Report: Georgia OL, former 5-star recruit, enters NCAA transfer portal
Georgia could be in for a double whammy of key departures. Shortly after Bulldogs QB Jake Fromm declared for the 2020 NFL Draft, news broke that offensive lineman Cade Mays has entered his name into the NCAA’s transfer portal.
Mays was a 2018 signee for Kirby Smart’s program. Coming out of Knoxville Catholic (Tennessee), Mays was rated 5-stars, the No. 3 offensive tackle and No. 22 prospect overall nationally in the class on the 247Sports Composite.
Mays played in all 14 games, including 11 starts, for the Bulldogs during the 2019 season. Mays showed his versatility this season, starting six games at right guard, two at right tackle, two at left guard and the season finale (Sugar Bowl) at left tackle and played extensively at center in the Missouri game. In 2018, Mayes was named to the FWAA’s Freshman All-America team and the SEC coaches All-Freshman Team.
While in the transfer portal, Mays will almost certainly be linked to the hometown Volunteers. Younger brother Cooper Mays recently signed with UT as a class of 2020 recruit. Their father Kevin Mays was an All-SEC guard and captain (1994) at Tennessee.
Source: Georgia offensive lineman Cade Mays has entered the transfer portal.
Former five-star recruit. Started 11 games this year.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 8, 2020
This one makes no sense… but here come the trolls with the fake UGA accounts talking about how they predicted the ship was sinking. Sounds like maybe Cade Wasn’t promised the starting LT spot with Ratledge and likely Jones coming in as well has having Truss, McClendon, and Salyer to compete with.
So there are 5 players in the portal from UGA now:
Mays
Beal
Reese
Erdman
Hudson
I think out of the 5 only Mays makes a real impact, if he does indeed intend to transfer. I would think either Tennessee to be close to his brother, or Arkansas to be close to Pittman. Maybe with Fromm leaving he doesn’t like the chances of UGA making it to a championship.
I told you so.
He already picked Tennessee and you think he left because “with Fromm leaving he doesn’t like the chances of UGA making it to a championship”? That’s laughable.
If he expected to compete for a championship, he wouldn’t have stayed in Athens this long. With the recruiting violations they just had to pay 10k for, coupled with the recruit last year that tweeted that he was planning to go elsewhere until “coach came through with that bag”, the fact that recruits are giving the dumbest reasons imaginable for choosing to play at Georgia (daycare, really?) over 10 other schools that would benefit them more, and the fact that everyone wants to go to Athens until they get there, then they can’t get out fast enough, I’d say they’ve got some really bad news coming soon. Recruiting violations, sanctions, post-season ban (not that they usually win those anyways).
I have a pretty good idea this is just the beginning in Athens. A lot of info is going to be coming out soon and it’ll be a while before Georgia recovers from it. Give it a couple of weeks and you’ll see…
Sooooooo you typed all of this to be wrong? On purpose?
Those were very minor recruiting violations and the “punishments” were self imposed by UGA. Your comment is filed with speculations and gross inaccuracies.
5 star Beal REJOINED THE TEAM!!!! He ain’t leaving. As for Mays. With UGA he would have become a first round draft pick. With Tennessee he might either RETIRE EARLY or just be an average player. Possibly he never gets drafted!!!
People don’t realize the value of having other players around you that can give you a break once in a while!!!! Tennessee wears their linemen out playing them on every down. Because they have no depth!!!!
With Mays they will probably have a pretty decent first team o line. But they will need a QB. And he needs to be GREAT right away!!! They also need running backs!!!!
What I’m saying is Cade is going from a great all-around team to a very average to bad team!!!! HE WON’T LOOK NEARLY AS GOOD AS HE DID AT UGA!!!! And to be totally honest. Personally I think Cade Mays UNDER ACHIEVED AT UGA!!!!!! I am not happy he left.
But I’m also not worried in the least!!! UGA just lost 2 o linemen to the NFL and now Mays to the portal. BUT JUST WATCH AND SEE!!!
UGA WILL STILL HAVE ONE OF THE BEST OFFENSIVE LINES IN ALL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL. AND PLENTY OF DEPTH!!!! AND THEY WILL BE COACHED BETTER BY MATT LUKE!!!!!
Sam Pittman was pretty good. But I never believed he was the best o line coach. I thought he was the best RECRUITER!!!! But LUCK plays a huge part in Pittman’s career up to now. He made a bit of a name for himself at Arkansas because THE HOGS NICKNAME CAUGHT ON WITH THE O LINE THERE!!! It became popular enough that he stood out with recruits!!!!
Still coming to RBU made him look even better!!! He was able to attract lots of TOP O LINEMEN!!! But NOT just because it was Sam Pittman. But rather because it was FINALLY SAM PITTMAN AT UGA INSTEAD OF ARKANSAS!!!!
The UGA BRAND goes further than Pittman ever did!!!! My guess is. We sign our final unsecured o linemen. That will mean that we only lost 1 to my knowledge!!!! What is my point?????
THE GREAT WALL OF GEORGIA AIN’T GOING ANYWHERE!!!! It will continue to thrive. Wait and see. In a year or two. MATT LUKE WILL BE CONSIDERED THE #1 O LINE COACH IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL!!!! And it’s very likely that Sam Pittman might be FIRED!!!
Oh I know Sam Pittman supposedly loves Arkansas. He loves them soooooo much that he left THE HOGS for UGA in a drop of a hat!!!
THE REAL REASON PITTMAN LEFT…
Trust me, the only reason he is back at Arkansas. IS TO BE THE HEAD MAN!!!! But sadly for him. Arkansas simply DOES NOT HAVE THE TALENT TO COMPETE IN THE SEC!!!!!
That little WINDOW OF TALENT that Arkansas had back in the day. Well it makes for UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS!!!! Taking the head coaching spot at this time WAS A HUGE MISTAKE!!!!!
Pittman should have stayed at UGA and coached these AMAZING O LINEMEN that UGA has!!!! He should have WAITED for a better deal. Waited for a team that MIGHT REALLY HAVE A CHANCE!!!!
MY PREDICTION…….
My prediction is that Pittman will be FIRED QUICKLY. Just as soon as they see he can’t do MAGIC or MIRACLES. He will certainly tarnish his image. But he will probably always have a job as an o line coach somewhere. Provided he don’t burn to many bridges!!! Heck it’s possible he might even be back at UGA someday. But only if the job is open!!!
Kirby Smart had as much to do with rebuilding our o line as anyone did!!! It was HIS FIRST PRIORITY AT UGA!!!! Smart is simply THE BEST RECRUITER IN THE COUNTRY. I personally believe he is THE BEST HEAD COACH TO!!!!
He certainly accomplished more in his first 4 seasons as HEAD MAN, than Saban ever did!!!! He won the SEC EAST all but 1 season. Won the SEC CHAMPIONSHIP and the ROSE BOWL and nearly THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP in just year 2!!!!!!! Almost made the playoffs in year 3. Really he should have!!!! And just finished 12-2 and said. THAT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!
Florida folks love THE MULLET MAN. But they would trade him tomorrow for Kirby Smart!!!! And those who wouldn’t are totally STUPID!!!!!!
When Saban retires soon to the booth. Wait and see if Alabama don’t come knocking at KIRBY’S DOOR!!!!!! It won’t be Dabo like everyone thinks. They will want Kirby Smart!!!!
But Kirby has his dream job right here in Georgia!!!! By guess is that the next head coach of Alabama will be. Either Jeremy Pruitt, Jimbo Fisher or Les Miles!!!!!! If Alabama had their pick. In my opinion they should choose Les Miles or my second choice Jimbo Fisher!!!!!
Les Miles just had some QB issues. But he was still only loosing around 2 games a season when he was fired from LSU. I think he averaged around 2 losses. HE IS A GREAT COACH AND DESERVES BETTER!!!!!!! Personally I think Jimbo Fisher is a bit OVERRATED. But he has lots of experience and has proven he can win if he has the players!!! Pruitt might be a good choice. But he still has yet to prove himself with me at Tennessee!!!!!
King Negan
Maybe he would rather start on the same O line as his brother in 2021.
Compound that with the fact that Cleveland and Fromm were his boys and he may not want to go duck hunting by himself all off season.
Plus Woerner.
Dang, who the heck is going to keep up that tradition? Our fault for ignoring the in-state guys.
Ben Cleveland is still a dawg!!!! He is academically ineligible right now. But it’s a looooooong way until the start of fall camp. Cleveland will play for UGA in 2020!!!
King Negan
I don’t think his brother will be starting unless he hits the juice. UGA didn’t recruit him because they didn’t think he was big enough.
He’s definitely hit that late growth spurt. He’s about 6’3 and pushing 300 now.
They didn’t recruit him because there was no chance of getting him.
Makes sense. He’s a solid and versatile player. If he stayed one more year at UGA, I’m sure he could have entered the draft…but going back to Knoxvegas to be closer to family and have the opportunity to play with his brother in 2021…great opportunity! Wish him the best.
Yeah this one is a head scratcher
Nothing to do with Georgia or the state of their program… Case is a Vol and wanted to come home.
Probably hard to suit up for a team when your dad is suing the university. Another one to the portal monster.
Man you Florida fans are pathetic.
I’m not sure if UGADAWGT8 is a faux fan or not (if so, c’mon guys, post from your real handles), but I’m not sure this is a trolling post.
The Mays family is literally suing the university for an incident that amputated Cade’s finger during recruiting. Ultimately I feel it’s a tactic to help gain immediate eligibility to his transfer destination, but it’s still true
Read his bio
Da heck? Keeping Jones is absolutely essential now.
Reese is a good player who just couldn’t crack the lineup. Erdman and Hudson are walkons who play special teams. Beals is never going to see the field. But Mays? This is a bit of a shocker. He was almost assuredly going to start as a junior. The only silver lining is if this nails down Broderick Jones. I don’t think anyone would mind seeing him start as a freshman similarly to Andrew Jones.
He started and still transferred? Academic? Anyone know the rest of this story?
I guess a combination of Pittmann leaving and his brother signing with UT. I know UGA doesn’t really like him at OT but they’ve been starting him there anyway. Pretty mind-boggling. Very rough day.
There’s gotta be some homesickness and loneliness with Fromm and probably Cleveland leaving.
Simple… He’s a Vol and regretted flipping to Georgia when Tennessee fired Jones…He’s coming home.
I guess he got the “Who doesn’t want to be a part of this” memo
I didn’t pay attention to his play, but I’m sure if he started at UGA then the Vols will be lucky to have him. The vols need a lot of help.
He was downright nasty and played through and sometimes past the whistle every play. Very versatile too. Played Every spot on the line at UGA this season for a significant amount of snaps and did it all well. His worst game was maybe at LT (where he probably practiced the least with Thomas there) in a game where he played against the Big12 player of the year and for the most part, held his own.
? Wha? We’re on schedule. We just need consistent QB play.
What about the Vols defense? Ten righted the ship after losing to Georgia State and BYU, but they need help. Pruitt is a great recruiter though and an ok HC. And he has come up through the ranks the right way. He earned it. Bama will smoking cigars for a few more years though. Then who knows.
Mark Schlabach just reported he is likely Tennessee bound.
I hate to see Mayes go, but I can see why.
His dad was a UT Captain/legend, Butch Jones is long gone from UT, Pittman is gone from UGA, his little brother is going to UT and if Mayes transfers to UT he will be a 2-year starter there.
Not so sure Mayes was a syntch to start next season at UGA. His footwork is not good enough for LT and UGA is loaded at the interior positions. Salyer has RT nailed down and incoming OT’s Jones and Ratledge are studs.
No doubt Mayes would have been an integral part of the O-line. Losing him will really hurt if we have injuries but UGA will be fine on the O-Line.
Good luck Cade and thanks for being a Dawg!
Looks like the 3 year run is over. And yea the ship is sinking. Kirby will be gone within 4 or 5 years.
Thanks for that prognosis Rick. So which is it, 4 or 5?
Not sure depends on Kirby, I think Kirby is a heck of a defensive coordinator, defensive back coach and great recruiter but if he continues to be stubborn and continues to run that pro style offense he will never win another sec title. He let Fields get away. I think the defense again next year will carry the team to 8 or 9 wins but thats it.
Doom…gloom…dumpster fire…sinking ship…death…clouds…
Oh rick….you are going to be very disappointed…again
LOL, what a clown. The ship isn’t sinking and Georgia isn’t going anywhere.
Great day for GatorbaitorU football fans today…now to complete my perfect day maybe we can talk Felipe Franks out of Kansas, lol.
I am actually optimistic about next season. Defense will be a machine again.
I think Fromm leaving will force some good change for the offense.
I could see it. The Bama game early in the season is going to be tough for a rebuilding offense. Definitely going to be interesting.
I saw that some moron suggested Franks as a transfer option for us.
I’d rather run a wildcat system starring Matt Landers.
As much shat Mays talked about Tennessee, I don’t think he will come to Tennessee but could be wrong. It would be hard for him eating crow. Mays probably should of come to Tennessee all along, but sometimes the grass isn’t always greener. Maybe he thought he would get that NC ring at Jawja and now knows that will never happen and wants to play with his brother. Who knows. Jawja is looking awful shakey next year. With everyone leaving, Smart better get his big boy britches tightened up….lol.
It’s already being reported – Mayes transferring to UT
I don’t think what he said matters. I think he made the right choice to go to UGA initially. He has a star on the OL of one of the best teams in the country. The grass was definitely greener on the UGA side. I’m gonna miss his mean streak and nasty attitude he brought to the OL. I think UGA will be just fine without Mays. They would be better with him but I wouldn’t call them shaky. The one place they’ve been able to afford a loss of a player here or there is the OL.
We’ll be returning essentially the same defense in 2020, so things aren’t that shakey.
Exactly,, Kirby has a stacked roster,, which is why shaky ground is not the case… Fromm leaving,, shocker to me,,, is bigger because no experienced QB on roster.. Transfer portal? And 3 SEC title games,, playoffs.. Clearly helps us other East teams try and close the talent gap…We are excited to have him..
The best defense will fold when it’s on the field the whole the game.
Sounds like he wanted to play with his brother. I don’t think the sky is falling in Athens. I hate to say it but I think Kirby slides in another 5 star tackle, hits the transfer portal for his QB. Looking forward to Jacksonville this year.
Sounds reasonable…are you sure you’re a GatorbaitorU fan? Lol
Sky isn’t falling (yet), but this is another bad look for Kirby notsoSmart. Kids have to leave to achieve their potential and not a lot of development going on.
Can they ban you? The trolling is becoming annoying.
AWWW I’m flattered…I have my own florida troll…CO must REALLY have a lot of time on his hands.
Time is not what cojones had in his hands most of the time.
I’m guessing cojones is cross-eyed and his computer monitor and keyboard is sticky mess.
I tend to stay away from the UGA trolls that invade every UF article, but this is simply too much fun to not enjoy. After the stupid comments from the few that offer no real input, constantly posting that the ship was sinking in Gainesville last summer with players leaving….oh how the tide has turned. My only hope is that enough trolls will live on the UGa articles to give them a little taste of their own.
So your mindset is “Let’s continue the cesspool of trolling so that even the non-trolls who don’t deserve it stop coming” ….
Ok.
I don’t think it’s anymore then just wanting to get closer to home. But if he doesn’t sign with Tennessee then that could raise a few flags
He’s going to Tenn. It’s already being reported
Fromm looked totally different in the 2nd part of the season. With everyone leaving it’s gonna be real interesting next year for Jawja. We will see just how well Smart can coach. I am starting to think maybe Chaney was good for Fromm. Who is gonna be the man for Jawja? Untested and starting against Bama is gonna be tough. I can see Jawja losing at least 3 if not 4 games next year. If they don’t have a good QB, maybe more.
I can see us losing to Bama (probable even), possibly Florida. Where would hypothetical loss 3 & 4 come from???
Well?!?! We’re waiting!!!
Classic Dawgs. All swagger, no substance.
Classic Vandy. All mediocrity, no chances.
Tell me more about your state school, friend.
We pummel you in football every year, friend
My degree will pummel yours every time.
This is a football forum.
Congrats on your degree but it means nothing to this conversation.
My degree suits me fine and I get to enjoy having gone to a school that isn’t the laughing stock of the entire conference.
I don’t know. The SECCG certainly made your school look that way.
How would you know??? Vandy has never been there. Safe to say they never will either.
“My degree will pummel yours every time.”
What an insecure loser.
Vandy the laughing stock?
Wow, someone has some real messed up priorities.
Best academics in the SEC, second highest endowment behind all that aTm oil money, great Baseball team, oh and they have more national titles in football than UGA.
I know, I know, they won those titles decades ago … oh wait, 4 decades for the pups now.
96 Gator, Vandy, within the realm of football because this is a site about football, is a laughing stock. Endowment money and baseball don’t really apply to this conversation. And Vandy has the same amount of national championships if we’re going to count their two from the 1920’s.
96 Gator I realize you’re trying to be snarky but Vandy is the worst football team in the SEC every year. It’s basically a bye week. All the sudden you acknowledge football before 1990? I’m shocked.
Ok. Ok. I’m joining the feud cause I have a strong opinion about this.
A) this is a stupid conversation and I’m stupid for chiming in.
B) I teach PT at Vandy. I have also hired people from Vandy and local community colleges for the same roles. There are only a few fields where your school matters. Person > school 99% of the time.
36 wins in three seasons. LOL yeah, no substance. It doesn’t surprise me you’re unfamiliar with what a winning program looks like.
Any of our last 3 seasons would be a best ever for Vandy
There aren’t a lot of Vandy fans that post on this site, but most that do are nutty.
They’ve been on call too much.
My guess is that the only reason he didnt stay with his heart and sign with the Vols to start with was Pittman. Now that he is gone, home and bro look better.
“I’d think we did a poor job recruiting if guys were coming in and then immediately walking out the door because it was something different than what they thought it would be and we lied to them during recruiting, or we sold them on a dream that wasn’t true.”
This really disappoints me. Cade started 11 games this season, went to SEC championship game twice with UGA, destroyed UT twice with UGA, and now he suddenly wants to go home with only one year left before he likely turns pro? UGA could not have given him more or treated him better.
His dad is suing UGA. It would get pretty awkward if he stayed. Fact is we want players that WANT to be here. If he wants to leave let him go. He’ll be part of the a$$whoppin we put on Tennessee in 2020 too just on the other side.
I’m not surprised. He wanted to go to UT initially. But the coaching carousel train wreck scared him off.
Brutal week for uga which I enjoy, but have to say that Cade’s dad sueing uga disgusts me. Sorry you lost the tip of your pinky finger… While the school took great care of your kid. Symptom of our society.
That being said, if I were uga I would be concerned about all these guys transferring although the portal has created this avenue and when your roster is stacked it allows kids to jump if they aren’t playing much. Impressed with how Saban keeps his kids from transferring or going early.
All this week did was make the Jax game next year more interesting. Hopefully, Trask being the top QB returning in the conference takes us to the SECCG but uga’s defense will be nasty so it will be a great game no matter who they have at QB.
I disagree that Saban has somehow kept his kids from transferring or leaving early. If I’m not mistaken they have as many transfers and early departures as anyone else. For UGA I think there’s only one guy I’m concerned about transferring and that’s Mays because he was a starter. They only have 5 in the portal and the other 4 aren’t going to effect the 2 deep on anything other than special teams.
The Jax game will certainly be much closer this year. If I’m florida I’m feeling confident if for no reason other than Fromm leaving. But let’s not forget, UGA’s success came often while shuffling O linemen and without necessarily NEEDING the QB to carry the load.
2018 class was a beast now ehh
5* QB Justin Fields – OSU
5* DE Brenton Cox – UF
5* OL Cade Mayes – UT
White and Cook ain’t exactly Chubb and Michel either
Getting two solid years from Mays isn’t a bad thing. The only thing Michel and Chubb had that White and Cook haven’t had yet is opportunity. White’s game against Baylor was Chubb-esque. Give the kid 15-20 carries a game and he’ll keep wearing the defense down and Milton won’t be a slouch when White needs the plays off.
Chubb jumped off the screen immediately white is not that lol Michel took more time but by his last yr he was a beast
Ya they haven’t had opportunities because they couldn’t do what Holyfield could surpass that guy Herrian who isnt that good
White has almsot all of the same qualities that Chubb did. Great balance and control, power in the open field and proper leveraging against defenders in traffic. Where he’s also similar to chubb is that he doesn’t look quite right in this first season after his knee surgeries. Chubb in 2014 was a monster, 2015 was a monster until he got hurt, and 2016 was mostly average that entire season, lacking burst and going down very easily in traffic. 2017 Chubb is what you’re probably going to see more of when it comes to White. He’s gonna get back that confidence and ability.
National news is speculating that it’s because his dad is suing UGA for the loss of his finger.