Georgia football has one of the most talented rosters in the country headed into the 2021 season. Along with the boost of four straight top-4 ranked recruiting classes, the Bulldogs have dipped into the transfer portal this offseason for some elite talent.
One of those talented transfers is West Virginia safety Tykee Smith.
Pro Football Focus rated Smith as a preseason All-American and one of the top defensive backs in the nation. They grade each player by analyzing each snap played in each season.
According to PFF, Smith is the No. 4 defensive back in the country headed into the 2021 season.
The ten best DBs in College Football đź”’
Who was snubbed? pic.twitter.com/eBgiMsCrT7
— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 26, 2021
PFF wrote,
4. SCB Tykee Smith
“Smith, a three-star recruit of the 2019 class, has recorded the third-best slot coverage grade in the FBS over his true freshman and sophomore seasons while serving as the “spear” in West Virginia’s defense. Now, he’ll be taking his talents to the Georgia Bulldogs, where he will anchor a secondary that was gutted this past offseason.”
Smith will be helping replace most of the Bulldogs secondary production from last season. The NFL draft gutted Georgia in the back end, nabbing four starters from a year ago. That is a big reason why coach Kirby Smart and staff targeted Smith in the portal.
“Smith’s 2020 campaign was a sight to behold. He was targeted 38 times in coverage across 10 games and allowed just 110 yards for the season. He did not give up a single explosive pass play of 15 or more yards while making five plays on the ball and forcing 10 passing stops. At 5-foot-10, 198 pounds, Smith is a physical player who shed receiver blocks and blew up screens like clockwork in 2020. He has great eyes in coverage and was never caught off guard. Keep an eye on Smith next season — he’s the real deal.”
The Dawgs are set to begin fall camp on Aug. 6. Check out some of Smith’s career highlights here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2qAN-8Vh58