Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs have taken some hits in recruiting the last couple of days, and it has all really come from one team, the Texas Longhorns. The Bulldogs lost 5-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson yesterday to the Longhorns after the Georgia native, who made double-digit trips to Athens during his recruiting process, made his announcement yesterday on the Pat McAfee Show.
The Bulldogs also lost once-committed defensive lineman James "JJ" Johnson after he flipped his commitment to the Longhorns the same day. However, it seems like Kirby Smart saw that one coming based on his recent comments on NIL in college sports.
"We sell relationships over transactions," Smart said at SEC Media Days. "We think that relationships still win out because a relationship allows you to push people and demand excellence, and we're going to continue to do that at Georgia."
Basically, Smart believes that you don't have to spend the most money to be the most successful program in college football. It doesn't matter how much you spend; what matters is when the guys get in the building, making sure they know what the ultimate goal is and working one day at a time to achieve that goal.
Kirby Smart today… pic.twitter.com/VCB2eXfLd3
— Graham Coffey (@GrahamCoffeyDC) July 15, 2025
James Johnson flips his commitment to the Texas Longhorns
Georgia took some hits on the recruiting trail yesterday, losing Atkinson and Johnson, but it seems Johnson didn't necessarily choose the Longhorns because they are truly the better program. Based on Smart's comments about NIL, it seems like he was talking about someone specific, and it might have been Johnson's flip.
Johnson says that when he committed to Georgia, it still felt like something was missing, and that could have been true, but also could have been that some money was added to an NIL package from Texas. The Longhorns certainly have the money to give in NIL, but that isn't always what it is all about, and that is what Smart was getting at with his earlier comments.
Texas may win more battles on the recruiting trail, but Georgia is still winning where it matters, on the football field during the season and in championships.