Kirby Smart may soon have a decision on his hands that Georgia never saw coming.
A recent court ruling changed the conversation around college eligibility, opening the door for players in the 2022 recruiting class who used all four years of eligibility to potentially return for another season. That has immediately sparked questions about whether undrafted players from the 2026 NFL Draft could also head back to school.
It is not fully clear yet whether that will be allowed, but the idea is already circulating. A few players are reportedly planning to return to college for one more year, including former Georgia defensive back JaCorey Thomas.
There are still a lot of moving parts before any of that becomes reality, and Georgia’s season is only five weeks away. Even if Thomas or others are eligible, timing would be an issue. Still, Smart would be the one making the call on whether former players who tried the NFL route should be welcomed back, and that puts him in a tricky spot given how he has run the program.
Smart has been outspoken about wanting Georgia to operate as ethically as possible. He has shown that preference by choosing to pay his current players rather than chasing as many transfers and elite recruits as possible, and he has also made his feelings known about coaches who push players out to clear room for incoming transfers.
That creates a real tension if players who already left to test the NFL want back in. On one hand, Smart has always tried to do right by the players already in the building. On the other, bringing back ex-players would mean taking reps and playing time away from guys who spent the offseason earning those roles.
If Smart did allow it, Georgia could actually benefit in a few obvious places.
Running back Cash Jones would be one of the cleanest fits. Georgia needs a new third-down back after transfer running back Dante Dowdell tore his ACL this offseason, and Jones filled that role last year.
Wide receiver is another spot where Georgia could use help, especially with the team lacking a veteran leader. Noah Thomas and Dillon Bell would both make sense as return candidates, but Bell would stand out most because he can also line up at running back.
Based on Smart’s past comments and actions, it does not seem likely that he would embrace the idea of players coming back after exploring the NFL. But if he does, Georgia would have a few immediate options to make the roster better this season.
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