Since 2013, Deshaun Watson, Robert Nkemdiche, Carl Lawson, Montravious Adams, Arden Key, Mitch Hyatt, Demetris Robertson, Kyle Davis and Raekwon McMillan were just a handful of top 100 players in the ESPN 300 from the state of Georgia that didn’t sign with the in-state Bulldogs.
While Georgia’s recruiting classes during that period ranked 10th, ninth, eighth and seventh, respectively, Mark Richt’s staff was often criticized for those players that left.
Enter Kirby Smart.