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Georgia

Kirby Smart addresses benefit of signee Ellis Robinson going through Orange Bowl practices

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•12/20/23
Ellis Robinson 1 copy 1
Photo by Chad Simmons/On3

Georgia coach Kirby Smart is taking advantage of a rule the NCAA implemented a few years back that allows incoming signees to join the team’s practices for bowl season. This year signee Ellis Robinson is one such player taking advantage.

As the Bulldogs get ready for the Orange Bowl against Florida State, Robinson is getting acclimated to the college level.

“I think it does a tremendous amount for their confidence,” Kirby Smart said on the Andy Staples On3 show on Wednesday. “I’ve talked to college coaches across the country, that I always try to pick peoples’ brain, like do you bring your mid-years in? Do you let them come to bowl practices? And a lot of guys, they want to focus on the team, they want to focus on the bowl game, they want to focus on the playoffs if they’re in the playoffs.”

Not Smart. He’s a big proponent of getting players involved early on. After all, the sooner they’re used to the speed and intensity of play in the SEC, the sooner they’ll be able to contribute.

So long as he’s not overwhelming them in practice, there aren’t a whole lot of downsides.

“I really like doing it,” Kirby Smart said. “I think it integrates those guys into the team. They come back much more comfortable. They know what to do in spring. They’re almost getting a spring practice in before spring practice.”

Robinson is a talented five-star prospect, one of the top recruits in the country.

He ranks as the No. 3 overall player in the nation and the No. 1 cornerback in the class. He’s the No. 2 overall player from the state of Florida.

Based on his ranking — not always fully revealing, but usually a pretty good starting place — he should be on the field contributing early for the Bulldogs.

Practicing now can only help.

“Ellis is one of those guys, along with maybe eight or nine guys that are out there interacting with our guys,” Kirby Smart said. “It wakes them up a little bit, and maybe a guy that might be a little overweight realizes, ‘I better cut this weight quick.'”