ATHENS, Ga. — When last on the same field, Dominic Lovett was the leading receiver there, catching a long pass that set up Missouri’s lone touchdown in its near-upset of No. 1 Georgia. Evidently, the Bulldogs saw enough.
Lovett, who ranks third in the SEC in catches and receiving yards, announced Thursday that he will transfer to Georgia for next season. That followed the announcement by RaRa Thomas, another receiver, that he was transferring from Mississippi State to Georgia.
Here’s what you need to know.
- Lovett led Missouri in both catches (56) and receiving yards (846), and had three touchdowns last season. He had six catches for 84 yards against Georgia on Oct. 1, including a 36-yard catch.
- He will have two more years of eligibility.
- A product of East St. Louis, Ill., Lovett was a four-star recruit in 2021, the second-ranked player in Missouri’s class at No. 331 overall in the 247Sports Composite.
- Lovett is listed at 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds. He mostly plays out of the slot but can also play outside.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What this means for Georgia
Georgia made wide receiver a major priority in the transfer portal, with Lovett and Thomas the two main early targets. And they got their guys. (They also made a play for Travis Hunter, who they talked to about playing receiver, but Hunter opted to follow Deion Sanders to Colorado.)
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Lovett and Thomas complement each other well. Both can play on the outside, but Lovett is the faster and smaller option, while Thomas (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) plays more on the perimeter.
Georgia should also still have A.D. Mitchell, another perimeter and outside threat, and Ladd McConkey, who has mostly played on the outside but can move to the slot. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint is another tall, outside receiver who can return for 2023. Dillon Bell is coming off a good freshman season, and if Arian Smith can remain healthy he is an elite downfield threat.
Georgia also just signed top-100 recruit Tyler Williams and four-star Anthony Evans, who flipped away from Oklahoma. In short, Georgia’s receiver situation is much better set up for 2023 and currently sits as a deeper and more talented group. — Emerson
What else is Georgia looking for in the portal?
The name to watch now is Deyon “Smoke” Bouie, who is leaving Texas A&M after one year. Bouie is a defensive back from Bainbridge, Ga., who initially spurned his home-state team but entered the portal last week.
Depending on what happens with current players, running back could also be a need. Georgia has five scholarship tailbacks and signed four-star Roderick Robinson on Wednesday, but Kenny McIntosh is almost certainly turning pro, freshman Andrew Paul is coming off an ACL injury, and there could be further attrition.
Otherwise, the Bulldogs will probably be more opportunistic. They would like one more edge rusher, even after adding two top 50 recruits in Damon Wilson and Samuel M’Pemba. They also have current co-starter Chaz Chambliss and freshman Marvin Jones Jr., but with senior Robert Beal and (injured) senior Nolan Smith heading to the pros, the outside linebacker room could use one more veteran presence.
They could also look for a defensive lineman, especially someone who can play on the edge.
Much will depend on what the roster looks like after the national championship. Several players may intend to transfer but want to go through the College Football Playoff run first. And others could be waiting to go through spring practice before deciding whether to stay or go. Georgia will wait to see if enough attrition happens and use the portal to plug any holes that develop. — Emerson
Required reading
(Photo: Denny Medley / USA Today)
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