Georgia’s season went poof after getting smoked 23-10 by Notre Dame. 11-3 and an SEC title ain’t shabby, but it’s definitely anticlimactic for a team that was gunning for the big prize. Now that it’s over, Kirby Smart is all-in on the transfer portal, hunting for next year’s killer squad. With Carson Beck off to the NFL and Jaden Rashada flaking after a year on the bench, the QB spot is priority number one. But they can’t sleep on the receivers either.

Last year, they snagged Colbie Young, London Humphreys, and Michael Jackson III from the portal. Two years ago, it was Dominic Lovett and Rara Thomas. And this year? They had to land the top receiver in the 2023 class—a big deal. But will it really move the needle on their depth chart?

Georgia’s new receiver lacks promise 

The receiving room has been showing signs of a stumble in Georgia. Jackson hits the portal. Humphreys showed some flashes of brilliance, but he remains widely inconsistent. Well, QB Gunner Stockton needs a good supporting cast to truly shine, otherwise he’ll just be a flash in the pan. So Kirby Smart played a banger in taking none other than the Branch Brothers in a massive recruiting feat.

Former USC safety Zion Branch and wide receiver Zachariah Branch both declared themselves as Bulldogs on Sunday. The brothers have two years left in college and stood out as two of the top 100 recruits out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. But do they fulfill the immediate need? Well, Tom Fornelli believes they can add value to the table, but you shouldn’t wholly rely on them.

”The more interesting thing is Georgia getting the branch brothers. And the interesting part of it to me is because Zach Branch is like very excited about him when we first saw him as a freshman. Just electric, big-time playmaker, but I don’t really think he’s developed past that. Like we talked about one of the problems with George’s receiving core this year has been that they don’t have actual receivers; they have gadget guys. Zach Branch to me is a gadget guy,” said Fornelli.

Zion’s career has been cut short by injury in the past two years. He recorded 19 tackles, one sack, and three passes defended as a reserve in the 2023 season. Zachariah Branch possesses incredible speed and aggressive tempo and can bring life to a doomed Georgia receiving corps in 2024.

Fornelli, however, held onto his beliefs. ”He is like a punt returner more than he is a receiver where you’re just trying to get him the ball in space and have him you know run punt return left punt return right to see if he can make some guys miss and run for a touchdown,’‘ Fornelli added.

Zachariah Branch caught 78 passes for 823 yards and three touchdowns. He also returned 29 punts for 406 yards and a touchdown and returned 29 kickoffs for 547 yards in his storied career. Fornelli had a point, but Branch’s weaknesses are fixable with some work. But those gaps might hurt Georgia next year. Beck’s going to the NFL, and Stockton, despite his potential, isn’t the long-term answer. He’s got a lot to prove. And with Jaden Rashada transferring, it’s clear Smart wasn’t sold on him.

The QB room is a mess right now, and Fornelli’s concerns about Branch seem more relevant. But the real question is, what drew the celebrated receiver brothers to Georgia amid such instability in the QB room?

Why did the ‘Branch brothers’ choose Georgia over the other top conference schools?

The Branch brothers mounted a terrific season under coach Riley. But at the end of December, they realized they were done and it was high time to move on and explore growth elsewhere. But sealing them as Bulldogs was a heck of a competition. Top-tier schools like Oregon, Michigan, the Colorado Buffs, and the Ohio State Buckeyes were in a rally to take them on their roster. Many of the schools had their eyes on the Branch brothers since they came out of high school.

But turning a deaf ear to every other school, the brothers opted for Georgia in a massive career move. But why so? Georgia has certain reasons to attract any of the recruits, but let’s not forget their recent season-ending upset over Notre Dame. The memory is wide and fresh. All their loopholes are on the surface. Then what is the USP that helped the star receivers make up their minds and never back off?

Well, credit goes to Kirby Smart himself and his assistant coaching crew. ”The coaches are not just about winning games; they’re about building character, fostering growth, and pushing players to be their absolute best both on and off the field,” Zion said in his post-transfer media call.

Zachariah echoed the same emotion, noting it’s the team culture and the esteemed coaching he finds most promising. We will see how they cope with the new set of standards and enrich the school in the following season.