Georgia thought it was getting one of the top transfer QBs on the market entering the 2020 season when Wake Forest QB Jamie Newman announced he was heading to Athens as a graduate transfer.

However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Newman was one of the first big-name players to opt out of the 2020 campaign.

As he goes through the practices ahead of Saturday’s Senior Bowl, Newman weighed in on his decision to opt out, saying the NFL teams are very interested in hearing him explain (via UGASports.com):

“I got that from all 32 interviews (with NFL teams),” Newman said. “The biggest factor was my family. It was just a collective thing of COVID. It hit differently for me and my family. I had a family member that was affected by COVID, so that’s what went into my decision.”

Newman also said he still has a lot of love for Georgia fans, despite some of the hate he’s received on social media:

“I don’t have any regrets about not playing this season, and I still love Dawg Nation, regardless of all the stuff that I get via Instagram and Twitter,” Newman said. “I still have love for that family. I’ve still got love for all the fans.”

Newman will have some work to do to work his way back up NFL Draft boards. Where will he be chosen? We’ll find out in April.