BREAKING: 4-star WR Arian Smith Signs With Georgia
The Georgia Bulldogs just got faster on offense.
A lot faster.
4-star WR Arian Smith of Lakeland (FL), one of the fastest prospects in the country, has signed with Georgia over Alabama, Clemson, among others.
The 6-foot-1 170-pounder is an absolute burner and will bring his elite 10.3 100m speed with him to Georgia’s wide receiver room. He is one of the top track and field athletes in the country and the Georgia staff is hoping that speed will translate to the gridiron.
His recruitment came down to Georgia and Alabama in the end. Smith didn’t visit Georgia very much as a prospect, but his official visit last weekend was enough for Kirby Smart and Cortez Hankton to land his signature on Signing Day.
Kirby Smart used his in-home visit with Smith on December 11 and sources say the Bulldogs took a firm lead in his recruitment heading into his official visit. It was enough to hold off Alabama who used their in-home visit with Smith on December 5th.
In the end, sources say it was consistency from the Georgia staff as well as the need for explosive playmakers that won Smith over.
As a prospect, we know Smith’s strength is his speed. The track star has that “extra gear” that your average wide receiver just doesn’t have. He can score from anywhere on the field and should be given lots of opportunities for screens and misdirection plays to get him in open space.
We know he can run. But can he catch?
Smith caught 19 passes for 382 yards (20.1 average) and 6 touchdowns. The numbers aren’t shocking, but Smith plays on a run-heavy offense at Lakeland.
Smith can also make an instant impact on special teams as a returner. During his senior season, Smith returned 5 kicks for 215 yards. His vision, quickness, and overall playmaking ability should give him a look at kick and punt returns the second he gets on campus.
Overall, speed is something this Georgia staff wanted to add at wide receiver and that’s exactly what he’ll bring to Athens. He’ll have to continue working on his overall route running and blocking to become a true WR at the next level, but his speed alone will give the Bulldogs a big boost on offense.
Smith is ranked as the No.14 WR prospect, the No.13 player in Florida, and the No.72 overall prospect in the 2020 class.