Insider Notes: Carson Beck watch, intel on the portal, Georgia draft decisions

The NCAA’s Student-Athlete Transfer Portal opened on Monday and it was a very active day for Georgia. UGA had five players enter and there were undoubtedly some players from other programs who put their name in and will hear from Kirby Smart’s program.

DawgsHQ also delivered some intel on Carson Beck and his NFL Draft decision. Well, it’s a new day and we’ve got more information and thoughts to share. Check it all out below in our insider notes.

*** The biggest prospect on UGA’s board right now is Carson Beck. We all know that. Rusty Mansell reported yesterday that he would lean toward Beck staying as of yesterday afternoon. If I’m being totally honest, the intel I’ve gotten hasn’t led me to lean one way or another just yet but I will say that this thing has trended positively for the Georgia in the past 24-36 hours.

Going back to early Sunday afternoon, I’m told that Beck was leaning, maybe heavily, toward leaving. Since that point this one seems to have moved in a more positive direction for Georgia. I agree with Rusty that Beck, as of yesterday evening, was probably leaning a little toward coming back but the fact that these things change, and that this one has changed already, makes it kind of unpredictable. This is a grown-up, big-boy decision and many adults know how these things can tear you. I think it’s safe to say that a substantial part of Beck wants to be in Athens next year but there’s zero doubt that he can jump to the NFL and make a bunch of money — even if he isn’t drafted in the first round.

*** I’m sure there will be some other NFL Draft decisions made before The Orange Bowl. There will almost certainly be some opt outs. Based on conversations in the past 48 hours, I’m really interested in three Georgia players.

I don’t think inside linebacker Smael Mondon is in any hurry to make a decision and I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion at all that he will enter the NFL Draft. But I have heard from a couple of different contacts that he might not play in the bowl game even if he does stick around. It’s frustrating sometimes how much you learn and hear after the fact but we continue to pick up on how hampered the Georgia linebacker was by injuries throughout this season. As of right now it appears as if there’s a very real chance that he uses the next couple of months to get healthy no matter what he decides.

Javon Bullard is a player that fascinates me. On one hand, he’s not going to get any taller or longer and significantly improve his draft stock from that perspective. He’s not a nickel in the NFL because those guys tend to either be freak-show athletes with size or third cornerbacks. I spoke with a source on Monday who told me that he’s a “safety all the way” in the NFL and he doesn’t have much film at that spot. I haven’t gathered much intel on Bullard’s decision to this point but if I had to pick, I’d say there’s a slightly better chance that he leaves.

One name that was mentioned to me on Monday was Zion Logue. While Logue isn’t considered a major NFL prospect, he has been in Athens for a long time, five years to be exact. Based on what I was told yesterday evening by a source, I don’t think a sixth season at Georgia is out of the question. Logue has that year at his disposal because he redshirted in 2019 and 2020 didn’t count because of COVID. Now it should be noted that an emotional loss like the one Georgia experienced to Alabama might be playing into this in the short term. Once he’s had time to process that, he might be all-in on moving on.

He was honored at UGA’s senior day last month. In my opinion, if he does decide to take the Tramel Walthour path and stick around one more year, that’s very big for Georgia. I don’t consider him to be a game changer when he’s on the field and he’s not going to pile up numbers He is, however, a tremendous leader and a very solid interior defensive lineman who can play multiple positions. With Georgia bringing in a big group of defensive linemen in the 2024 class plus multiple transfers, having a guy like Logue around who knows this defense inside and out would be a luxury. Again, I wouldn’t go as far as to say he’s leaning toward coming back, but I do believe it’s under consideration at the moment.

*** I’m told by two trusted sources that Georgia is interested in Vanderbilt wide receiver Will Sheppard. To this point, however, I have yet to learn how heavily the Bulldogs are in it. Chad Simmons reported Monday night that Georgia has spoken multiple times with Sheppard’s Commodore teammate, London Humphreys. Simmons also says that Humphreys will be in Athens this weekend for a visit. Could Georgia land two wideouts who played at Vanderbilt last year? I’m certainly a long way from ruling that out right now and I go back to the week before these two teams played and how Kirby Smart had plenty of praise for the Commodore receivers.

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