Georgia hosts Texas A&M transfer Smoke Bouie ahead of dead period
There is just one more day for prospects and transfer portal players to visit colleges before the NCAA-mandated dead period. Texas A&M defensive back Smoke Bouie is using the day to visit Georgia according to his personal Instagram account. He went live while in the UGA football facility.
A four-star prospect in the 2022 class, Bouie entered the transfer portal last week after one season at Texas A&M. He is a Bainbridge High School product, the same as UGA head coach Kirby Smart. It’s also the same school and home town as former UGA support staffer Nick Williams, who persuaded Bouie to join him at Texas A&M last recruiting cycle. Williams is now coaching with Deion Sanders at Colorado.
Georgia had Bouie on campus for a significant portion of the 2022 recruiting cycle. He gave his pledge to the Bulldogs early and everything looked as if it would hold until The Aggies made their move. Georgia made several pushes to try and get Bouie back in the fold but he eventually inked with Texas A&M.
Texas A&M had a disastrous 2022 season, losing eight of 12 games. One of those losses was to Appalachian State at home. Bouie appeared in seven games with four total tackles and a pass breakup. Georgia is considered as the favorite to land his commitment.
The NCAA’s Early Signing Period begins on Wednesday, December 21. The dead period will last until Wednesday, January 12. That’s when the dead period will be lifted for all prospects but there is an NCAA provision that allows the school to host prospective student-athletes who plan to enroll mid-year.
A student-athlete who plans to enroll in January can visit a school as long as it’s within a seven day window before classes begin at that institution. Georgia’s spring semester begins on January 9, meaning it can start hosting prospective mid-year enrollees starting on January 2.
Georgia after Bouie, others in transfer portal…
The Bulldogs are quite active in the transfer market this offseason. They have already hosted a pair of highly-coveted wideouts who are exiting SEC programs. The Bulldogs had Mississippi State wideout Rara Thomas on campus last weekend. They hosted Missouri wideout Dominic Lovett on Thursday and Friday of this past week.
Georgia has also expressed interest in other prospects. Kent State wideout Dante Sephas has reported a UGA offer. The Bulldogs have also kicked the tires on South Carolina running back Marshawn Lloyd.
The Bulldogs currently have the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class for the 2023 cycle. They’re also getting ready to take on No. 4 Ohio State in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl in a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup. Kickoff is set for December 31 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
