Georgia QB Jamie Newman Opts Out

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Projected Georgia starting quarterback Jamie Newman has opted out of the 2020 season due to coronavirus concerns and instead will begin preparation for the 2021 NFL Draft, he announced on Twitter on Wednesday.

Newman, a graduate transfer from Wake Forest, was immediately eligible to take the field for the Bulldogs. He left for Georgia in January after previous 3-year starter Jake Fromm departed for the NFL.

Newman practiced with the team Monday, but announced his decision just two and a half weeks into preseason practices, having played in one scrimmage.

The dual-threat QB was coming off an impressive senior campaign in his only full season as a starter for the Demon Deacons. He completed 60.9% of his attempts for 2,868 passing yards and 26 TDs in 2019. He added 574 rushing yards and 6 TDs on the ground.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Newman was ranked No. 3 at the QB position by Pro Football Focus headed into the upcoming season.

Newman was named to the preseason watch lists for the Maxwell Award and Davey O'Brien Award.

He is the first college QB to forgo the 2020 season with intentions of entering the NFL draft.

USC transfer JT Daniels is now the favorite to be the starter under center for Georgia.

The redshirt sophomore received an NCAA waiver to be eligible to play this season, but is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in 2019 at USC. He has not yet been cleared for contact.

In 2018, Daniels became only the second true freshman quarterback to start an opener for USC.

He went on to compile an uneven freshman season as a Trojan, throwing for 2,672 yards, 14 TDs and 10 interceptions. In 2019, he suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the year.

He completed 60.7% of his passes in 12 starts over his two seasons in Los Angeles.

Georgia has three other scholarship candidates on the roster, including redshirt freshman D'Wan Mathis, true freshman Carson Beck and redshirt junior Stetson Bennett.

The Bulldogs have a commitment from 5-star QB Brock Vandergriff, who is considered the No. 3 overall quarterback in the 2021 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite ranking.

No. 4 Georgia opens the season on the road at Arkansas on Sept. 26.