Chris Smith doesn’t look like the defensive back Kirby Smart, Mel Tucker and his staff are supposed to be interested in. The word last year, based on what Smart said and the players he signed, was he was looking for tall and athletic guys. The joke was that Smart, who was listed in the area of 5-foot-11 as a Georgia safety, wouldn’t have signed himself.

Smith is only 175 pounds. But he signed with Georgia on Wednesday, because height isn’t everything.

He’s fast, for one thing. For another, he’s a football junkie who’s known for years that he wanted to be a cover cornerback and has been focused solely on that. And for another, Smith is considered to be very good at that, which is why Tucker and his other main recruiter, Dell McGee, worked hard to secure his commitment.

Here’s a bit more to know about Smith:

  • Smith attends Hapeville Charter Academy, a charter school near Atlanta. If Smith had stayed in the public school system he would have attended Westlake High School. “So either way a good football program,” he said. “I have a lot of friends at Westlake. But I made the decision to come here for the better opportunities.”
  • There will be a good friend to lean on when Smith arrives at Georgia. Safety William Poole was one year ahead of Smith at Hapeville Charter, and the two have known each other for years. Poole hasn’t played much as a freshman, but with at least three starters in Georgia’s secondary leaving there will be open competition at most, if not all, spots. Smith said he thinks he can be a part of that competition too.
  • Smith committed to UGA on May 1 ― his birthday. He chose UGA over Michigan and also considered UCLA. He is listed as a 4-star prospect on the 247Sports composite.
  • How quickly can Smith make an impact? We shall see, but his ability to hit the ground running will be helped by his work ethic. When he’s not at school, you usually can find him at a weight room or training center. It’s been that way since his sophomore season. “That’s all I do: train. … I’d say in the offseason I train about five to seven times a week. Just to get better. Having that drive.”