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LOOK: Georgia transfer target Xzavier McLeod posts from visit

Palmber-Thombsby:Palmer Thombs•12/09/23•

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Xzavier McLeod
Xzavier McLeod / Instagram

It’s the first weekend of transfer portal visitors, and Georgia has a few in town. One, former South Carolina defensive lineman Xzavier McLeod, shared a photo on social media to show him and UGA head coach Kirby Smart posing during the visit.

A former four-star recruit out of Camden, S.C., the Bulldogs pursued McLeod out of high school. The No. 196 overall player and No. 22 defensive lineman chose Shane Beamer his home state South Carolina Gamecocks over Georgia however.

“Coach Tray Scott is a hard-working coach,” McLeod said of the Georgia defensive line coach during his initial recruitment process. “He’s definitely putting guys in the league that want to work hard for it. That’s the same with all the schools that I’m dealing with.”

South Carolina DL transfer Xzavier McLeod poses with Kirby Smart during visit to Athens on December 9, 2023 (Xzavier McLeod / Instagram)

McLeod, listed at 6-foot-5, 284 pounds, was named Mr. Football for the state of South Carolina following his senior season in 2022. He was credited with a combined 116 tackles including 34 for loss during his first three seasons at Camden High School.

McLeod spent just a matter of months at South Carolina before leaving the team midseason. While his exit from Columbia certainly brings about questions, he could be just what Georgia needs on the defensive line with Tramel Walthour out of eligibility after season’s end, the trio of Zion Logue, Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson all in at least their fourth season with the program and a pair of defensive linemen – Jonathan Jefferson and CJ Madden – that entered the transfer portal this week.

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. 

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