Georgia DB Smoke Bouie undergoes minor knee procedure
The offseason is a time for rest but it’s also a time to take care of injuries that piled up over the course of the season. Georgia defensive back Smoke Bouie did that on Thursday.
Bouie had a minor cleanup procedure in his knee. He posted a photo to his instagram story of himself in a medical gown and bed with the caption “hope this goes well.” Trusted sources provided details on the surgery and indicate that it did, indeed, go well. Bouie is expected to be back at full speed before spring drills begin in March.
The Bainbridge, Ga. native just joined the team earlier this month as a transfer. He spent his freshman season at Texas A&M after a recruitment that saw him on UGA’s commitment list for several months.
Bouie appeared in seven games as a freshman where he racked up four tackles and a pass breakup. Most of his snaps, per Pro Football Focus, were as an outside cornerback. He projects as more of a safety or sub-package defender at Georgia.
Georgia has added three transfers for the 2023 season thus far. Bouie is the only one on the defensive side of the ball. The Bulldogs got two wideouts in Rara Thomas (Mississippi State) and Dominic Lovett (Missouri). The transfer portal window is currently close but it will open again. The spring window will begin on May 1 and close on May 15.
Smoke Bouie as a prospect….
Per the industry-generated, equally-weighted On3 Consensus, Bouie was the nation’s No. 84 overall prospect in the 2022 class. He was the No. 11 cornerback and the No. 9 player in Georgia.
“Legitimate two-way prospect at cornerback and wide receiver, but likely to play on defense long-term. Among the shortest highly-ranked corners in the 2022 cycle at under 5-foot-11, but has some compensatory length. Added some bulk to his frame prior to his senior season. Has high-end ball skills at both corner and receiver. Effortlessly tracks and locates the ball over his shoulder. Capable of making some high-difficulty one-handed grabs. Turns to play the ball with natural feel and instincts in man coverage. Has been a standout on the 7-on-7 circuit for several years with his skills and two-way ability. Showed open field ability in the return game as a sophomore. Missed the entirety of his junior season with a knee injury. Still working to regain some burst as a senior and is seeing more success as a ball-winner than separator. Lacks verified athleticism by way of testing or track times. Older prospect for the class.” – Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings
***On3’s Jeremy Johnson contributed to this story.
