Georgia football running back Trevor Etienne made his first move since officially declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft. The Bulldogs are facing a lot of departures this offseason, including quarterback Carson Beck, who is transferring to Miami. Kirby Smart must rebuild a team coming off a tough quarterfinal loss in the College Football Playoff. Unfortunately, the No. 2 Bulldogs were a victim of health and dropped to a red-hot Notre Dame team 23-10 in the 2025 Sugar Bowl.
After transferring from Florida last offseason, Etienne came into 2024 with high expectations. The junior played a huge role in the Bulldogs' SEC Championship game victory over No. 3 Texas. Technically, Etienne is within the window to withdraw his name from the draft, but this most recent report suggests that he's played his final game in Athens.
According to National Insider for NFL Network Ian Rapoport, Etienne has accepted his invitation to the Senior Bowl. The younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, Trevor projects as a late-round pick.
Georgia football needs more from its ground game in 2025

Etienne was the second-leading rusher for the Bulldogs 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 furious second-half rally, running for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Georgia football will be returning its leading rusher from 2024, Nate Frazier. The former 4-star recruit was a true freshman this past season.
Kirby Smart's team will ultimately need much more from its ground game next season. The Bulldogs' rushing attack was a bitter disappointment in 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 did not happen in the Bulldogs' last 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, heading into 2025, feels as wide open as ever. Many teams in the conference are bringing into top tier transfers and recruits and expect to be competing for a spot in the twelve-team College Football Playoff.
For the Bulldogs, making the playoff 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 all starts with the Bulldogs regaining the physical dominance they've had in the recent past. While losing Trevor Etienne is a blow, this program is used to reloading after losing elite talent every offseason. The Bulldogs will be back; the question is, can they regain the form that saw them look like college football's next dynasty?