Kirby Smart saw the NCAA transfer portal clouds on the horizon and has his Georgia football program braced.

A week ago, Smart said, he was so busy it was “like drinking water through a firehose.”

The Bulldogs have an answer if Carson Beck decides to turn pro.

 

The answer, quite possibly, is Duke transfer QB Riley Leonard.

Leonard, at the moment, appears to have Notre Dame waiting on standby in the event Beck returns to Georgia for another season.

There are several other UGA players trying to decide on their futures …

Kamari Lassiter and Sedrick Van Pran are off to the NFL.

At the moment, it would be more surprising than not if Ladd McConkey, Brock Bowers, Smael Mondon, Daijun Edwards, Kendall Milton, Amarius Mims or Tate Ratledge came back for another season.

To be clear, no one has announced anything outside of Van Pran, so much as it’s speculation based on NFL draft grades and what sources close to the program have said.

There are questions about whether or not Javon Bullard, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Dominic Lovett return for another season with Georgia.

Then, there’s recruiting and early-signing day (Dec. 20) fast approaching.

Smart and his staff will have much of the NCAA transfer portal sorted out (could Florida tailback Trevor Etienne be on his way?) when it’s time to sign the next class.