AJ Harris expected to enter transfer portal after one season at Georgia

Georgia cornerback AJ Harris is expected to enter the transfer portal, sources tell DawgsHQ. After spending just one season in Athens, the Central (Phenix City, Ala.) product will have four years to play three at his next school.

Harris saw the field sporadically throughout his freshman season this fall. Playing in seven of the first eight games, he totaled eight stops. That included a team-high four tackles in the second game of the year against Ball State. However, Harris did not see the field again once the calendar turned to November. He dressed and travelled but did not get in any games after the Florida contest in Jacksonville.

Harris was one of the top-ranked four-star players in the country coming in at No. 39 overall and No. 3 among cornerbacks according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He committed to Georgia over the likes of Florida, Clemson and Ohio State before joining the Bulldogs for practices in their preparation for the College Football Playoffs.

On3’s Charles Power, director of scouting and ranking, offered the following assessment of Harris during his high school recruitment:

Polished, developed defensive back with positional versatility. Has good stature and size, checking in at 6-foot-1 and around 180 pounds prior to his junior season. A smooth mover and shows some technical refinement to his game. Coordinated and looks to have good ball skills for the position. Was a top performer at The Opening Finals prior to his junior season, showing anticipation and ball skills in picking off a number of passes while lined up as a safety. Played subpar competition at a small private school prior to transferring to a powerhouse public school as a senior. Has not shown high-end long speed to this point and may be best fit as a safety long-term, despite being considered as a cornerback prospect to this juncture.

Harris is the 17th Georgia player to enter the portal during the December opening. Of those, 15 have been scholarship players that count against UGA’s 85-man roster.

GEORGIA TRANSFER PORTAL ENTRIES

OLB Darris Smith
DL Jonathan Jefferson (SMU)
QB Brock Vandagriff (Kentucky)
WR Jackson Meeks (Syracuse)
OL Austin Blaske (North Carolina)
OLB CJ Madden
K Jared Zirkel
CB Nyland Green
WR Mekhi Mews *
ILB EJ Lightsey
ILB Xavian Sorey
WR Yazeed Haynes
OL Aliou Bah
WR Logan Johnson *
OLB Marvin Jones Jr.
ILB Jamon Dumas-Johnson
CB AJ Harris

More on the transfer portal…

The NCAA student-athlete transfer portal launched in 2018. It marked a change from when student-athletes had to get a release from their school to transfer to another and they could be limited as to where they transferred. The portal allows student athletes to simply notify their current school and its compliance department that they intend to move on to another program.

Since its implementation, Georgia has added several notable prospects. That list includes Lawrence Cager (Miami), Eli Wolf (Tennessee), Tre’ McKitty (Florida State), Derion Kendrick (Clemson), Tykee Smith (West Virginia), Rara Thomas (Mississippi State) and Dominic Lovett (Missouri), among others. The Bulldogs have had years when they’ve been active in the portal, attempting to take as many as four prospects before the 2021 season. They have also had seasons like 2022 when they didn’t take a single player and went on to go 15-0 and win the National Championship for a second straight season.

Portal needs for Georgia in the current class include defensive line and wide receiver, where it is expected to land multiple players at each position. The Bulldogs could also be in the market at running back, outside linebacker, offensive tackle, or safety. If a player wants to transfer from SEC school to SEC school, he must do so by January 2 when the current window closes. There is another window that will open in the spring but, at that point, a player must transfer in from outside the conference.