Recruitment drama takes an unprecedented turn in the fall of the February signing day. WR Dylan Cope, hailing from Alabama, has been one of the biggest head-turners in the class of 2026 receivers, receiving a ton of offers from quality programs like Ole Miss and others. Lane Kiffin might have just seen him making plays all over the field throughout the year and whispered in wonder, ‘Keep grinding, my boy’ before extending the first power four offers to the Hewitt-Trussville native.

But there is no rule book suggesting that the faster is the winner. Just days later, Georgia and Kirby Smart took notice of Cope’s incredible and couldn’t help sending out the second Big Four offer his way, and guess what, they are reaping some serious edge in the race.

Dylan Cope is oozing out some strong hope for Georgia and Kirby Smart

The five-star-rated WR (according to his bio profile) from Hewitt-Trussville High School, is seemingly wrapping up his options out of a plethora of schools. Kirby Smart and Georgia’s latest interest in seemingly beefing him up to take a crucial decision that has to be taken sooner or later. To the relief of all the Dawgs fans, Cope is keen to explore the latest SEC offer on his table with his family banking on his choice.

When I received the great news that I was offered by Georgia I was extremely excited,” Cope shared with Dawg Post after recovering the offer from the Bulldogs on January 29th. “My mom, dad, and sister all yelled at the great news. I know a little about the University. When I think of a Dawg, I think of a hard-working, well-disciplined football player.” If you still doubt his blooming motive to come to Athens to heat up the 2026 ball game, you should just refer to his clearer hint this time that reads, “UGA can play a huge factor in my recruitment.” 

We are not sure what exactly the huge factor stands out for, but the 6 ft 3 talented track player’s unique playmaking wideout with a giant size and dependable hands will undoubtedly be an asset to Georgia’s receiver room.

As a junior last fall for a strong Hewitt-Trussville program, Cope hauled in 40 passes for 504 yards and five touchdowns. To steadfast his interest and check out other minute factors, he will head to Athens for an unofficial visit on March 29th. He can very soon plan an official visit to take things further. But Smart needs to be heightened and alert with his every move not to let the fish slip outta hand.

However, irrespective of Cope’s final decision, Georgia is weighing high on their overall 2026 class.

Kirby Smart is streaming hot in the 2026 recruitment class

Kirby Smart might have to rely on a chunk of young playmakers on both sides of the ball this year, but he’s not making any mistakes heading to a projected bright future this spring. Georgia finished the 2024 season with an 11-3 (6-2 Southeastern Conference) record but got busted open in the playoffs, losing 23-10 to Notre Dame on Jan. 2. But instead of carrying ghosts from the painful past, Smart is strategically, aggressively looking to a bolstering roster for the upcoming years.

Currently, they stand at No. 5 in the SEC in the  2026 recruiting class after landing their fifth committed player, four-star safety Zech Fort. For the year 2025, they stand at No. 2 in the recruiting class behind Texas. There’s still a lot up in the air with the most important potential recruits, but if you trust the signs, they are all yes.

So, what’s the secret behind Smart’s dark horse recruiting success? Well, he is actively going toward more of the homegrown talents with strong emotional family ties with the program. Also, since his dad, Sony Smart, has been a stellar high school coach for over the years, he developed some strong bonds with fellow high school coaches which is working in Georgia’s favor.

If Cope decides to come to Georgia, it will be another testament to Smart’s proven excellence as a crazy recruiter.