Georgia football player Trevor Etienne made the first move after the announcement of the 2025 NFL draft.

Georgia football fullback Trevor Etienne made his first move since becoming official declaration for the 2025 NFL draft. The Bulldogs are facing plenty of departures this offseason, including at quarterback Carson Beck, who is transferring to Miami. Kirby Smart must rebuild a team that is coming off a tough quarterfinal loss in the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately, the #2 Bulldogs were victimized by health and fell to the red Notre Dame team 23-10 in the 2025 Sugar Bowl.

After transferred from Florida last offseason, Etienne entered 2024 with high expectations. The junior played a huge role for the Bulldogs SEC Championship Game win over no. 3 Texas. Technically, Etienne is within the deadline to withdraw his name from the draft, but this latest report suggests he has played his last game in Athens.

According to NFL Network National Insider Ian Rapoport, Etienne is accepted his invitation at the Senior Bowl. The younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, Trevor projects as a late choice.

Georgia football needs more than a game on the field in 2025

Etienne was the Bulldogs’ second-leading rusher with 609 yards and nine touchdowns. He also recorded 194 receiving yards. Trevor’s best performance came in the SEC Championship game, where he helped lead a fierce second-half rally, rushing for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Georgia football will return its leading rusher from 2024, Nate Frazier. The former 4-star recruit was a true freshman this past season.

Kirby Smart’s team will end up needing a lot more than the game on the field next season. The Bulldogs’ rushing attack was a bitter disappointment 2024, averaging 124.4 yards per game.

When Georgia won national championships under Smart, the Bulldogs were in the high 190s/low 200s in this same metric. Those teams prided themselves on winning the battle in the trenches. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen in the Bulldogs’ final game of the season. Georgia rushed for just 62 yards against Notre Dame during the New Year’s Day clash. On the other side of the ball, the Fighting Irish picked up 154 ​​yards on the ground.

The Bulldogs are in an SEC conference that, in 2025, seems as wide open as ever. Many teams in the conference are bringing in top transfers and recruits and expect to compete for a spot in the twelve-team College Football Playoff.

For the Bulldogs, making the playoffs is the bare minimum. Kirby Smart is already the greatest Georgia football coach of all time, but winning a title in this era will be a new challenge for him and his staff. And that new journey begins with the Bulldogs regaining the physical dominance they’ve had in the recent past. While losing Trevor Etienne is a big blow, this program is used to reloading after losing elite talent each offseason. The Bulldogs will be back; the question is, can they regain the form that saw them look like college football’s next dynasty?