Shortly after Bulldogs QB Jake Fromm announced he would forgo his senior season to pursue the NFL, news broke that sophomore offensive lineman Cade Mays would be transferring from Georgia as well.
Mays, who saw playing time at every position on the offensive line this season, is reportedly returning to his hometown of Knoxville and joining the Tennessee program with his younger brother, Cooper, who just enrolled at Tennessee.
"Whether he'll be eligible or ineligible, that's to be determined," FOX 5 Sports Bulldogs insider Rusty Mansell said. "But he's going to roll the dice to play at least one season with his younger brother, Cooper."
Mays' family is also suing the University of Georgia System Board of Regents, the Georgia Athletic Association and others in civil court after their father, Kevin Mays, lost a finger at a 2017 Georgia athletic event that the family attended while Cade Mays was on a recruiting visit as a senior at Knoxville Catholic High School.
According to the complaint, filed to the Athens-Clarke County State Court, on Dec. 5 Mays' "right pinky finger was partially amputated as the subject folding chair wedged against the column. His severed finger shot across the floor. UGA Offensive Line Coach Sam Pittman picked up Plaintiff Kevin Mays's severed finger from the floor, and it was put on ice."
Mays' departure is in addition to the losses of tackles Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson as well as guard Solomon Kindley, who are leaving the Bulldogs to enter the 2020 NFL Draft. Sophomore center Trey Hill will be the only starting offensive lineman returning next season.
What's next at QB for UGA?
According to FOX 5 Sports Bulldogs insider Rusty Mansell, the Bulldogs are likely to pursue a graduate transfer at quarterback. He said likely candidates are KJ Costello from Stanford and Jamie Newman from Wake Forest.
Mansell said Oregon, Oklahoma and LSU may also have their eyes on Newman.
"He had a very good season for Wake Forest. Georgia, I'm definitely hearing, is trying to make a move there," he said of Newman. "Sources are telling me that if he elects to go to Georgia, he could be there very, very soon."
The other quarterbacks Georgia has on its roster are Stetson Bennett, D'Wan Mathis and incoming freshman Carson Beck.
Below are the last full season stats for Georgia's possible graduate transfer targets:
- KJ Costello (Stanford, 2018): 29 passing touchdowns, 3,540 passing yards, 11 interceptions, 65.1 percent completion percentage, 8.6 yards per attempt
- Jamie Newman (Wake Forest, 2019) — 26 passing touchdowns, 2,868 passing yards, 11 interceptions, 60.9 percent completion percentage, 7.9 yards per attempt, 574 rushing yards