It could be stated that 5-star WR Demetris Robertson was the biggest recruiting miss of the Kirby Smart era at Georgia.
Robertson, the nation’s No. 1 receiver in 2016 on the 247Sports Composite, opted to go his own way at Cal instead of joining Smart in Athens back in May of 2016. That was despite a deep-rooted relationship with Smart and UGA assistant Glenn Schumann during their time at Alabama.
Well, that can no longer be described as a miss. The Bulldogs were the choice for the prodigal receiver from Savannah to come back to his home state this time.
Robertson got a second chance at Georgia. Georgia got a second chance at Robertson when he chose to transfer closer to home to be with his family due to a personal matter.
He shared his decision via a Chimin’ In Media commitment video that published on that media start-up brand’s YouTube channel.
That situation is yet to be resolved by the NCAA but there is a solid chance Robertson could play in 2018 given the fact he is transferring for personal hardship to be closer to home. He was granted a medical redshirt after only playing the first two games of the 2017 season due to injury.
If so, it might mean he will be a one-year rental for the Bulldogs. With a strong season in 2018, he would be a definitely early entry candidate for the 2019 NFL Draft.
Robertson, the nation’s No. 13 overall prospect in 2016, will now give the Bulldogs 18 players on their roster that have held the coveted 5-star rating from at least one of the major recruiting services.
He will be the 14th prospect on the Bulldog roster that has received the coveted 5-star rating from the 247Sports composite rankings.
The composite is a blend of the ratings from all the national recruiting services. It is seen as the most accurate reflection of a prospect’s worth in the industry.
What does Demetris Robertson bring to UGA?
He’s a slightly taller Mecole Hardman. That’s the quick and safe player parallel to make here. Hardman might be quicker in and out of breaks and have more immediate acceleration, but that would still be a close call.
Robertson might have an edge in deep speed. This is a comparison between different models of your favorite high-end sports car. Robertson and Hardman, both slot receivers, immediately give the Bulldogs one of the fastest wide receiver rooms in college football. The new transfer Bulldog should still be seen as the more natural receiver between the two.
The other upside for Robertson in the UGA offense will be the amount of single coverage he will draw as part of a balanced pro-style system. SEC foes will respect the ground game and play-action ability of sophomore QB Jake Fromm. That will be an element he didn’t have playing for Cal.
Robertson did make several freshman All-American teams in 2016. He showed great burst and acceleration and perhaps his greatest trait in the ability to make contested catches. The 6-foot, 185-pounder made 13 starts in the 14 games he played in for the Bears.
He finished his Pac-12 career with 57 receptions for 837 yards and seven touchdowns. The new transfer Bulldog had 50 catches for 767 yards and a team-best seven touchdowns in 2016.
His skill set will also give the Bulldogs another viable big-time weapon for kickoff returns, punt returns and on those jet sweep plays Hardman is so adept at.
The former Savannah Christian star announced he was transferring from Cal on June 21. Robertson’s considerable skill set moves the Bulldogs closer to the talent level at receiver that is currently in place at Alabama.
The big remaining question with Robertson will be that NCAA decision. He received a medical redshirt for the 2017 and his hardship case might be influential in giving him the chance to play in 2018.
It must be stated clearly that issue has yet to be determined. If he has to sit out the fall, it will mean he will miss all but two games in 2017 and the entire 2018 season.