Whether it’s from the transfer portal or out of high school, the Georgia Bulldogs consistently find new talent to add to the roster. These additions can be filling holes, or they can be providing depth to the roster in general. Last year, it was Zachariah Branch. This year, we look to see who will be the nine newcomers ready to make their mark in the SEC.
Isiah Canion (#6, WR)
Isiah Canion is leaning away from the gold and white (Ga. Tech). This season he’ll suit up for his former rival. Last year, he fell just shy of 500 receiving yards for the Yellow Jackets. He has a wide catch radius and has already performed well against high-level defenses. Canion might be the top receiver for the Bulldogs this upcoming season.
Khalil Barnes (#7, DB)
After spending his first three years at Clemson, Khalil Barnes returns to his home state of Georgia to play for the Bulldogs. Barnes was a three-year starter for the Tigers and was the first player in the Dabo Swinney era to record multiple interceptions and multiple forced fumbles in a freshman season. He was a Freshman All-American, and his contributions to the team continued. Now it’s time for the senior to make his mark away from the ACC.
Khamari Brooks ( #15, OLB)
Khamari Brooks, a true freshman from North Oconee High School, had two sacks in his G-Day performance along with another tackle. Getting sacks against Georgia’s elite talent, whether in a spring game or not, is still promising. During his senior campaign that was cut short by an injury, the Titans had a perfect 7-0 record. Football wasn’t his only sport in high school as Brooks won back-to-back GHSA 4A basketball state championships as a sophomore and junior.
Tyriq Green (#23, DB)
Tyriq Green did it all for Buford in high school. In his two seasons with the Wolves, Green played running back and on the defensive side of the ball. Plus, he returned kickoffs and punts. As a senior, he had 494 rushing yards, 45 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. Green returned eight kicks for 402 yards and 15 punts for 330 yards. In his junior year of high school, his 4×100 relay team won a state title with a time of 39.81 seconds. Competing with that type of speed is the real deal for a defensive back. He also recorded an interception during G-Day.
Braylon Conley (#24, DB)
The secondary’s getting a lot of love when it comes to newcomers ready to make their mark in the SEC. Braylon Conley played high school ball in Texas before spending two years at USC (Southern Cal). In nine games as a redshirt freshman, Conley recorded 14 tackles, a pass breakup and a forced fumble. Conley’s going to be battling to make an impact as a cornerback for this team that needs players to step up.
Gentry Williams (#26, DB)
Gentry Williams’ career started out in the Big 12 and then shifted to the SEC. Yet, he never switched teams until transferring to Georgia. Williams spent the first four years of his career with the Oklahoma Sooners, and this season, he’ll get the chance to play against his former team in Athens in September. Shoulder injuries have left him out for much of the last two seasons, but when healthy, Williams has gained valuable playing time. His four years of experience gives the secondary just what they need, a collegiate veteran.
Jae Lamar (#27, RB)
The 5-11, 205-pound freshman running back fits the Georgia prototype to a tee. The Bulldogs continue to breed running backs that have SEC size and can see the field early. The rotation keeps growing. It never hurts to have a fresh set of legs in the room. As a senior, Lamar rushed for over 1,000 yards in GHSA Class 6A. He carried the ball six times during G-Day, giving him the third most carries behind Chauncey Bowens and Dwight Phillips Jr.
Zykie Helton (#55, C)
Freshman Zykie Helton was an anchor lineman for the Carrollton Trojans offense, earning the rank of the No. 1 center in the state of Georgia in his class. Believe it or not, as a junior, Helton even had one carry for 30 yards. After helping one of the top schools in Georgia dominate at the high school level, he’s making a push to hear his name called as a future starting center for the Bulldogs.
Kaiden Prothro (#80, TE)
Some guys are just freaks of nature. We’ve seen it before, especially at the tight end position. Freshman Kaiden Prothro seems like he’ll be one of those guys to make an immediate impact. At 6-6, Prothro can play in both the receiver role and tight end role. What will defenses do if the Bulldogs line up both Prothro and Elyiss Williams out wide? It’s almost impossible to prepare for that kind of height difference lining up wide on each side of the field. Tight end coach Todd Hartley continues to prove himself as one of the best in the business.