This Sentell’s Intel rep about Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 4-star WR Travis Smith Jr. The rising senior at Westlake High in Atlanta ranks as the nation’s No. 25 WR and the No. 197 overall prospect for 2025 on the 247Sports Composite. The On3 Industry Ranking has him as the nation’s No. 14 WR and No. 118 overall recruit.
Travis Smith Jr. sent a text message yesterday to DawgNation. His reply to a question about new receiver coach James Coley had a word in all caps.
DawgNation is going to love seeing which word was capitalized. It serves as the fresh 2024 example that Coley doesn’t mess around when it comes to recruiting.
He never did. Never will.
It is also an example that the Georgia football staff is not messing around with how it continues to feel about Smith. Coley had already gotten in touch with Smith this weekend.
“He’s made it clear he wants to have me as THE guy,” Smith said. “I’m just so excited.”
That was big for the ‘Dawgs. Georgia needed to get back in tight with Smith as he could have very well be seen as Bryan McClendon’s top receiver choice for the 2025 class before taking an NFL job with the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Smith did a good job of articulating how big of a move that was for his process in this “DawgNation Conversation” featured interview below.
Smith said that Coley gave him an overall good feeling with the first impression.
“He seems like a cool guy,” Smith Jr. said. “I wasn’t recruited by him while he was at either Texas A&M or South Carolina.”
“I think Coach [Coley] will have an amazing impact on Georgia’s offense,” he added. “Been talking to him ever since he got the job.”
The 4-star WR from Westlake High in Atlanta has been busy planning what his recruiting process will look like once the dead period opens back up. He’s got a top 8 listing that includes Alabama, Auburn, Colorado, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
Smith already has an April visit date lined up for UGA that will line up on G-Day. He’s also got these other visits planned for the next few weeks.
- Alabama (March 8)
- Auburn (March 23)
- Georgia Tech (March 30)
- Tennessee (April 6)
- Georgia (April 13)
The ‘Dawgs will get that last visit in that circuit right there which includes five members of that top eight for Smith. He will still need to see Colorado, Oklahoma and Ole Miss this spring.
Smith did just visit the Rebels in late January. He also saw the Crimson Tide in January along with UGA during the last open period.
What keeps the ‘Dawgs in it with Smith? While the relationship with McClendon was stout based on the fact that he knew what it was like growing up in Atlanta while he was a player, there was also something substantial about Georgia.
“Just the atmosphere,” he said after the Under Armour Next Atlanta camp on February 18. “And I want to win. At the end of the day, I love winning. I can see myself winning if I do go there.”
Travis Smith Jr. saw his rankings rise over the weekend
Smith flashed his near 6-foot-4 frame and 200 pounds back at that Under Armour Next camp in Atlanta. He looked like one of, if not the top, receiver prospects at the entire camp.
It looks like On3.com was paying attention. The recruiting service already was the highest in the industry on Smith before that camp. They were the only national outlet that had him as a top 100 prospect as the No. 8 WR and No. 74 overall recruit for 2025.
They recently moved Smith up to the nation’s No. 7 WR prospect and No. 50 overall recruit for the current cycle.
That elevation also saw his pure On3 Industry Ranking value rise another 40 spots to No. 118 naturally. It seems very much in bounds to expect to see the stock on Smith rise with 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals accordingly.
Check out his junior tape below. He flashed strong production with 53 catches for 843 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Smith just turned 17 in January.
SENTELL'S INTEL
(check on the recent reads on Georgia football recruiting)
