This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 4-star WR target Travis Smith Jr. He ranks as the nation’s No. 19 and the No. 146 overall prospect for 2025 on the 247Sports Composite. The On3 Industry Ranking has him as the No. 11 WR and at No. 99 overall.
If somebody wanted to be bold with a clicky headline and say Travis Smith Jr. is one of the most wanted targets for Georgia in the 2025 class at receiver, they wouldn’t be too far out of bounds.
They might even be right, perhaps with only one or two other prospects who come to mind in that discussion.
That’s been the interpretation of this reporter for months dating back to the middle of last season.
That’s also the message that Georgia and returning wide receiver coach James Coley has intended for Smith as he goes through his recruiting. The Westlake High star was at Alabama earlier this month. He’s got both programs among his final eight schools.
Georgia has already scheduled him for his official visit on the last weekend in May. Smith already plans to be back in Athens for G-Day next month.
But he was in Athens on Tuesday for the first day of spring practice. That was the first time he’d been a visitor to take in a UGA practice. It was also his first face-to-face meeting with Coley.
The ‘Dawgs left a crystal clear impression on Smith.
“The takeaway from this visit was nobody in the country wants me more than Georgia,” Smith told DawgNation. They showed me and my family love the minute we walked on campus.”
Coley did Coley things. His personality and how he naturally engages with players and their families have been there since he was a rookie coach in the college ranks.
“Coach Coley and I bonded right away,” Smith said. “He was way easy to talk to and had much of the same interests I have.”
It sounded like the visit was a strong one. Smith and his family didn’t leave Athens until almost 10 p.m. that evening.
He wanted to see how a Georgia practice compared to what he saw recently in Tuscaloosa. That was one of the big things he wanted to pay attention to coming in.
“The energy measured about the same for both Alabama and Georgia from players and coaches,” Smith Jr. said.
Smith felt he might have even been too amped for his first practice.
“I found myself cheering and jumping around a bit more than they were,” Smith Jr. said. “But I can see myself bringing that excitement and juice to the room right away.”
What did he think of how the ‘Dawgs got after it?
“The practice tempo was quick and fast,” he said. “I could get adjusted to that.”
The purpose of a visit like that is to leave the prospect wanting more. Or to make it feel like they didn’t want to leave. With a new hire, it is also important to connect from the jump.
It sounds like Coley and the Bulldogs checked all the boxes there with Smith after this one. Smith remains a solid choice among the top 10 overall targets for the ‘Dawgs in the 2025 cycle on the weekly “Before the Hedges” recruiting program.
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SENTELL'S INTEL
(check on the recent reads on Georgia football recruiting)
