Kirby Smart just addressed Georgia, Gunner Stockton’s biggest problem in transfer portal

The Georgia Bulldogs fell short of a third national title in four seasons, getting bounced from the College Football Playoff in a 23-10 quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame. And if you watched even a little bit of that game — or really any part of Georgia's 2024 season — the reason why is obvious. No, not the injury to Carson Beck, or the play of backup Gunner Stockton; the thing that ultimately doomed the Dawgs this year is that neither Beck nor Stockton ever had a reliable group of pass-catchers to throw to.

Beck certainly regressed in 2024, but if you're looking for the biggest culprit for Georgia's offensive struggles, look no further than the departures of Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey. Those two have shown in the NFL just how talented they were, and the Dawgs were never able to find anyone to fill their shoes this season. Not for lack of trying, either: Kirby Smart hit the transfer portal hard, bringing in players like Colbie Young from Miami and Dominic Lovett from Missouri.

But none of the potential replacements for Bowers or McConkey were able to lock down the No. 1 role in this passing attack, plagued by drops and inconsistency all season. Which is why Kirby Smart's latest transfer portal win is so big for the Bulldogs' hopes of remaining atop the SEC in 2025.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, USC receiver Zachariah Branch and safety Zion Branch (yes, they're brothers) have committed to Georgia for the 2025 season.

Zachariah Branch fills Georgia's biggest roster need entering 2025

A former top-100 recruit in his own right, Zion is also a big get at a position of need. With Dan Jackson out of eligibility and Malaki Starks weighing the NFL Draft, Georgia had a hole at safety, and Branch — who played in all 12 games for an improved USC defense this season — has immense physical tools that could make him a real difference-maker in the Georgia development machine.

The headliner here, though, is Zachariah, the No. 1 receiver in the class of 2023 out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Big things were expected when Branch committed to Lincoln Riley at USC, and he flashed some immense upside, announcing himself to the country with a kickoff return TD in his very first game against San Jose State.

He's not the biggest guy at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, and he's not the most complete receiver at this point in his career. But he's electric with the ball in his hands in the open field, and he can turn a five-yard route into a 50-yard touchdown in the blink of an eye. That's the sort of juice that this Georgia offense could desperately use, especially with Arian Smith moving on to the NFL Draft next spring.

Branch can't be the sort of true No. 1 that Bowers or McConkey were; he's not that polished of a route runner, and his frame means he won't be a ball-winner on the outside. But Georgia needs players who can reliably catch the ball and do something with it, and Branch fit that bill as well as just about anyone currently available in the portal.