The NCAA portal window will open shortly, and players will start to fly out like bees for honey. Quite a common conundrum in college football this compelling off-season! Just a few days back, Nico Iamaleava stunned the entire CFB community, announcing his untimely divorce from Tennessee over a big-money deal. The prodigy will hit the portal this spring as one of the most marketable players available in the draft. The development doesn’t just shake up Josh Heupel and the Tennessee roster. It struck terror among the rest of the FBS programs as well. Kirby Smart wasn’t the exception. He said he’s worried about his house, retaining his kids. But before the dust could settle a bit, Smart received his share of the blow.

The Georgia wide receiver Nitro Tuggle is the latest one to follow the trend. As a freshman, Tuggle racked up three receptions for 34 yards during the Dawgs’ 2024 season. His skill and athleticism were supposed to make a bigger splash in 2025. But destiny had a different plan.

He previously entertained the idea of cutting ties with the Bulldogs roster and entered the transfer portal as Georgia took a punch in the gut from Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff. But eventually, he changed his mind and decided to return to Athens for another year. The 6-foot-1 dished a standout performance against UGA’s win over Tennessee, posting three catches in total with two for 25 yards.

“Nitro’s responded well. He’s worked hard. He had a good practice today,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart sang praise to him after the Tennessee game. “I think he gained some confidence from that because he went against a really good defense, and he did some nice things. But, I mean, he goes against a good defense every day in practice, and there are times that he’s been frustrated. I mean, he would tell you openly that he wants to play. He wants to help. All freshmen want to play.”

Nitro’s talent has always been over the top since high school. During his years at Northwood High School, Nitro Tuggle turned heads not only as a receiver but also as a defensive back. The tempo carries the strongest testament to his versatility on the gridiron. His most outstanding performance came in his senior year, when he racked up 86 receptions for 1456 yards, along with 19 touchdowns. In his entire high school era, he totaled 173 receptions for 2866 yards and 41 touchdowns. However, after entering into the collegiate world, Nitro started moving waves like a pro with the Dawgs. But suddenly, an unexpected mishap pulled the rug. Kirby Smart had to take disciplinary action against the promising wide receiver.

Nitro Tuggle fell victim to a past car accident involving the former UGA athletes 

Georgia sophomore wide receiver Nitro Tuggle and freshman offensive lineman Marques Easley received a temporary suspension over a reckless driving incident earlier this year. The university took the action based on the Athens-Clarke County Jail records that hold the athletes responsible for an alleged car crash. Everything has still been under scrutiny, but Nitro was in lockup until he got a release on posting bond. Georgia had to make a call, and the suspension followed.

Now, they are not the ones to raise concern in Athens over the high-speed incidents. The root goes deeper. A tragic crash in January 2023 claimed the lives of offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy. While LeCroy and defensive tackle Jalen Carter were racing, the mishap put a halt to the team’s celebrations of their second consecutive national championship win.

The tragic incident put the Dawgs on a red alert to be hyperactive in the high-speed driving incidents. They had to take strict action over the other minor incidents. The motive was to alert everybody daring to dice with death. Whether or not Nitro would have stuck to the program if it had not been suspended is a subject of debate. But for now, he is gearing up to start afresh, leaving all the infamies behind.