4-star IOL Cortez Smith locks in commitment date
Snellville (Ga.) Parkview four-star offensive lineman Cortez Smith will begin his official visits later this month.
South Carolina will play host on May 31, Miami on June 7, Georgia Tech on June 14, and Georgia will wrap it all up the weekend of June 21. And after that, he’ll be in commitment mode.
On Monday, Smith told On3’s Chad Simmons that he will announce his decision on July 20 with each of those four programs as his finalists.
While he’s waiting to make a final decision until after his official visits, Smith does know what will put a team over the top when commitment time comes.
“What matters to me is how a school is going to help me after football and after college,” he told Simmons in February.
Home state Bulldogs trending in the On3 RPM
Heading into the summer, Georgia is the team to beat for Smith, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM). The local school has made him a top priority in their 2025 class, and he likes the opportunity to stay close to home, compete for championships and be part of the Bulldogs’ culture.
“To me, that’s O-Line University. There are a lot of big shoes to fill, but I definitely like setting the bar at whatever school I’m at,” he told DawgsHQ’s Jake Reuse of the Bulldogs.
The coaching staff at large, starting with his potential positional coach, has caught his eye.
“Coach [Stacy] Searels has always been a stand up coach, as well as a person since day one,” Smith said.
Miami, South Carolina looking to make a move with Smith
South Carolina is also making Smith feel like a top target. He has already visited the Gamecocks multiple times, and they’ll get the first shot at him during official visits.
Head coach Shane Beamer and offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley have led the way in his recruitment.
“They show a lot of effort in recruiting me,” Smith previously told Simmons. “There’s a couple coaches that text me once or twice a week. It shows that they really want me.”
“He’s really down-to-earth,” he added about Beamer. “He talks to me… and he still stays in touch.”
Miami is also working to get him out of the Peach State. Head coach Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal’s energy and knowledge impressed the four-star. Additionally, he enjoyed spending time around some players for the Hurricanes, who have been recruiting him hard since the beginning of his junior season.
“The coaches and the staff, they really know what they’re talking about,” Smith said. “They’re trying to connect with me and I really appreciate that.”