Intel: Arian Smith Drawing Rave Reviews

Speed makes the headlines, which is why wideout Arian Smith drew plenty when he arrived in Athens during the summer of 2020.

The Florida product boasts Olympic-level speed, enough to make even SEC defenders look sluggish. Smith was an early contributor to Georgia's track and field team, clocking a 10.18-second 100-meter dash during the 2021 SEC Championship Meet.

While his physical gifts make Smith a tantalizing prospect, he came into college extremely raw as a receiver. Smith's high school team only asked him to take the top off defenses. This has labeled him as a track star playing football rather than an actual football player who happens to run track.

Georgia's staff knew this when they brought him into their program and intended to mold him into a complete option. However, injuries plagued Smith's first two seasons with the team and never allowed him to develop a complete rhythm. 

Lower body injuries sidelined him for eleven games during the 2021 season. Despite the inconsistent availability, Smith's talent was evident. He broke long touchdowns against UAB and Missouri, leaving fans salivating about his potential.

Sources indicate that Smith is coming into his own this offseason, partly because of necessity. He’s routinely making the down field plays Georgia fans have become familiar with, but sources have indicated he’s becoming much more of a refined route runner as well. If he can continue to force defensive backs to respect the underneath portion of his game, he will keep hitting home runs as well. Head coach Kirby Smart noted that they have two known commodities at receiver in Ladd McConkey and Adonai Mitchell; everyone else has something to prove.

The competition will heat up in the coming days for the wide receiver room. They are battling for what few remaining snaps remain, as the top two wideouts and the tight end room have accounted for most of the targets.

Therefore, one depth piece in the receiver room must separate. The easiest way to do that is by creating big plays, which Smith's speed allows him to do better than any of the other contenders.

All other candidates are viable players that may still make an impact over the year. However, Smith's natural gifts gave him the inside track to win snaps from the beginning. If he can learn the nuances of the position, such as body leverage and winning out of your brake, the sky is the limit.

Arian Smith is the potentially the key to unlocking a different type of offense for Georgia. Giving them a great chance to create major explosive plays on a consistent basis, something they’ve struggled with in the past.

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