Kirby Smart has built a reputation as one of the nation’s top recruiters, and for good reason. Since taking over at Georgia, he’s consistently hauled in elite classes and landed plenty of the best players in the country in Athens.
But even the best miss sometimes, especially when the target is a five-star prospect drawing attention from every powerhouse in the sport. Marcus Fakatou fits that bill, and he ultimately committed to Ohio State over Georgia and several other schools.
What’s making the rounds now isn’t just the decision itself. It’s the way Smart tried to sell Georgia during the recruitment.
In a clip that has gone viral, Smart is heard talking up Georgia’s recruiting setup by pointing out that the Bulldogs have more “stations” than Ohio State. In this case, he was referring to the different areas used for photos during visits.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart to now-Ohio State 5⭐️ DL commit Marcus Fakatou during his recruitment:
“I was asking how many stations Ohio State has. They only have one. We have four.”
Safe to say that pitch didn’t work. 😁🌰 pic.twitter.com/niilEEa1tt
- The Buckeye Nut (@TheBuckeyeNut) July 9, 2026
The line didn’t land well. Whether Smart meant it as a joke or not, it came off more like a snide comparison than a persuasive recruiting pitch, and that’s why it’s getting so much attention online.
For a player with Fakatou’s profile, a sales pitch like that probably wasn’t going to move the needle much anyway. He’s chasing championships and an NFL future, not photo backdrops.
Georgia did have a real shot at him at one point. Ohio State was considered the favorite at the start of June, but after his visit there, the Buckeyes couldn’t close. That opened the door for Georgia to bring him in a few days later and try to make up ground, but the Bulldogs still came up short.
Even so, Georgia fans don’t need to panic over this one miss. The Bulldogs already have a strong defensive line group in place, with three commitments at the position and one EDGE. None of those players carries Fakatou’s ranking, so landing him would have been a major win, but the class isn’t falling apart because of this.
The bigger lesson for Smart is simple: when the cameras are rolling, every word matters. This one may not have decided Fakatou’s recruitment, but it definitely didn’t help Georgia’s image once it hit social media.
In Other News...
Georgia Just Took Another Brutal Hit In The Secondary
Georgias recruiting board took another hit in the secondary, a spot the Bulldogs have been trying to fortify for the 2027 class. The latest setback came with four-star cornerback Censere Gaylord, a highly regarded national prospect, choosing Washington over Georgia and Georgia Tech, leaving the Bulldogs still searching for answers at a position group that has become a clear priority.
The timing stings because Georgia had just picked up momentum with the addition of four-star offensive lineman Miller Westerfield, only to see it undercut almost immediately by another defensive back miss. For a program that has built its identity on elite defense, the inability to lock down top cornerbacks and safeties early in the cycle is becoming a storyline worth watching as the class develops. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Fans Can Finally Exhale Over Kelsey Adams Recruiting Scare
Georgias 2027 recruiting class got a little breathing room when four-star offensive tackle Kelsey Adams reaffirmed his commitment to the Bulldogs after some recent rumblings about his future. Adams took to social media to address the noise and made it clear that Georgia remains the school he prefers over the others he considered, a reassuring development for a program that has worked to keep its top young targets locked in early.
The 6-foot-5 lineman is ranked No. 176 overall and stands as Georgias fifth-highest ranked commit in the class, which helps explain why his status drew so much attention in the first place. For the Bulldogs, keeping Adams in the fold matters not just because of his talent, but because every high-end offensive line pledge can ripple through the rest of a class that is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]