Georgia freshman OL Josh Miller to enter transfer portal

Georgia has its third true freshman that’ll head out after just one season in Athens. On3 reports that offensive lineman Joshua Miller has entered the transfer portal.

Miller signed with Georgia as a three-star prospect in the Class of 2023 out of Life Christian Academy (Colonial Heights, Va.). He, like four of the five freshmen offensive linemen, did not see action in any games this season. He’ll have four years to play four at his next school. Miller, listed at 6-foot-4, 300 pounds, was On3’s No. 33 interior offensive lineman in his recruiting class and the No. 534 player overall according to the Industry Ranking.

Miller is the 18th Bulldog to do so since the opening of the portal window at the start of the month, joins fellow freshmen AJ Harris and Yazeed Haynes in doing so. A full list of UGA transfers, including a pair of walk-ons, can be found below.

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

* designates a walk-on as opposed to a player that counts in the 85-man scholarship count

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. 

Latest on Georgia and the transfer portal

*** All three of Georgia’s inside linebackers that entered the transfer portal have found their next homes recently. Xavian Sorey committed to Arkansas on Tuesday while EJ Lightsey and Jamon Dumas-Johnson did so on Wednesday. Lightsey is staying in-state, headed to rival Georgia Tech, while Dumas-Johnson won’t be leaving the SEC, headed to Kentucky where he’ll join fellow UGA transfer Brock Vandagriff next season. Meanwhile, with the outside linebackers, Darris Smith has his landing spot at Missouri.

*** Georgia was on the receiving end of a transfer portal commitment on Tuesday as well. The Bulldogs added one of the top wide receivers in the portal, Vanderbilt’s London Humphreys.

Georgia takes on Florida State in the upcoming Capital One Orange Bowl. The matchup features the first two teams left out of the College Football Playoffs as the undefeated Seminoles are ranked fifth and 12-1 Georgia is No. 6. Just under two weeks out from the game, the Bulldogs are listed as a 14-point favorite over Florida State according to Vegas Insider. Kickoff time on December 30th is set for 4:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.