Walter Nolen transfer portal rumors: 5 destinations for No. 1 overall recruit

1. Georgia Bulldogs need to finally address losing Bear Alexander to USC

As soon as Walter Nolen put his name into the transfer portal, I immediately connected him to Georgia. Yes, there may be some personal bias here, but the fit is obvious. As long as Tray Scott remains on Kirby Smart's coaching staff as the defensive line coach, Georgia will always be in the mix for the best front-four players in the country. Plus, they really needed a Bear Alexander last season.

With Jalen Carter joining former Georgia teammate Jordan Davis on the Philadelphia Bulldogs in the 2023 NFL Draft, the thought was that Alexander would be the heir apparent in the trenches for the Dawgs. Well, he left for USC in the transfer portal to play for the most maligned defense in the Power Five thanks to one Alex Grinch. He should have stayed, but maybe he was not a starter with Georgia?

Even though players like Nazir Stackhouse flourished and guys like Mykel Williams and Chaz Chambliss got better with each passing game, the Dawgs are not playing in a third-straight College Football Playoff because of their defensive front-seven. It was always in a state of transition this past year, but was finally exposed in the SEC Championship Game with a ground-centric Alabama attack.

Given that UGA prioritized its biggest weakness last year in receiver in the portal, they'll add a Nolen.