Georgia Football: Arian Smith is the element Bulldog offense was missing

Mecole Hardman (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Mecole Hardman (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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Two-sport athlete Arian Smith has joined the Georgia football 2020 recruiting class, and here’s how he could make an instant impact.

Georgia football now has a wide receiver room that is filled to the brim. There are currently ten players at the position on the team. A position that was pretty thin in 2019 should have plenty of depth in 2020. One of those players is true freshman, Arian Smith.

247Sports.com has Smith listed as a four-star recruit at the wide receiver position. Smith also runs track. His best time in the 100-meter is 10.39 and his best time in the 200-meter is 21.14. He has blazing speed, and that is something Georgia sorely missed in 2019 with the absence of Mecole Hardman.

According to MaxPreps.com, Smith accumulated 386 yards on 19 catches, an average of over 20 yards per catch. He also added six receiving touchdowns and two kickoff returns for touchdowns. So as you can see he is dynamic with the ball in his hands. He can stretch the field deep and give you an explosive weapon on special teams.

Georgia Bulldogs Football
Georgia Bulldogs Football /

Georgia Bulldogs Football

247’s Charles Power compares Smith to DJ Moore of the Carolina Panthers, quite the playmaker in his own right. Kirby Smart mentioned after the SEC Championship Game that Georgia was lacking explosive players at receiver this year. It looks like Smith could solve that problem.

Expect Smart to use Smith to attack the field vertically, opening up things underneath, and giving the running backs room to do their thing. This signing was perhaps the biggest must-get of the 2020 recruiting class for Georgia and Smart nailed it. Smith should give Georgia that dimension it was missing in 2019.

Speed kills, and that was not any more evident than this season as Georgia’s receivers struggled to beat man coverage and create separation from their defenders. Smith should not have that problem as getting a step on his man should not be difficult. Not too many defenders will be able to stick with him stride for stride.

Smith’s 43 yards per kick return will also help the Dawgs win the field position battle.

It will be fun to watch Smith step in and start stretching the field and keeping opposing defenses honest this year. Huge get for the Bulldogs and a much-needed shot in the arm for the offense.