Kirby Smart’s 2024 season gave more questions than answers for Kirby Smart. An offensive line that leaked from everywhere, a receiving corps that led in drops the whole season, and a quarterback whose injury brought doomsday against Notre Dame. A defeat that sure had brought regrets, considering the team was coming after beating Texas in overtime. Sure things needed to be fixed and fast. Players needed to be signed, freshmen players roped, and commitments pursued aggressively. The Georgia Bulldogs, it seems, are doing just that going into the 2025 season.

Kirby Smart produced a recruiting class in 2025 that is ranked 2nd nationally, only behind Steve Sarkisian’s Texas. His prospects like Elijah Griffin (5 star, DL), Isaiah Gibson (5 star, edge), Zayden Taylor (5 star, LB) and Talyn Taylor (5 star, WR) scream talent in every aspect. Smart’s 2026 class? Well, that’s where things start to look a bit sketchy at first. But now it seems Kirby Smart has started roping in prospects in that too.

According to a latest revelation, the Georgia Bulldogs have landed a commitment of a 4-star rated (per Rivals) wide receiver prospect, Brady Marchese, who will provide depth to already brimming classes of 2025 and 2026 with receivers. Several teams, like Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and Florida State, were after the prospect. He had 25 offers in his hand in total and had received the Georgia offer last February. The player will become the second commit in the receiver department of the 2026 class, which already has 4-star Vance Spafford as another commit. So, what will the player provide?

The player, though at first glance, looks to be just 3 or 4 star. He is a very capable prospect in a class that has Tristen Keys as its top wide receiver prospect. He is ranked 125th in his position and 782nd overall recruit. He hails from Georgia and attended Cartersville High School. Standing at 6 foot 1 and 185 lbs, the WR can surely perform in that physically imposing role on occasion. Although he still will need to put on some weight. His High School performance is also quite notable.

Brady Marchese had achieved 1,051 receiving yards in the 13 games he played for his High School at an average of 23.9 yards per reception. That is just impressive for the player. Even in his sophomore season, in which he didn’t play quite often, he still managed to eck out 14.3 yards on average with his longest being a reception of 48 yards. His overall high school career boasts an impressive 1,194 yards receptions at an average of 22.1. He still has senior year to perform at High School and we could surely see his rating going upwards if he performs too well in that. All in all, this will be an absolute bargain for Kirby Smart.

Gunner Stockton’s woes take a new turn?

We all know that last season, Gunner Stockton had to step in to replace Carson Beck when he got injured later in the season. Stockton led the team in Conference championship and slipped out with a win in overtime. However, in the ultimate test against Notre Dame, his efforts were fruitless as the team ended with a disappointing loss. Criticisms started coming in for Stockton. So much so that questions were raised if he was even fit to be the QB1. But was it his fault or the receiving unit’s?

Ryan Kerley of ‘Dawg Post’ believes on the contrary and has said to keep faith on Stockton for reasons he provided. “Can Gunner Stockton do a better job than we saw last year?  With new receivers Zachariah Branch and Noah Thomas, they brought in a couple of freshmen who I think we’ll push for playing time. Taylyn Taylor is the one that people are all over. CJ Wiley is another big body they have. London Humphreys still, they’ve got Dillon Bell still in addition. I think that as a room, it’s just a little bit more balanced, and I failed to mention they get Colbie Young back”.

What Ryan Kerley is essentially saying is that with such additions in the wide receiver room and so many talented players in freshman roster to support. Gunner Stockton will receive the support that Carson Beck didn’t get the whole season. Players like Zachariah Branch, who transferred from USC Trojans, had 503 receiving yards last season. Furthermore, Noah Thomas, who came from the Aggies on the back of 574 yards at an impressive average of 14.7, looks like a valuable addition to the receiving unit.  To put this class, Kirby Smart has ensured that the mistakes that were made last year aren’t made this season anymore.