Kirby Smart, Georgia Suffer Transfer Portal Loss On Wednesday

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Kirby Smart, Georgia Suffer Transfer Portal Loss On Wednesday

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs ended the 2025 season on a disappointing note. After defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game, they secured a first-round bye and the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff.

However, their shot at winning a national championship was quickly cut short. Georgia lost to the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels 39-34 in the Sugar Bowl. The team enters the offseason looking to improve the roster.

However, Smart is facing challenges with the transfer portal. The Bulldogs have already lost 13 players to the portal. The latest departure came on Wednesday.

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart.Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Dominick Kelly, a 6-foot-1 and 190-pound cornerback, was a true freshman in 2025. His production was limited, appearing in 10 games, racking up three tackles and three pass deflections.

Despite that, he was a key piece to Georgia’s 2025 recruiting class. Coming out of high school, he was a four-star recruit, the No. 39 cornerback and the No. 385 player in the nation. He chose the Bulldogs over the USC Trojans, Penn State Nittany Lions, LSU Tigers and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

However, his time in Athens has come to an end. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported on Wednesday that Kelly will be entering the transfer portal.

He is the third cornerback leaving Georgia, joining Ondre Evans (NC State) and Daniel Harris (uncommitted). The program is also losing safeties Adrian Maddox (Kansas State), Joenel Aguero (Ole Miss) and Jaden Harris (Kansas).

However, Smart is working to replace the lost talent. The Bulldogs have landed seven commitments in the transfer portal. That includes three safeties and one cornerback.

Related: LSU Loses Wide Receiver to College Football Transfer Portal

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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