College Football
All-Time ACC Players
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We’re going to take a look at some of the best ACC players of all time.
I want at least one player to represent each team. Some of them may have played in a different conference before their respective school joined the conference. This will also be part one because there are 17 schools and I can’t fit them all in one article.
Boston College: Doug Flutie (1981-84) won the Heisman Trophy and was a Unanimous All-American in 1984.
He led the Eagles to a 10-2 that season and they finished ranked #4 in the Coaches Poll. That also features one of the most famous game winning Hail Mary’s at #12 Miami.
In his career he passed for 10,579 yards and 67 touchdowns. He also rushed for 739 yards and 7 scores.
Cal: Marshawn Lynch (2004-06) was the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year and a First-team All-American in 2006. In 2005 he rushed for 1,246 yards and 10 TD’s.
In 2006 he rushed for 1,356 yards and 11 touchdowns. For his career he averaged 6.6 ypc. He also caught 68 passes for 600 yards and 6 scores.
Clemson: Deshaun Watson (2014-16) was a 2x Davey O’Brien Award winner, 2x Manning Award (2015-16), Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (2016), ACC Player of the Year (2015), 2x ACC Athlete of the Year (2015-16) and First-team All-ACC (2015).
In 2016, he led the Tigers to a National Championship win over #1 Alabama. He was named the CFP National Championship Offensive MVP.
In his career he passed for 10,163 yards and 90 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,934 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Duke: Clarkston Hines (1986-89) is the only player in ACC history to lead the league in receiving yards three consecutive seasons. He had over a thousand yards and double-digit touchdowns in his final 3 seasons. As a Blue Devil he caught 189 passes for 3,318 yards and 38 scores.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Hines was a Unanimous All-American (1989), First-team All-American (1988), ACC Male Athlete of the year (1990), ACC Player of the Year (1989) and 3x First team All-ACC (1987-89).
Florida State: The Seminoles have several players that could be considered the best in program history. I’m going to go with Peter Warrick (1995-99).
He helped lead the 1999 Seminoles to an undefeated season and the national championship. He played in 9 games that year because he was suspended for 2 games. He still had 71 catches, 934 yards and 8 TD’s. He also rushed for 96 yards and 3 touchdowns.
He won the Paul Warfield Trophy (1999), Unanimous All-American (1999), Consensus All-American (1998) and 2x First-team All-ACC (1998-99). In his career he had 207 receptions for 3,517 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Georgia Tech: Joe Hamilton (1996-99) was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014. He won the Davey O’Brien Award (1999), NCAA Quarterback of the Year (1999), ACC Player of the Year (1999), Consensus All-American (1999), ACC Offensive Player of the Year (1999), 2x First team All-ACC (1998-99) and 2x Gator Bowl MVP (1999-00). He also finished second in 1999 for the Heisman Trophy.
Hamilton passed for 8,862 and 65 scores. He also rushed for 1,758 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Louisville: Lamar Jackson (2015-17) won the Heisman Trophy in 2016. He was a Unanimous All-American (2016), ACC Athlete of the Year (2018), 2x ACC Player of the Year (2016-17) and 2x ACC Offensive Player of the Year (2016-17).
Jackson had 9,043 passing yards and 69 TD’s. He rushed for 4,132 yards and 50 touchdowns.
Heze Kent Finding His Way
By: Thomas Tedder
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There is a quiet confidence about freshman tight end Heze Kent as he walks the practice fields at the University of Florida.
The former high school standout is no longer the biggest or fastest player on the field simply because of his talent. Now, he is learning what it means to be a complete football player in the rugged world of Southeastern Conference football. And that journey may be exactly what helps the Florida Gators climb back into relevance.
At 6-foot-5 and approximately 280 pounds, Kent possesses the size, athleticism, and natural hands that made him one of the most intriguing prospects in the Gators’ recruiting class.
Yet, as he quickly discovered, college football demands far more than raw ability.
“On the field, the biggest adjustment has been playing faster,” Kent said. “The college game is a lot faster.”
That statement reflects the reality facing every freshman entering the SEC. The windows are tighter. The defenders are bigger and stronger. The margin for error disappears quickly.
For Kent, adapting to the speed of the game has become his primary focus as he works to earn the trust of Florida’s coaching staff.
The adjustment hasn’t ended when practice is over. “Off the field, just watching what I eat,” Kent explained. “I need to watch my weight and keep it down. I am currently 280.”
That maturity is encouraging for a Florida program attempting to reclaim its place among the SEC’s elite.
Championship programs are built on players who embrace the daily disciplines that occur behind the scenes—the nutrition, conditioning, recovery, and film study that transform talented athletes into dependable contributors. Kent appears to understand that process.
Perhaps the biggest transformation has come in his approach to playing tight end itself. “I take pride in blocking now,” Kent said. “I wasn’t attached in high school and at Florida I am now an attached TE. If you don’t block, you are going to be taken out the game.”
That mentality could make him invaluable to the Gators moving forward. Florida has long been known for explosive offenses and dynamic skill players, but in the SEC, championships are often won at the line of scrimmage. Tight ends who can block defensive ends, seal the edge in the running game, and still create mismatches in the passing game are worth their weight in gold.
Kent is embracing the physical nature of the position rather than avoiding it. That willingness to do the dirty work is precisely the type of culture Florida must cultivate as it attempts to compete with perennial conference powers.
The Gators have shown flashes of brilliance in recent years but have lacked the consistency and physical identity that once defined the program. Players like Kent can help change that narrative.
More importantly, his development extends far beyond football. When asked who has had the greatest impact on his life, Kent doesn’t mention a famous athlete or coach. Instead, he points to his spiritual mentor. “My Pastor, Mark Baker, has always told me that my life is like walking on a mine field,” Kent said. “I can’t go everywhere, and I can’t hang around the wrong crowd.”
Those words reveal a young man with perspective—a freshman who understands that success at Florida will depend as much on his character as his athletic ability.
That mindset matters.
The SEC is filled with gifted athletes. What separates the great ones is often their discipline, humility, and ability to remain grounded amid enormous expectations. Kent’s reliance on faith and wise counsel gives him a foundation that should serve him well as his role expands.
Florida fans may have to be patient as he continues to adjust to the speed and physicality of college football. Freshman seasons are rarely perfect.
But there is something promising about watching a young player embrace the difficult aspects of his position. There is something encouraging about hearing a freshman talk about blocking before touchdowns and discipline before accolades.
Heze Kent is still finding his way at the University of Florida. And if his growth continues at this pace, the Gators may discover that their path back to prominence in the SEC runs right through the development of a young tight end who is learning to embrace every challenge placed before him.
Sorsby and The Supplemental Draft
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
So much has been swirling within the Brendan Sorsby saga that is unchartered territory for many folks following the story. One of the widely unknown elements that has cropped up a few times has been the NFL Supplemental Draft.
The biggest reason that the Supplemental Draft is an unknown commodity in the NFL is due to the fact that it’s been lightly used since it’s inception in 1977.
In the 49 previous years of the Supplemental Draft, there have only been 46 players selected with multiple players being taken nine times before 2000.
There hasn’t been a player even selected since Jalen Thompson was taken by the Arizona Cardinals after being declared ineligible at Washington State for his senior season due to NCAA Rules Violations. One step forward, the NFL hasn’t had a player apply to be considered in the Draft since 2023.
So, what exactly is the Supplemental Draft and how does it work?
The NFL Supplemental Draft is a separate draft that happens in the summer designed for players who were not in the regular first-year player draft in April and ends up losing his college football eligibility.
The NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement has language that the draft has to take place “on or before the seventh calendar day prior to the opening of the first training camp that League Year,” and also prohibits players from electing on their own to bypass the draft for which they are eligible to apply for in order to participate in the Supplemental Draft.
One of the biggest deterrents, and the main reason for the limited selections, especially in recent years, is if a club selects a player in the Supplemental Draft, they forfeit a choice in the corresponding round in the next year’s main draft.
For example, if a team takes Sorsby this year in the third round of the Supplemental Draft, that team would lose their third-round selection for the 2027 First-Year Player Draft.
While the official date of the Supplemental Draft hasn’t been set yet, with the rules outlined in the CBA, it would have to be on or before July 16.
One reason the date hasn’t been set yet is that technically Sorsby isn’t in the field yet. Sorsby’s camp has applied to be in the Supplemental Draft, but league officials must approve each player to be in the selection pool.
Most league officials believe it will be a foregone conclusion that Sorsby will be admitted, but the formality hasn’t happened yet.
Much like other professional league drafts, the NFL Supplemental Draft order gets determined by a lottery, or better yet, three different lotteries.
The NFL will group the teams into three separate groups the first group are teams that won 6 or fewer games, the next group won 7 or more games but missed the playoffs last season, with the final group as teams that played in the postseason. Within each of those groups, the lottery will determine the draft order.
The draft rules are different than the normal draft. In each round of the draft, every team goes “on the clock.” If a team wishes to pick a player in that round, they will put a “bid” in for that player. If only one team submits a pick in that round, they would get the player. If there is more than one team that submits a pick in that round, the player is awarded to the highest team in the Supplemental Draft order.
If there are no picks in that round, all teams are informed that the next round begins, and the same procedure commences. The draft lasts 7 rounds or until all eligible players are selected (whichever comes first).
In the history of the NFL Supplemental Draft, only one player has been selected then go on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as Chris Carter was selected in the 1987 NFL Supplemental Draft then elected to the Hall in 2013.
Only 8 players have been Supplemental picks and selected to the Pro Bowl with Josh Gordon being the most recent. These numbers don’t include the 1984 Special Supplemental Draft for college seniors that had already signed with the USFL or Canadian Football players when 3 players were drafted and went on to Hall of Fame careers with Steve Young, Garry Zimmerman & Reggie White in 1984.
Where does Sorsby land? The thought right now around the NFL front offices is that Sorsby (who is also the only known player to have applied for the Supplemental Draft) likely lands in the third round of the Supplemental Draft.
That being said, if a playoff team from last year (the lowest tier in the draft hierarchy), thinks that Sorsby could develop to an impact quarterback, they may forego a 2nd round pick next year for him.
What Brendan Sorsby Means For The SEC
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
From the perspective of an SEC football fan, the Brendan Sorsby gambling saga feels like one of those moments where college sports has to stop pretending the old rulebook still fits the new world.
This was not a minor eligibility issue. This was not a paperwork mistake. This was not a player taking a meal he should not have taken or signing an autograph before NIL existed.
This involved a starting quarterback, major gambling violations, bets connected to his own team, a seven-figure NIL deal, a court injunction, a conference legal fight, political pressure and, eventually, a path toward the NFL Supplemental Draft.
That is a lot for one offseason story. It is also a warning.
As an SEC fan, I understand better than most that college football is big business. We stopped pretending otherwise a long time ago.
Players are getting paid, rosters are rebuilt through the transfer portal, boosters operate in broad daylight, and quarterbacks can become million-dollar investments before taking a snap for a school. That is the reality now.
But even in this new era, there has to be a line. Betting on college sports, and especially betting on games involving your own team, has to remain one of those lines that cannot be blurred.
The reason is simple. The entire sport depends on trust.
Fans have to believe the game is real. Teammates have to believe everyone in the locker room is fully invested in winning. Coaches have to believe decisions on the field are clean. Opponents have to believe they are competing on equal terms.
Once gambling enters the locker room, even if there is no proof of point shaving or intentional game manipulation, the questions become impossible to ignore.
That is why the backlash to Sorsby being temporarily cleared to play was so strong. It was not just about Texas Tech. It was about every school wondering what happens next if a court can override NCAA discipline in a gambling case.
It was about conferences wondering whether they still have authority to protect competitive integrity. It was about players at other schools who lost eligibility for similar violations watching a star quarterback fight his way back because he had greater value.
That is where this story becomes bigger than Sorsby. College sports is already struggling with consistency.
NIL enforcement has been uneven. Transfer rules seem to change by the year.
Conference realignment has made tradition feel negotiable. Now gambling threatens to become another battleground where discipline depends less on the rule and more on the player, the school, the lawyers and the political pressure around the case.
That cannot be the future.
There should still be room for compassion. If Sorsby was dealing with a gambling addiction, that should be taken seriously.
These athletes are young, suddenly wealthy, constantly online and surrounded by betting advertisements. It is not enough to hand them a rule sheet and assume the problem is solved.
But compassion and eligibility are not the same thing. A player can deserve help and still lose the privilege of playing college football.
That may sound harsh, but I think the alternative is worse. If betting on your own team becomes something that can be negotiated down, explained away or litigated into a two-game suspension, then college football is asking fans to trust a system that does not appear to trust its own rules.
For the SEC, this should be a wake-up call. The league is the biggest stage in college football, and that means it has the most to lose if public confidence starts slipping. Every school should be reviewing its gambling education, compliance systems, NIL contracts and transfer vetting process right now.
The Sorsby saga may be over at Texas Tech, but the larger issue is not going anywhere.
Gambling is now wrapped around sports culture, and college athletics has to decide whether it is going to manage that reality with strength or stumble into the next scandal.
For us fans, the lesson is uncomfortable but clear. The games are bigger than ever. The money is bigger than ever. The temptation is bigger than ever. Now the rules have to be stronger than ever, too.
Why Miami Hurricanes Should Be Favorites To National Championship
By: Thomas Tedder
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Few programs in college football generate excitement quite like the Miami Hurricanes.
After advancing to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game during the 2025 season, Miami enters 2026 with one goal in mind—finishing the job.
Head coach Mario Cristobal has transformed the Hurricanes into one of the nation’s premier programs, and the roster heading into the upcoming season may be one of the most talented he has assembled since returning to Coral Gables.
The biggest storyline of the offseason is undoubtedly the arrival of quarterback Darian Mensah. The former Duke standout transferred to Miami after leading the ACC in passing yards and touchdowns during the 2025 season.
Mensah threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns while earning All-ACC honors, making him one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal. Cristobal and his staff believe Mensah has the talent, leadership, and experience necessary to keep Miami among the nation’s elite offenses.
Mensah did not come alone. One of Miami’s most significant additions is wide receiver Cooper Barkate, who developed tremendous chemistry with Mensah during their time together at Duke.
Barkate recorded 72 receptions for 1,106 yards and 7 touchdowns last season and is expected to immediately become one of the Hurricanes’ top receiving threats.
The reunion between Mensah and Barkate gives Miami a ready-made connection that could accelerate the offense’s development during the early portion of the season.
While the newcomers have captured headlines, Miami’s success may ultimately depend on the return of sophomore sensation Malachi Toney.
The explosive receiver earned ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after a remarkable freshman campaign.
Toney emerged as one of the most dangerous playmakers in college football, setting freshman receiving records while showcasing game-changing speed and versatility. Entering 2026, he is expected to be one of the ACC’s premier offensive stars.
The Hurricanes also return one of the conference’s most physical rushing attacks. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. emerged as a major contributor during Miami’s playoff run and provides balance to an offense that should be among the nation’s best.
With a talented offensive line anchored by highly regarded young players and experienced veterans, Miami has the ability to dominate games both through the air and on the ground. However, maintaining offensive-line depth remains a concern that the coaching staff continues to address.
The Hurricanes now have former Brunswick High School offensive line standout Jamal Meriweather, who transferred in from the University of Georgia.
Defensively, Miami faces the challenge of replacing several key contributors who moved on to professional football. Yet Cristobal has consistently recruited at an elite level, and the Hurricanes possess the depth necessary to remain one of the ACC’s top defensive units.
The combination of talented returning players and impact transfer additions should allow Miami to continue playing the aggressive, physical style that has become the program’s identity.
Perhaps the most encouraging sign for Hurricanes fans is the culture that has been established throughout the program. Cristobal has elevated recruiting, strengthened player development, and restored national expectations. For the first time in many years, Miami is no longer hoping to compete with college football’s elite—it expects to be among them.
The outlook for 2026 is clear. Miami enters the season as a legitimate ACC Championship contender and a strong candidate for another College Football Playoff appearance.
If Mensah quickly settles into the offense, Barkate provides another explosive weapon, and Toney continues his rise toward stardom, the Hurricanes will have one of the most dangerous offenses in America.
Combined with a talented defense and strong coaching staff, the pieces are in place for Miami to make another run at the national championship.
For Hurricanes fans, the message is simple: The U is back, and 2026 could be the season that finally brings another national title to Coral Gables.
Mercer Mega Camp
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The unofficial kickoff to football prospect camping season can be signified by 3 simple words: Mercer Mega Camps.
For football prospects across the southeastern United States, these camps give them an opportunity to show their skills in front of dozens of college coaches from across the country.
For the most part, the college football recruiting cycle consists of 3 parts before the start of the college football season, which is around Labor Day.
Once the new year rolls around, Junior Days will start happening, allowing rising seniors to visit college campuses.
Then, as we get closer to June, college coaches will be on the road visiting high schools and watching spring practice.
Then, basically, once June hits, college prospect camps will mix with official visits, allowing prospects to visit campuses across the country.
These prospect camps and official visits will run until the dead period hits around the 20th of June.
These camps usually take place on college campuses and are coached by various college coaching staff. Performing well at these camps and making an impression on coaches can really jumpstart a kid’s recruiting process and set them up for future success.
As the calendar flips to June, usually during the first few days of the month, Mercer Football will host their total exposure mega camps in Macon, Georgia.
The camps are hosted at Five-Star Stadium on the campus of Mercer University. There are numerous sessions each day with position groups broken up.
Normally, quarterbacks throw to wide receivers who are defended by defensive backs. Offensive and Defensive linemen compete against each other. And finally, running backs and linebackers compete together.
For under-recruited kids or underclassmen looking for exposure, this is a great opportunity to get on a college’s radar. These camps attract student-athletes from all over the Southeast, but the majority of the kids come from the state of Georgia.
Macon is basically the central point in Georgia and a short drive for most prospects. Given Georgia’s status as a recruiting hotbed, it’s no surprise that so many college coaches flock to the state during this time to attend these camps.
The energy at Five-Star Stadium during these camps is electric and provides a true opportunity for high-school athletes to be evaluated by college coaches across all levels. Coaches from power-4 schools all the way down to Division 3 schools are in attendance.
The camp is run by the Mercer Football staff, but the big draw for prospects is the dozens of other college coaches who will be in attendance.
This year, there were numerous power-4 teams advertised to be there, including: Oregon, Texas, Minnesota, Kentucky, North Carolina, and LSU. There were also many Group of 6 schools in attendance, including: Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Toledo, Eastern Michigan, and Appalachian State. There were also several service academies in attendance, including Army-West Point, the Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy.
With so many schools in attendance, each athlete can be truly evaluated by coaches based on their skill level and experience. These conversations with coaches at the camps are critical and can lead to scholarship offers and campus invites.
So, with these camps basically kicking off the football prospect recruiting season, at least for a few days in June, Macon becomes the epicenter of the college football universe.
What Colton Nussmeier Will Bring To Georgia Bulldogs
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Nussmeier. It’s a name that has been around the SEC for over a decade in multiple different roles and now the third Nussmeier will be entering the SEC in 2027. Colton Nussmeier committed to play for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.
Colton carries on the Nussmeier legacy after his older brother Garrett Nussmeier played quarterback for the LSU Fighting Tigers.
The older Nussmeier brother finished his 5-year LSU career with over 7,500 yards and 52 career scores. Garrett Nussmeier was the 7th round selection of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2026 NFL Draft and is now learning as the backup to Patrick Mahomes.
The Nussmeier brothers learned under their father Doug Nussmeier, who is currently the New Orleans Saints Offensive Coordinator and a veteran assistant in the NFL and College Football. He also worked with Kirby Smart under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2012-2013.
Colton has blazed his own trail as a standout quarterback as he enters his senior season of high school. Nussmeier is a four-star quarterback and ESPN’s No. 4 pocket passer for the 2027 class. The 6-3, 190 Texas native chose the Bulldogs over Arkansas and UCLA that had made up his “Final Three Teams.”
The rising senior will suit up for a new team for his final season in the high school ranks as earlier this year he transferred from Flower Mound Marcus Hs to the Dallas-Fort Worth powerhouse Denton Ryan Hs after injuries limited his junior season with Flower Mound Marcus.
As a first-year freshman starter in 2024, Nussmeier threw for over 1,900 yards, 16 touchdowns, with only 3 interceptions. Last season, Colton was hampered by a knee injury that limited his junior season to just eight games.
The commitment from the 4-star quarterback prospect closes the Bulldog’s search for a QB in the 2027 class that was a longer than normal search but marks the 4th top-300 pledge in the class.
Georgia has already landed commitments from the top running back in the class with Kemon Spell. The Dawgs also have one of the top tight ends Jaxon Dollar (#82 in the ESPN Top-300) and offensive tackle Kelsey Adams (#109 in the ESPN Top-300).
While the older Nussmeier (Garrett), took a lot of flack at times at LSU, there was consistency with him as a solid leader for the Tigers in his career (no surprise with his dad’s tutelage).
I know at times the “family heritage” playing a factor can get overblown, but this is one that feels that it has some legs.
The impact that Garrett had on the Tigers program on and off the field shows what this family is about, and while it can’t fully predict what Colton will be, it gives a great glimpse of where the upbringing started.
Pair that with the coaching from Kirby Smart and Mike Bobo in Athens, and even as someone that’s not a Georgia Fan, I’m excited to what Colton Nussmeier can turn into for the Bulldogs in a few years.
Georgia will have returner Gunner Stockton leading the offense in 2026.
Stockton has a 24-5 record as a starter for the Dawgs last few seasons. Next season (when Colton Nussmeier will be a Freshman in Athens), it’s expected to be Ryan Puglisi’s offense after serving as the backup to Stockton in 2025-2026.
The line of Georgia Quarterbacks has been a long and illustrious history and looks like the line continues with the newest Dawgs slinger committing recently.
Why Georgia Bulldogs Can Never Let Kirby Smart Leave For NFL
By: Capers Childs
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For decades, University of Georgia fans waited for someone who could finally bring the Bulldogs back to the apex of college football. Then, Kirby Smart arrived.
What Smart has built in Athens is more than just a winning football program. He has changed the standard of Georgia football in its entirety.
Before Smart, University of Georgia was a consistently-successful program, but the Bulldogs struggled to break through and become a national championship winning program.
Under previous head coach, Mark Richt (2001-15), Georgia posted a 145-51 record (.740) and remained nationally relevant, but could never reach the top of the college football landscape.
Smart took over as Georgia’s head coach in 2015 and has since built one of the most dominant stretches in college football history.
He currently has an impressive record of 117-21 with a .848 winning percentage. His accomplishments include back-to-back College Football National Championships in 2021 and 2022, a 2017 CFP title game appearance, SEC Championships in 2017, 2022 and 2024, six SEC Eastern Division titles, and eight New Year’s Six bowl appearances. In just his second season, he had the Bulldogs playing for the national championship for the first time in three decades.
What makes Smart so valuable to Georgia goes beyond his records. He took the job at his alma mater and a place he and his family love. His passion for the program has helped create a standard that Georgia fans had been waiting decades to see.
That impact is also reflected in the atmosphere surrounding the program. Georgia football has become one of the most iconic environments in all of college sports. The Dawg Walk, tailgates, and the packed Sanford Stadium is what defines a Saturday in Athens and under Kirby Smart, Georgia is expected to maintain greatness every season.
Smart’s dominance is also shown in recruiting. Before this year, the Bulldogs hadn’t signed fewer than three five-star recruits since 2017, and they have consistently been top 10 in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
That talent has translated directly to the next level. Under Smart, Georgia has produced 21 first-round NFL Draft picks – the same number as his total losses as head coach.
In that span, he has also had 84 players selected in the NFL Draft, including a modern-era record 15 players taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, the most from a single school in the seven-round draft format. Smart has turned Georgia football into one of the strongest NFL pipelines in college football.
Smart’s commitment to the program is also reflected in the investment Georgia has made in him. He is currently on a $130-million dollar contract through the year 2033. He’s making roughly $13 million dollars a year. In fact, only five NFL coaches are making more than Smart is at UGA. So, why would he leave the SEC?
Speculation about Smart eventually leaving for the NFL continues to surface. However, he already has a background coaching in the NFL. In 2006, he was the safeties coach for the Miami Dolphins for just one season under Nick Saban.
During his lone year in the league, the Dolphins finished with an overall record of 6-10-0. After a subpar year, he returned to college football, where his career has reached a whole new level of success
The reality is that Georgia Football is built around Kirby Smart. Every part of the program. If he were to leave for the NFL, Georgia would be losing the foundation of what the Bulldogs have spent decades trying to build.
For Georgia, the question is what the program would look like without Kirby Smart – and for a team built entirely around his standard, that answer is exactly why Georgia cannot afford to let him go.
2027 College Football Breakout Players
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I want to take a look at some of the top prospects around the South that should be drafted high in the 2027 NFL Draft.
RB Nate Frazier, Georgia: The junior was a four-star recruit and attended national powerhouse Mater Dei Catholic High School in Santa Ana, Ca. He was on the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2024.
Last season he played in 14 games and he started 10 of them. He rushed for 861 yards with 6 touchdowns and averaged 5.4 yards per carry. He also had 13 receptions for 74 yards and a TD.
Frazier re-aggravated an ankle injury in the G-Day Spring Game but it’s reported as a minor injury. As a feature back in 2026 he should have a big year.
OT Jordan Seaton, LSU: The 6’5, 307 pound Seaton spent his last two seasons with Colorado. He was a five-star recruit coming out of IMG Academy (Florida). He was Second-team All-Big 12 in 2025. His season ended due to injury after nine starts.
He’s great at pass blocking. He’s given up 5 sacks in 940 career pass blocking snaps. He’s a very good athlete that needs to improve his run blocking.
S Keon Sabb, Alabama: He played at Michigan his first two years before transferring to Alabama. The redshirt senior is 6’1, 208 pounds. He started all 15 games in 2025 and had 54 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack, 3 pass breakups and 1 interception.
WR T.J. Moore, Clemson: He’s 6’3, 205 lbs. so he’s a big, physical receiver. He was the only Clemson receiver that started all 13 games in 2025. He had 52 catches for a team-high 837 receiving yards and 4 scores. If he gets more consistent quarterback play, he should have a breakout year in 2026.
S KJ Bolden, Georgia: Bolden attended Buford (GA) High School, which is an elite program in Georgia. He started all 14 games last season and made 76 tackles, 32 solo, 2.5 TFL, 5 PBU, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery and a blocked punt. He made the Coaches All-SEC Second Team.
He’s a great player that can do everything.
LB/Edge Suntarine Perkins: He’s a bit undersized at 6’1, 220 pounds. In 2024 he had 10.5 sacks, 2 FR and an interception. Last season he had 81 tackles, 41 solo, 4.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 FR and 1 pick.
He has good coverage for a linebacker. I think he’d be good at the next level for a defensive coordinator that will primarily use him at linebacker.
WR Ryan Williams, Alabama: He was great as a freshman. He’s most known for the game against #2 Georgia when he had 6 catches, 177 yards and a score. In 2024 he had 48 receptions, 865 yards and 8 touchdowns. He also had 2 rushing touchdowns. He was a Freshman All-American and First-team All-SEC.
Last season he regressed. He had 49 catches, 689 yards and 4 TD’s. I’m expecting him to bounce back this season.
CB Zabien Brown, Alabama: He’s 6’0, 194 pounds, so he’s a bigger corner. He recorded two pick-sixes that were 99 and 50 yards. He also had 39 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 FF and a team-high 6 PBU.
He’s a press-man corner that has good speed and length.
Out Of A Legend’s Shadow?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Kalen DeBoer may have a long way to go to step out of Nick Saban’s shadow, but he is now guaranteed to surpass Saban in one area: Salary.
Alabama gave DeBoer a seven-year contract extension that will pay the coach $12.5 million this year.
That’s more than the $11.1 million Saban earned during his final season in 2023 — when he was the highest-paid coach in college football.
DeBoer’s first two seasons have led to some angst in the Alabama fan base and talk of a hot seat.
Athletic director Greg Byrne’s contract extension seeks to quiet that talk: DeBoer’s previous contract called for Alabama to owe him 90 percent of the remaining value of the contract if it fired him without cause.
Assuming that remains the case for this contract, Bryne is doubling down on his belief that DeBoer is the right man for the job.
DeBoer, 51, was hired to replace the retired Saban and earned $10.8 million in his first season, with his contract calling for raises of $125,000 per year through 2031.
Alabama’s first two seasons under DeBoer have been modestly successful: 9-4 his first season, missing the College Football Playoff; 11-4 his second season, making the CFP quarterfinals, where the Crimson Tide lost to eventual champion Indiana.
Saban coached Alabama to six national championships, most recently during the 2020 season, and in his final season had the Crimson Tide in the CFP semifinals, the final year of the four-team playoff.
When he retired, Byrne went outside the Saban coaching tree and the Alabama family to hire DeBoer, who had just coached Washington to the national championship game.
DeBoer’s new contract takes him through the end of the 2032 season, ending on Jan. 31, 2033.
“We are pleased to extend Coach DeBoer and are proud to have him leading the Crimson Tide football program,” Byrne said in a statement. “He is an excellent coach and has done a commendable job developing our student-athletes.”
Alabama hauled in the nation’s No. 2-ranked high school recruiting class for the 2026 cycle, continuing in the Saban tradition.
But the Crimson Tide also lost key pieces in the transfer portal, and the portal class did not rank among the top 25 in rankings.
DeBoer said in late January that he expected his team to be relatively young again, perhaps setting the expectations a bit lower once more.
Now he has a new contract that would seem to give him more leeway, though Alabama, like any SEC school, isn’t exactly hurting for money.
“This University has become a special place to us, and I look forward to working to ensure that Alabama football remains at the forefront of college football,” DeBoer said in a statement. “This program has a long history of success and an unmatched tradition that I was eager to be a part of two years ago, and I cannot wait to keep coaching our guys and bring more championships to Alabama.”
Alabama also announced a contract extension for men’s basketball coach Nate Oats, also through the end of the 2031-32 season.
Oats’ previous deal was set to expire after the 2029-30 season and pay him $6.02 million this year. His salary was increased to $6.275 million this year, with gradual increases to $7.25 million by the end of the deal.
Oats, 51, has led Alabama to five Sweet 16 appearances since being hired in 2019, including a Final Four two years ago.
