bulldog.
Landers is set to play his last collegiate game when the Razorbacks face the Kansas Jayhawks in the Liberty Bowl on December 28th.
Otis Reese (Ole Miss)
It feels unfair to call Otis Reese a former Bulldog considering he’s spent the majority of his career playing for the Rebels, but that won’t keep us from talking about the impressive output he’s had this season. In 12 games, Reese totaled 81 tackles, 35 solo tackles, three sacks, a fumble recovery, four pass deflections, and this interception against Will Rogers in the Egg Bowl.
Similar to Landers, Reese will play his last collegiate game later this month when he takes on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Texas Bowl on December 28th.
Jermaine Burton (Alabama)
Unlike Landers, former Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton did not exactly have the season for the Crimson Tide that many expected him to. While his stat line of 37 catches for 590 yards and six touchdowns is certainly impressive, he left Georgia with higher hopes for the season and has been rumored to be returning to Alabama next season.
With Alabama missing out on the playoffs for just the second time in CFP history, the Crimson Tide will face off against No. 9 Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl on December 31st.
JT Daniels (West Virginia)
Much like Burton, JT Daniels’ season with the Mountaineers did not work as according to plan, with the senior quarterback throwing for 2,107 yards on 327 attempts, adding 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Daniels’ season came to a halt when he was benched for sophomore quarterback Garrett Greene.
While the future looks bleak for the former Georgia signal caller, Daniels will try his luck elsewhere. Earlier this week, Daniels entered into the NCAA transfer portal for his third time.
Latavious Brini (Arkansas)
While he got off to a slow start to his 2022 campaign, Latavious Brini had an impressive season for the Razorbacks under defensive coordinator Barry Odom totaling 52 tackles, 31 solo tackles, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and this incredible interception against LSU’s Jayden Daniels.
Brini and Landers will face off against the 6-6 Kansas Jayhawks later this month in the Liberty Bowl.
Jaylen Johnson (East Carolina)
Jaylen Johnson entered the transfer portal last spring in an effort to get more playing time, which he found in his short stint with the East Carolina Pirates. His 21 catches for 274 yards and three touchdowns proved to be significant for the Pirates, playing a big role in landing them a spot in the Birmingham Bowl later this month. In what will be his last game in college football, Johnson will face off against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on December 27th.
Jalen Kimber (Florida)
Jalen Kimber spent the majority of the season dealing with a broken hand that he had sustained before the season opener, but that didn’t stop him from making some big plays for the Gators, including a pick-six against USF earlier this season. While Kimber was only able to appear in six total games throughout the season, he finished with 13 total tackles, eight solo tackles, including a two tackle performance against the Bulldogs.
Kimber hopes to be in action for the Gators’ contest against Oregon State in the Las Vegas Bowl next Saturday.
Jeremiah Holloman (Tennessee State):
The former Georgia wide receiver had a career year playing for the Tennessee State Tigers, hauling in 33 receptions for 353 yards and the score down below against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles.
Following Tennessee States’ loss which prevented them from going to a postseason, Jeremiah Holloman announced via a Twitter post that he would be preparing for the NFL Draft.
Divaad Wilson (Central Florida)
Former Georgia defensive back Divaad Wilson joined Holloman as one of the former Georgia players to declare for the NFL Draft. While it’s uncertain where Wilson projects to go currently, the defensive back had an impressive senior campaign for the Golden Knights, totalling 41 tackles, 32 solo tackles, three picks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Tyrique Stevenson (Miami (FL))
It was an up-and-down year for the Tyrique Stevenson and the Miami Hurricanes, finishing the season with a 5-7 record. Playing under former Georgia defensive back coach Jahmile Addae, Stevenson put up impressive stats as he finished with 25 total tackles, 18 solo tackles, seven pass deflections, and two interceptions. With another year of eligibility remaining, it is uncertain whether Stevenson will declare for the NFL Draft, return to Miami, or enter the transfer portal.
Brenton Cox (Former Florida)
At this point, most Georgia fans are familiar with the story of Brenton Cox. While there was significant hype surrounding the edge rusher, and what he could do with the Gators’ new defensive staff, Cox only played in eight games this season before being dismissed from the program. In those eight contests, Cox totaled 35 tackles, 15 solo tackles, one pass deflection, and two sacks. Following his dismissal from the program, Cox announced via Twitter that he would focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.
Major Burns (Louisiana State):
If you were paying close attention to the LSU defense last Saturday in the SEC Championship, then it was hard to miss No. 28 Major Burns. As only a sophomore, Burns was one of the most valuable players in the Tigers’ secondary, totaling 31 tackles, 18 solo tackles, and three pass deflections. Against the Bulldogs, Burns had eight tackles, seven of them being solo.
Burns will be back in action on January 2nd when the Tigers face the Purdue Boilermakers in the Citrus Bowl.
Tymon Mitchell (TCU)
The only former Bulldog that made a College Football Playoff spot was defensive linemen Tymon Mitchell, who left Athens this past April. Mitchell has made a huge impact this season for the Horned Frogs, putting up 18 total tackles, 8 solo tackles, a forced fumble, and three sacks.
Mitchell will have a big task at hand on December 31st, where he’ll be asked to face off against the Michigan Wolverines’ offensive line in the Fiesta Bowl.
Other Stats:
Matthew Downing (Louisiana Tech): 33 for 62, 356 yards, 3 TDs, 4 INTs
Tommy Bush (North Texas): 3 receptions, 34 yards, 1 TD
Trey Blount (Charlotte): 3 receptions, 14 yards
Justin Robinson (Mississippi State): 23 receptions, 245 yards, 2 touchdowns
Ameer Speed (Michigan State): 63 total tackles, 57 solo, 5 pass deflections
Lovasea Carroll (South Carolina): Five games played, no stats
Makiya Tongue (Oregon State): 12 games played, 1 reception, 8 yards, five tackles on special teams
Owen Condon (Southern Methodist) – Nine starts at right tackle
Cameron Kinnie (Central Florida) – Two games played, no stats
D’Wan Mathis (Temple): Nine games played, 14-of-30 for 125 yards passing, six receptions for 44 yards receiving after position change to wide receiver
Clay Webb (Jacksonville State) – 11 games played, seven starts at left guard
