Shortly after quarterback Jake Fromm announced his decision to not return for his senior season on Wednesday, versatile Bulldogs’ offensive lineman Cade Mays announced he will be entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Mays played in all 14 games this past season and started in 11 of them. Mays is the fourth starting offensive lineman that is not returning to Athens for the 2020 season. Left tackle Andrew Thomas, right tackle Isaiah Wilson, and left guard Solomon Kindley have all declared the 2020 NFL Draft.

Mays was recruited by former offensive line coach Sam Pittman, but last month Pittman took the head coaching vacancy at Arkansas. Shortly after his departure, Kirby Smart hired former Ole Miss head coach Matt Luke to coach the offensive line.

This might be a blow to Bulldog fans, but the offensive line should be fine. Center Trey Hill will be the only returning starter on the line, but the Bulldogs return several guys who have experience like Jamaree Salyer, Ben Cleveland, and Justin Shaffer. Highly touted freshman Clay Webb, Xavier Truss, and Warren McClendon have played a limited number of games this season, but both have now been in the system for a year as they both enrolled early last year. Redshirt freshman Warren Ericson got his first start of the season vs Baylor in the 2020 Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The Bulldogs’ already a couple of offensive linemen signed for this year’s recruiting class too. They include five-star Tate Ratledge, four-star Chad Lindberg, and a couple of three-stars, Austin Blaske and Devin Willock. Those night signed are five-star Broderick Jones and four-star Sedrick Van Pran.