The Georgia Bulldogs did not get the time to lick their Sugar Bowl loss wounds before the transfer portal opened. But Kirby Smart is already back to business as he makes the push for USC cornerback Braylon Conley. This leaves Lincoln Riley feeling the sting.

“Georgia OV….thank you @KirbySmartUGA,” Conley wrote on X on January 3, posting a picture with Smart.

The Bulldogs are in full offseason mode, and Smart is making the most out of it to visit recruits who have opened their recruitments. Georgia’s defensive front is normally a strength, but this year it lagged behind the hype. 

A slow first half saw Smart’s squad struggle to consistently pressure quarterbacks. While things improved down the stretch, the unit still fell short of expectations. That’s what makes Conley a hot target for the Bulldogs.

He followed running back Bryan Jackson’s footsteps and hit the transfer portal in the first week of December. Over two seasons at USC, Conley saw action in 10 games, wrapping up his time in Cardinal and Gold with 15 total tackles, one pass breakup, and a forced fumble.

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Conley was the No. 512 overall prospect and No. 52 safety in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. Back in 2023, he held 31 total offers, including Texas, Michigan,and  Georgia, but he chose to land at USC. 

What makes Smart plan a meet-up with Conley? The Bulldogs might see him as a problem-solver for one of their big issues. That is the cornerback problem. 

Georgia erased the deficit and stormed back to tie the game at 34-34 against Ole Miss. But they left the Rebels just enough time to steal the night. And that was all Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss needed. On third-and-5, he dropped back, spotted De’Zhaun Stribling slipping past Smart’s cornerback Demello Jones.

He delivered a perfect strike that went for 40 yards. Moments later, Lucas Carneiro sealed it, drilling a 47-yard dagger to win it. 

This is what enhances the urgency of a good cornerback in the Bulldogs’ squad. And Conley has already earned his flowers back at USC.

Conley’s expanded role this season has sparked noticeable growth in the cornerback room, helping USC solidify its secondary. That development showed up on the scoreboard, as the Trojans surrendered just six total second-half points in two back-to-back games.

Against Northwestern, Conley logged six tackles, four solo, marking his first appearance since the Illinois game on September 27.

Smart is rolling the dice on the portal defensive back, and the Bulldogs’ defensive backs’ coach, Donte Williams, influence is impossible to miss. He had deep ties to Conley’s recruitment at USC before making his move to Georgia.

With plenty of young talent already in the cornerback room and Conley still fighting for snaps as a redshirt freshman in 2025, this move invites a lot of intrigue. Smart is set to bring back Ellis Robinson IV, Demello Jones, and Dominick Kelly, three corners who logged meaningful snaps this season.

This makes Conley more of a long-game move. Who is the other one on Smart’s radar?

An Athens native returns to Kirby Smart’s radar

Clemson defensive back Khalil Barnes has officially hit the portal, instantly popping up on Smart’s radar. An Athens native, Barnes is no stranger to Georgia. He was heavily courted by the Bulldogs coming out of high school and even made it to campus during his recruitment. 

A versatile chess piece in the secondary, Barnes isn’t a KJ Bolden clone, but his ball skills jump off the tape. Add in his size, and he looks tailor-made for the STAR role or a strong safety spot. Smart will be facing competition as Ole Miss is working on Barnes as well. 

While the portal chaos demands attention, Smart is also losing sleep over poaching threats, even on his own staff. Georgia is now on the brink of losing defensive backs analyst David Metcalf to Western Kentucky.

Smart has been on high alert ever since his gamble against Ole Miss backfired in brutal fashion. Down 27-24 with 9:31 left, Georgia faced a fourth-and-2 and initially sent out the punt unit. After an Ole Miss injury timeout, Smart flipped the script and rolled out the offense, sparking total confusion. 

Center Malachi Toliver snapped the ball early to an unready Gunner Stockton, and Ole Miss’ Suntarine Perkins made them pay with a strip-sack. With the Sugar Bowl loss still fresh, Kirby Smart’s next test is whether portal wins can help Georgia turn the page.