C.J. Smith learning from the best how to control, 'improve' speed
Georgia coaches were excited when they signed C.J. Smith out of Mt. Dora High School in Orlando, Fla. last year. An early enrollee who was limited last spring after having offseason meniscus surgery, Smith battled injuries his entire first year on campus. He only played in two games and was one of 14 first-year players to redshirt lat season. However, headed into year two, Smith is hoping he can contribute, and his teammates have high hopes too.
“It’s been great. Being here, being around my teammates, being around this program, it’s been awesome,” Smith said when asked by DawgsHQ about his first season and his potential when healthy. “Really there’s no limit I can put on it. When it’s there, it’s there … Speed goes a long way. It’s something that can’t really be taught but definitely can be improved.”
Smith ranked just outside the top 300 of the On3 Consensus at No. 311 and No. 52 among wide receivers for the Class of 2022. One of the fasted prospects for the cycle, Smith’s speed is what attracted everybody to him. When it came down to it, Smith chose Georgia over Tennessee after backing off from his previous Florida commitment.
A speedster from the state of Florida. Sound familiar? It should because that’s exactly what Arian Smith was when he was coming out of Lakeland High School. C.J. said that Arian was one of a few receivers that took him under his wing and taught him their ways during his freshman season.
“AD (Mitchell) and Arian, those two,” Smith said. “With Arian being another speed guy, there’s so much I can learn from him whether it’s cutting, making moves off certain points, definitely that part … He might be able to do it a little better than me but that’s something I can do too.”
Smith’s mentors certainly see the potential in him too. That’s why they’ve taken him under their wing and tried to teach him their ways. Both Arian Smith and Mitchell had high praise for the youngster.
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“He’s quick man, and it ain’t just quickness. He’s got long speed. It’s acceleration,” Arian Smith said. “On the back end, he’ll beat you off the line and he’s leaving … I learned that just because you’re fast doesn’t mean that you have to go fast. You have to learn when you need it and when you don’t need it, so I’ve been trying to show him things that I do.”
“C.J., he’s got speed. That boy is like a lightning bolt just like A. Smith. Once he kind of gets the offense and gets a lot of things like that, he’ll be an electric player,” Mitchell added. “I see the potential in him. I see what he can bring to the table and why we need a piece like that on our team so I’m always trying to help any of the younger guys. Any kind of coaching point I can give them, I try to.”
Smith said that even with a new quarterback, he’s excited to see what the future holds for him, the rest of the receivers and the entire passing game headed into his second season.
“I really think there is no limit. The potential is great. I’m excited to see what next year is,” Smith said. “I’ve developed my brain the most so far, learning schemes and stuff like that. Where I want to develop more is being an all around player.”
