Kirby Smart had hit a turbo boost mode when it came to the recruiting trail. In June, within a week, they landed four hot targets. So, this might have made up for the loss of the mass exodus that Smart witnessed by losing 18 players. However, he is yet to get over the trauma that came with NIL. The Georgia Bulldogs have lost a $5 million NIL fortune.
That’s when Smart addressed the chaos that comes with NIL. He apparently has no issues with the term ‘pay for play’, unlike Saban. Neither does Smart discourage the structure that is stable enough to compensate the players for their plays. However, Smart now restricts himself from unnecessary splurging and is saving for the future. “I just want to be able to have a freshman come in and not make more than a senior and I’d like for other sports to be able to still survive. You know, we’re on the brink of probably one to two years away from a lot of schools cutting sports.” But this might cost them hard as they might have to sacrifice a hot target.
The Georgia Bulldogs have offered a scholarship to defensive line recruit Anthony Lonon, who is a member of the class of 2026. The local product plays for Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia. Even though the 6-foot-2, 260-pound defender is an unranked recruit in the 2026 recruiting cycle, Smart might benefit from his stats. He has recorded 51 tackles, eight sacks, and 15 tackles for a loss during his junior season. Plus, Lonon helped lead Clarke Central to an 8-2 record. On the June 21 episode of the UGA Football on Dawg Post podcast, the host shared, “He’s currently on his official visit to Georgia. So right down the street from him didn’t have to leave Athens at all. So he’s in town for a big official visit, Georgia Tech is in the mix.”
The analyst added, “I’m sure Georgia State would love to have this kid but Georgia Tech is in the mix NC State, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, I think Mississippi State recently offered as well, so he’s got some offers this. I mean he’s just a three-star guy, but he’s got plenty of muscle.” Smart’s Georgia has the top recruiting class in the SEC in the 2026 recruiting cycle. So, even though Lonon will be another piece to the puzzle for Georgia’s 2026 defensive line group featuring Carter Luckie and Seven Cloud, Smart might start taking steps backward. Why so?
“If Georgia gives him the green light to jump on board, that’s a guy who could absolutely be in this class, and there’s a lot of potential there. So he may not have five stars next to his name, but those guys are going to cost a lot of money. And I’m telling you right now, this is not the class to be using NIL money on the defensive line. That is next year’s class next year 2027, loaded with freak athletes not only on the edge but on the defensive line. So that’s the class where George is going to load up on guys on the front seven.” Here, two factors will come into play.
Smart is now running low on cash reserve as Georgia’s adjusted NIL value now sits at $220k. On the other hand, they are nearing to wrap up the 2026 class, as they have already hunted down 18 recruits. Plus, right now, there are too many things on Smart’s plate.
Kirby Smart needs to find an answer to an important question
The Georgia Bulldogs’ defensive line has been listed among the top 10 ahead of the 2025 college football season. However, at the same time, there have been many costly losses. A handful of their primed contributors from last year’s roster are gone. The list includes Mykel Williams, Nazir Stackhouse, and Warren Brinson. With this, coming from the raw numbers standpoint, this group runs thin compared to how it has been over the years.
That’s when Pete Thamel came up with a wake-up call for Smart. “There are a lot of unknowns…I think the defensive lineman, who becomes the true difference maker in the defensive line. Because that to me is the difference between 21 and 22, and what you’ve seen from Georgia in the last few years is that you didn’t have any, especially in the interior. A singular presence that can affect first and second down, especially when teams try to pass against them.” Last season, we witnessed how Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe constantly beat the Georgia defenders to the edge.
So, Kirby Smart needs to find an answer to an important question, ASAP. As Thamel noted, “Who steps up? Is it Elijah Griffin, the true freshman? Does Jordan Hall come back? Does Christen Miller become more than just a run defender? Xzavier McLeod, does he make it out of the big league? Somebody, especially in the interior defensive line, that’s where, to me, is the biggest question.” Amidst all this concerning news, here comes some good news. He has found a secret weapon in the wide receivers’ room. That’s none other than London Humphreys, who gives away Ladd McConkey vibes. Now that Smart gets his mixed share of good and bad, should he consider stretching a bit more and land Lonon, even if it leaves his pockets empty?
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