Jermaine Burton announces entry into transfer portal
Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal Wednesday afternoon with an announcement coming on social media.
“This has been one of the hardest decisions that I’ve ever had to make in my life. I am very thankful and honored to have been able to play at the University of Georgia,” Burton wrote. “I have made a life time of friendships and relationships that I will always cherish. I would like to thank all of Dawg Nation for all the support you have given me.”
“Thank you to Coach Hankton for being a great coach and mentor to me. Thank you to Coach Smart for always pushing us to be our best and being an amazing head coach. Thank you to all the UGA staff for always being there,” he continued. “To all my teammates, I love all of you. We have made some great memories. At this time, I feel it is best for me to enter into the transfer portal.”
Burton started eight of the 14 games in which he played in 2021, finishing second on the team in terms of receiving yards with 26 catches for 497 yards and five touchdowns. His per-catch average of 19.1 yards led all receivers with at least 10 catches. The sophomore season followed what was a strong showing as a freshman, finishing with 404 yards and three touchdowns on 27 catches as he started seven of the 10 games in which he played.
In thinking about Burton, there are certainly several career highlights that come to mind. His 57-yard touchdown catch against Michigan in the Orange Bowl or being targeted on back-to-back plays during the go-ahead touchdown drive for Georgia in the for Georgia in the fourth quarter of the National Championship Game. He also had a strong showing against Missouri, being taken down twice at the 1-yard-line including once on a 47-yard reception. He would finish that game with three catches for 76 yards and one touchdown to show for his efforts. However the signature moment of his Georgia career certainly came as a freshman with one of the best games from a Georgia receiver in program history, finishing with eight catches, 197 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ win over Mississippi State. Earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors, Burton’s 197 yards ranks fourth in terms of single-game performances out of a wide receiver from Georgia.
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The departure of Burton is another in a long line of losses in his wide receiver room. Jaylen Johnson and Justin Robinson both entered their name into the transfer portal in the days immediately following Georgia’s 33-18 National Championship win over Alabama. Then George Pickens announced that he was leaving for the NFL Draft. Finally, the cherry on top of all of this, position coach Cortez Hankton accepted a job in the same role at LSU, joining new head coach Brian Kelly back in his home state of Louisiana.
Even with all that said, Georgia’s wide receiver room should be just fine next season. Ladd McConkey returns as the leading receiver with 31 catches for 447 yards and five touchdowns — five more catches and the same amount of scores as Burton. Adonai Mitchell who hauled in the go-ahead score in the National Championship Game was just a freshman, and he’ll be back too. Then there are guys like Dominick Blaylock, Kearis Jackson, Arian Smith and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, all of whom have shown flashes of excellence but couldn’t sustain it throughout the entirety of the season largely due to injury. That goes without even mentioning LSU transfer Arik Gilbert who didn’t play in 2021 but is with the team or 2022 signees C.J. Smith, De’Nylon Morrissette, Cole Speer and commit Dillon Bell, all of whom could compete for a spot in the rotation of receivers.
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