Three quick takeaways from Kirby Smart at SEC Media Days

1: Georgia football NIL situation is perfect

One of the biggest takeaways is how Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart discussed the NIL collective. There are 95 players with NIL deals at Georgia, but the way recruiting continues to vocalize, it seems like the Dawgs aren’t doing anything.

Instead of offering NIL incentives out of the gate, Smart and Georgia decided to wait until players get to Athens. Once they get to school, then the NIL deals start to happen. The Classic City Collective also recently partnered with Truist Bank to help teach the players more about taking care of their financials.

He praised Matt Hibbs, who runs that collective, and the job they are doing with it. The key word he used was sustainable and how it’s their way of doing the NILs.

Smart said that NIL has been good to Georgia and mentioned Jordan Davis as likely one of the highest-paid defenders through NIL last year and Brock Bowers being one of the highest-paid tight ends. He also said a highest-paid cornerback, and we can assume that is Kelee Ringo.

There are 95 kids making money off their name, image and likeness. Some are using that to help pay parents’ medical bills, that would have to go home and work if they didn’t get that money. He mentioned Dan Jackson, a walk-on, and how his NIL deals help pay for his education.

It’s safe to say that the NIL deals have benefited the Dawgs.

This practice is how all NIL collectives should work. Smart was quick to say that using it to get a player to come to your school isn’t good for anybody. I must agree because if you cannot honor what you committed to a kid, why do it? How long can schools continue to offer these wild deals? It doesn’t help the game but hurts it.

Sustainable is a great way to put it, and being able to teach his players financial knowledge is only going to help them past football.

Smart and Georgia got it right on the NIL deals, and the way he said all of this on Wednesday really stood out. Georgia fans should be happy that is how the Dawgs are handling this new beast because it’ll pay off in the long run.