Georgia Bulldogs at risk of losing elite talent to SEC rival if Kirby Smart can’t close the deal
Four star running back Andrew Beard, a top tier Georgia recruit, has the Bulldogs in his finalists, but not in the lead
The Georgia Bulldogs haven’t always dominated in-state recruiting, but head coach Kirby Smart and company have been making that a key point in recent seasons. Unfortunately, Georgia can’t always close the deal with every single top notch talent.
However, one key playmaker on offense who plays his football in the state of Georgia is closing in on his decision, and the Bulldogs are among his finalists. The bad news? He says that Georgia is not the team leading in his recruitment.
Four Star RB Andrew Beard does not have Georgia in the lead
Andrew Beard is a top 100 overall recruit in the country right now among all players in 2027 college football recruiting class. Beard has been a primary target for coach Smart for quite some time now given his obviously impressive skill set as a runner (nearly 1300 yards last fall) and pass-catcher (over 400 receiving yards too).
Not just because of his raw skills and abilities, but also because he plays his high school football just a half hour down the road from Athens, Georgia. Targeting elite top 100 talents who can nearly throw a stone into your back yard is obviously important, but it doesn’t always go as planned. Beard communicated to recruiting experts around the country this week that he has narrowed down his list of finalist schools to just four. One of them is Georgia, but it seems the Bulldogs are going to have to fight off Clemson, Florida, and Tennessee.
Per Rivals (who published first) and other sourcing close to Beard, Tennessee is actually the program to beat at the moment. Beard shared with several media members that Georgia continues to make their presence felt, as they have since day one of his recruitment, but as of now the Vols have a slight edge.
Can Kirby Smart actually close the deal with Andrew Beard?
Beard already has four official visits set for the early summer (with Clemson, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee, so it’s unlikely he announces his commitment to any one school before he makes the rounds in late May and June. However, there’s still plenty of time for Georgia to regain the lead with Beard.
Georgia should have a strong, easy pitch to make to Beard and any running back. Coach Smart has a long track record of home-grown talent flourishing at the position. Nate Frazier and Chauncy Bowens (both who have developed in-house) should lead the way again for the Bulldogs in 2026, with transfer back Dante Dowdell working his way into the rotation. However, both Frazier and Dowdell will likely be gone after 2026.
There could be a real opportunity for Beard to earn a significant role early alongside Chauncey Bowens if he can just add a few pounds, bulking up for the SEC.
Beard has already logged double-digit visits with the Bulldogs given his proximity and interest. He’ll certainly continue seeing coach Smart’s staff even before his official visits cycle this summer. The Vols may be leading right now, and that would hurt to lose an in-state fringe five-star talent to an SEC rival, but the Bulldogs have been doing all the right things, playing all the right cards to make this happen.
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