Kirby Smart isn’t just a brilliant coach — he’s a recruiting genius, too. He knows how to build a championship team from the ground up, and his talent-packed roster is just proof of it. 

Just look at Georgia’s impressive 13-1 season last year. Now, the expectations are sky-high for the Bulldogs again this year. And they seem all set to dominate again! For that, CFB analyst Josh Pate is giving major credit to Smart for his recruiting skills.

On the August 9 episode of Late Kick with Josh Pate, Pate highlighted how the Bulldogs are set for another stellar season. “I think I know this will be a top-five offense. It was last year. It’s not like they need to improve at all,” Pate confidently stated while predicting UGA’s win-loss record for the year.

One of the key factors driving the hype is the return of Georgia’s star quarterback, Carson Beck. He was expected to enter the NFL this year, but instead, he’s back as the Bulldogs’ starting signal-caller. Pate called this a “huge deal,” adding that the running back and wide receiver positions are “as good or better than they were last year.”

And for those worried about the departure of tight end Brock Bowers to the NFL, Pate gives soothing words. “Tight end loses Brock Bowers and yet it’s still one of the best tight end rooms in the country,” he says confidently. Now, Pate says, “That’s called recruiting and developing.” Kirby Smart has attempted to keep the team strong, even after losing a key player like Bowers, who was the key in their back-to-back championship titles.

He’s got a fresh batch of tight ends. And with them, Georgia is just reloading, not rebuilding!

Kirby Smart’s post-Bowers era looking bright

Kirby Smart has built a tight-end factory in Georgia. He’s been finding and developing some of the best tight ends for years, paving the way for a stacked tight end room. Senior Oscar Delp is the returning starter, ready to shine. Plus, they also brought in Stanford transfer Ben Yurosek this year. Both these TEs are also on the John Mackey Award’s watchlist, an honor given to the best tight end in CFB. It’s like Georgia is trying to clone Brock Bowers, who won the award the last two years.

Even Georgia’s tight ends coach, Todd Hartley, seems all pumped. He confidently told DawgNation, “I believe (this) is the best position group in the country.” Now, not just Delp and Yurosek, they’ve also got a 4-star freshman, Lawson Luckie, adding to the depth. Hartley says they’ll need all three guys to step up. He added, “Whether Brock was there or he wasn’t; pre-Brock and post-Brock, you approach it the same way.”

Now, the new TE room sure speaks for itself. Kirby Smart has done it again — built another championship-caliber position group.