ESPN explains what went wrong for Georgia football this offseason

TL;DR

Georgia football faced a challenging offseason, losing key players to the NFL Draft, including Zachariah Branch and Monroe Freeling. Despite these departures, the Bulldogs remain a top contender for the 2026 season.

Key points

Georgia lost multiple players to the 2026 NFL Draft.
Zachariah Branch was among the significant departures.
Georgia is still considered a top team for the 2026 season.
The Bulldogs ranked fourth in the SEC for the offseason.
Gunner Stockton will face challenges with an unproven wide receiver corps.

Georgia BulldogsAtlanta Falcons

The Georgia Bulldogs have had an eventful offseason since the conclusion of the 2025 season with a loss to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. Georgia lost a multitude of talent to the 2026 NFL draft in April, and the Dawgs are hoping to replicate star wide receiver Zachariah Branch’s production in 2026.

The Bulldogs lost offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, defensive tackle Christen Miller, linebacker CJ Allen, tight end Oscar Delp, defensive back Daylen Everette, wide receiver Colbie Young and offensive guard Micah Morris to the NFL Draft in addition to Branch. Former Georgia running back Cash Jones signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent along with four other former Bulldogs that signed undrafted free agents. The Dawgs will still enter the 2026 campaign as one of the top teams in college football despite the departure of some massive contributors.

ESPN’s Eli Lederman, Max Olson, and Adam Rittenberg recently released their edition of ranking the offseason for every college football team, with Georgia listed as the fourth best team in the SEC. The analysts also named the Bulldogs’ “what went right/wrong” moments from the offseason, highlighting Georgia’s key departures and additions over the past few months.

One of Georgia’s biggest “what went wrong” moments from the offseason is the departure of Gunner Stockton’s top five pass catchers from the 2025 campaign. The talented quarterback will return to Athens in 2026, but Stockton will be forced to target an unproven wide receiver corps throughout his redshirt senior campaign at Georgia. ESPN lists former Georgia commit flipping to Vanderbilt as another "what went wrong" moment as well, as Curtis is widely regarded as one of the top quarterbacks from the class of 2026.

Q&A

What key players did Georgia football lose to the NFL Draft in 2026?

Georgia football lost several key players to the NFL Draft, including Zachariah Branch, Monroe Freeling, and Christen Miller.

How did Georgia football rank in the SEC after the offseason?

Georgia was ranked as the fourth best team in the SEC according to ESPN's offseason rankings.

What were the major 'what went wrong' moments for Georgia football this offseason?

Major 'what went wrong' moments included the loss of Gunner Stockton's top five pass catchers and the flipping of quarterback Jared Curtis to Vanderbilt.