Kirby Smart Goes On 'Scavenger Hunt' After Missing Out On Nation’s No. 1 Player

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.C. Shelton | Last updated May 16, 2025 3:14 PM ET

Head coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs will host a key recruiting event this weekend after receiving some unfortunate news on five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell.

Cantwell, ranked as the nation's top player by On3 and Rivals, ultimately chose Miami over the Bulldogs, Oregon and Ohio State on Tuesday.

Smart and Co. certainly would have liked to reel in the elite tackle, but there is plenty of ground to make up elsewhere in the 2026 cycle.

And this weekend is expected to be a key step in the right direction, as the Bulldogs host their annual "Scavenger Hunt" recruiting event. Georgia is slated to have multiple high-profile recruits on campus to search for clues around Athens, getting to know the acclaimed college town.

According to On3's Rusty Mansell, the group is headlined by five-star offensive lineman Darius Gray and four-star athletes Ryan Mosely and Jalen Lott.

Gray (6-foot-3, 285 pounds) plays for St. Christopher's School in Richmond, Virginia. He is rated as the No. 1 interior lineman in the 2026 class, per On3 industry rankings.

Mosely has long been linked to Georgia as an in-state target, rated as the No. 11 athlete and the No. 26 player in the state. The Carrollton High School product stands 6-foot-2, 205 pounds and plays both wide receiver and defensive back.

Lott (6-foot, 170 pounds) plays for Panther Creek High School in Frisco, Texas. Georgia is in a battle with the Longhorns for the nation's No. 2 athlete, who is also a star in track in field.

Additionally, UGA is set to host four-star offensive lineman Wilson Zierer, four-star linebackers Nick Abrams and Shadarius Toodle, four-star EDGE Khamari Brooks and three-star defensive lineman Tyson Bacon.

The Bulldogs' "Scavenger Hunt" is a yearly event, but it isn't the first big recruiting weekend for the program this spring. It's surprising to see Georgia host as many prospects to this point in the cycle, according to Mansell.

"Like all these official visit weekends, I've never seen Georgia have this many this early," he said on "The Inside Scoop." "It tells you how sped up it is."

Georgia currently holds the nation's No. 6 class, which includes a commitment from No. 1 quarterback Jared Curtis. Smart's Bulldogs have signed nine straight top-five classes.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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