Bo Hughley’s transfer portal entry on Tuesday may not have made the biggest headlines coming out of Athens, but it might be the move that defines Georgia’s 2026 season before it even begins.
The redshirt sophomore offensive tackle’s departure isn’t the problem itself; it’s what it exposes if Earnest Greene III and Monroe Freeling both declare for the NFL Draft by the Jan. 14 deadline.
In total, Georgia could enter spring practice with zero proven offensive tackles on the roster. That’s not hyperbole. That’s math.
Georgia’s Offensive Tackle Depth Chart Looks Precarious
Let me break out those numbers. Hughley played in 10 games this season, including two starts, filling in for injured starters.
Kirby Smart praised his development after the Tennessee game, calling his performance “unbelievable” when he stepped in at right tackle. Hughley was the insurance policy. Now he’s gone.
Greene and Freeling are both draft-eligible juniors with legitimate NFL stock. Greene, the right tackle, has started 34 games over the past three seasons and earned First Team Freshman All-American honors in 2023.
Freeling emerged as a very capable starter in his first full season, playing in all 14 games with 13 starts. Dane Brugler of The Athletic recently mocked Freeling in the first round.
So, it begs the question: what does Georgia do if both decide to leave?
The answer gets uncomfortable quickly. The Bulldogs signed five-star prospect Ekene Ogboko in the 2026 recruiting class, and he’s already been with the team during bowl practices.
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However, after two freshmen saw significant minutes on the offensive line in 2025—Juan Gaston and Earnest Greene both went down with injuries in the season opener against Marshall—Smart and offensive line coach Stacy Searels may not be thrilled about asking another true freshman to protect the quarterback from SEC pass rushers.
If anyone knows a thing or two about losing starting caliber O-Line talent, it’s Kirby Smart. But the rigors of the college football calendar this year might catch even the best off guard. Smart likely has a plan in place in case he loses three starting-caliber OTs, but we (much like Smart) won’t know of it until the fall.
Smart’s Pipeline Has Produced—But Can It Refill Fast Enough?
The Georgia offensive line factory under Smart has been remarkable. Since 2017, the program has produced 16 drafted offensive linemen, including five first-rounders: Isaiah Wynn, Andrew Thomas, Broderick Jones, Isaiah Wilson, and Amarius Mims.
For context, Georgia had just one offensive lineman drafted from 2013 to 2017.
Still, that success rate comes with a cost. When you consistently develop NFL-caliber linemen, you consistently lose NFL-caliber linemen.
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The transfer portal could provide a solution, but the timing is tight. The portal window closes Jan. 16, just two days after the draft declaration deadline. Georgia would need to identify, recruit, and land a proven tackle in an incredibly compressed window if both Greene and Freeling depart.
Unfortunately for Georgia fans, the decisions from Greene and Freeling loom large over everything. Greene finished 2025 healthy after dealing with injuries earlier in the season. The calculus is complicated: another year could boost his draft stock, but health is never guaranteed.
Freeling, meanwhile, has first-round buzz despite limited starting experience, exactly the trajectory that sent Broderick Jones and Amarius Mims to Round 1.
Fortunately for Georgia, neither player has declared yet. There’s still time for Smart and his staff to make their case, and NIL has changed what “making the case” can mean.
But the clock is ticking. By this time next week, Georgia will know whether its offensive line is positioned to be a strength for 2026 or whether Kirby Smart is staring down a nightmare scenario at the most important position group on the field.
