After three seasons in Athens and two SEC titles under his belt, offensive lineman Jamal Meriweather is looking for a new chapter. The 6-foot-7, 305-pound redshirt sophomore is officially in the transfer portal, seeking a fresh start after serving primarily in a reserve role for Georgia.
Meriweather saw action in 12 games during the 2025 season, mostly coming off the bench and contributing on special teams. The year prior, he made appearances in wins over Clemson, UMass, and Tennessee Tech. But despite the Bulldogs’ continued success, Meriweather never quite broke into the starting lineup - a tough feat on an offensive line stacked with blue-chip talent.
With veteran left guard Micah Morris graduating, there’s an open lane for competition on Georgia’s interior line heading into 2026. Freshman Dontrell Glover stepped up at right guard this past season, while another freshman, Juan Gaston, showed versatility by taking reps at both right guard and right tackle. Even with some turnover, Meriweather clearly felt the timing was right to explore other opportunities.
He becomes the 12th player from Georgia’s 2025 roster to enter the portal since the end of the regular season, and the second offensive lineman to do so, joining Bo Hughley.
Georgia isn’t exactly hurting for depth up front. The Bulldogs signed five offensive linemen in the 2026 recruiting class: Ekene Ogboko, Tyreek Jamison, Graham Houston, Zykie Helton, and Zachary Lewis - all part of Kirby Smart’s continued effort to reload the trenches with elite talent.
Meriweather originally committed to Central Florida before flipping to Georgia, closing his recruitment with a message of gratitude toward the UCF staff. That flip proved to be a big one for Georgia’s 2023 class, which was loaded with offensive line talent.
Alongside Meriweather were five-star tackle Monroe Freeling, four-star tackle Bo Hughley, four-star interior lineman Kelton Smith, and Joshua Miller, another interior lineman. That group has since scattered a bit - Smith medically retired, and Miller transferred to Syracuse - but at the time, it was viewed as a major haul.
Back in high school, Meriweather was a force at Brunswick (Ga.), a program that also produced former Georgia tackle Warren McClendon. As a senior, Meriweather helped lead the Pirates to a 10-1 record and a spot in the GHSA Class 6A playoffs.
The offense he helped anchor put up over 4,000 total yards and 49 touchdowns. His junior year wasn’t far off - 11-1 with a similarly explosive offense.
Coaches who worked with him at Brunswick saw the potential early. “He’ll definitely be playing on Saturdays.
I have no doubt,” said Jason Vaughn, an assistant offensive line coach at the school. Vaughn emphasized Meriweather’s work ethic and the impact of Georgia’s strength program, predicting that once the physical development caught up to his raw tools, Meriweather would be a difference-maker.
Now, with a few years of SEC-level training under his belt and a hunger to prove himself, Meriweather hits the portal as a big-bodied lineman with untapped upside. He’s not just looking for playing time - he’s looking to make good on the promise that’s been following him since high school. For programs in need of size, experience, and a high-ceiling project with SEC pedigree, Meriweather could be a name to watch.