NEW ORLEANS — Kirby Smart knew that it would be the last time several members of the Georgia program would wear the red and black.

Seniors like Dan Jackson, Smael Mondon and Chaz Chambliss, who poured their heart and soul into the program, had their college careers end on Thursday with a 23-10 loss to Notre Dame.

“We’ve got a lot of guys moving on. A lot of guys are hurt in that locker room because we didn’t get the outcome that we wanted, but that’s part of life,” Smart said.

The outgoing seniors won’t be the only ones leaving the program. Georgia is more than likely to have a few players declare early for the upcoming NFL draft. Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams and Malaki Starks are all viewed as potential first-round picks.

Walker was a team captain and tied for the team lead in sacks this season. Smart spoke of how much Walker and fellow team captain Tate Ratledge meant to the program after the loss.

“So what they did with this team in the toughest year of at least my tenure, easily the toughest year, they dominated the room. They controlled the room,” Smart said of Walker and Ratledge, who joined him on the podium. “They led the room through hard games and situations. There were some hard games and situations.”

The deadline to enter the 2025 NFL Draft is Jan. 15. So far, only Carson Beck has officially declared for the NFL draft, doing so prior to the team’s game against Notre Dame.

For those coming back, quarterback Gunner Stockton relayed a different message after the game.

“Yeah, I mean, heading into it, I think Coach Smart said we start school Monday,” Stockton said. “So just starting back and doing better, learning from it.”

Georgia figures to have a few more players depart the program via the transfer portal. The Bulldogs have already seen seven players leave prior to the game against Notre Dame, with five of them already finding new homes.

Last year, Georgia saw 21 players exit the program via the transfer portal. Some of them, such as outside linebacker Marvin Jones Jr., have already re-entered the transfer portal.

Georgia players have until Tuesday to decide whether they will enter the transfer portal. The portal closed on Dec. 28 but teams that had not yet completed their seasons were given a five-day extension following the conclusion of the season.

To date, Georgia has not yet added anyone via the transfer portal, but it has hosted more than a number of targets. As for positions of interest, look for wide receiver and safety to be the top priorities for Georgia. The two biggest names at the moment are USC transfers Zachariah and Zion Branch.

The Bulldogs ended up taking 11 players via the transfer portal last offseason.

Lastly, Georgia did sign 28 members in its 2025 signing class. Many of them were in attendance at the game on Thursday, though they were in street clothes. Twenty-five of the 28 signees will enroll early at Georgia, with the only three not doing so are 4-star receiver Thomas Blackshear, 4-star safety Resean Dinkins and 3-star safety Daniel Okonkwo. Georgia signed the No. 4 overall class in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

As for Georgia’s next game, that won’t be until Aug. 30, when it takes on Marshall.

Georgia football 2025 players in the transfer portal

Georgia football 2025 NFL Draft decisions

*This section will be updated as players announce their decisions as to whether they are staying or going. The deadline to enter the 2025 NFL Draft is Jan. 15, unless you are playing in the national championship game. Those in that game will have a special deadline on Jan. 24. Georgia had two players taken in the first round of the NFL draft last year. No program has had more players taken in the last five NFL drafts than Georgia.

Kirby Smart on what comes next for Georgia football