Georgia head coach Kirby Smart doesn't hesitate to share his honest thoughts about NIL landscape

Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs were expected to secure a commitment from top-ranked five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell this week, but he ultimately committed to the Miami Hurricanes instead.

Reports soon surfaced that Cantwell's decision ultimately came down to guaranteed money, though he attempted to shut down that narrative, stating Miami's relationships and recruiting process beat out Georgia's. 

“Well, I think my response to it is it’s not the same narrative people like Pete Nakos are pushing right now,” Cantwell said while calling out the On3 college insider, via Dawg Nation. “I think there’s just a false narrative that’s why I’m choosing. And I think that, I mean, I think relationships won out in Miami.”

One day after swinging and missing out on a big recruiting battle, coach Smart spoke with reporters during a golf event and didn’t mince words about the current state of recruiting in the NIL era. He opened up about just how messy and confusing things have gotten. He also made it very clear that the chaos behind the scenes is real, and it's something coaches everywhere are still trying to figure out.

“It’s confusing. A lot of misleading information out there,” he said. “Nobody really knows what’s accurate. A lot of schools are approaching it in different ways. We hear something different from every school. So I don’t think anybody really knows.”

Smart's take sums up the frustration a lot of coaches are feeling as they try to make sense of mixed signals and shifting strategies from one program to the next.

Money might play a big role in today’s college football world, especially with NIL deals becoming such a major factor in recruiting decisions, but at the end of the day, Georgia remains one of the premier programs in the country. Under coach Smart, the Bulldogs have built a powerhouse that not only competes for national championships year in and year out but also consistently develops players into top-tier NFL talent.

While Cantwell chose to take his talents to Miami over Athens, there’s always a chance he could end up second-guessing that decision down the line. Georgia’s track record speaks for itself, and missing out on one player won’t slow them down. Smart and the Bulldogs will continue to attract elite talent, win at the highest level, and send players to the next level, with or without Cantwell.