Kirby Smart and Georgia Bulldogs steal major transfer portal talent from SEC rival that should help reload defense
Georgia finally wins in the transfer portal with Amaris Williams, a defensive lineman from the Auburn Tigers
Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have been struggling in the transfer portal process following their shockingly early exit from the College Football Playoff. However, the Bulldogs finally found some life on Thursday when they stole a top tier defensive lineman transfer from SEC rival Auburn Tigers and a solid cornerback from USC. Both should immediately help reload Georgia’s defense after losing several players to the transfer portal and the NFL Draft this spring.
Georgia Bulldogs add DL transfer Amaris Williams from SEC rival Auburn Tigers
The Georgia Bulldogs defense struggled early in the 2025 college football season to both generate consistent pass rush and stop the run on a down-to-down basis. Landing Amaris Williams, a former highly touted four star defensive lineman from the Auburn Tigers, should immediately help there. He was one of Kirby Smart’s most important targets, and he officially committed to Georgia on Thursday.
Williams didn’t blow up the stats sheet in his first two seasons at Auburn since he was buried behind future first round NFL Draft pick Keldric Faulk (playing a similar defensive role) at times, but he constantly flashed his potential playing a combination of outside edge rusher and b-gap havoc-wreaking force for Auburn in part-time action. He will fit will into Georgia’s deep rotation of defensive front talents who offer multiple skill sets. Taking him from an SEC rival should feel good for Georgia fans too.
Georgia Bulldogs land cornerback Braylon Conley from USC Trojans
Braylon Conley is another transfer win that many might not get too excited about by just looking at his statistical performance, but he’s a young, emerging star who grew into a sure-tackling versatile cornerback this past season. Conley missed time in the middle of the season, dinged up for the Trojans, but when healthy he looked like a prototype outside cornerback. The best part is that he has three years of eligibility remaining, so Georgia can continue to develop him for a potentially long career in Athens.
The Georgia Bulldogs still need to keep adding more transfer portal help in an era where teams are turning over 20 or 30 roster spots every cycle, but Kirby Smart and company are beginning to catch up with critical wins like these. Amaris Williams and Braylon Conley should both play pivotal roles in 2026 and beyond in coach Smart’s defense.
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