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Georgia's All-Kirby Smart Era Team: Safety and STAR

Palmber-Thombsby:Palmer Thombs06/22/23

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Lewis Cine (1)
Tony Walsh/UGA Sports Communications

We’re entering year eight of the Kirby Smart era in Athens. The Georgia football coach has more than established himself as one of the best, if not THE best, in College Football by turning around a program that had gone stagnant and is now at the top of the sport with the Bulldogs having won back-to-back titles.

Seven full seasons at the helm means a lot of things. Smart’s first full class has come and gone. While the “COVID-year” delayed it a bit, that happened this past season with the departure of Robert Beal – and of course walk-on Stetson Bennett. So, it’s time that we start discussing the All-Smart Era Team.

Our rules are simple. They only require the player to have spent one season playing for Smart so seniors on the 2016 team are eligible. Other than that, they must have finished their career at Georgia or be suiting up for the Bulldogs this fall.

Last week we covered the entirety of the offense. Those stories are linked for you below. This week, it’s time for defense, and we continue today with the safeties and STARs.

Safety: Lewis Cine (2019-2021)

Lewis Cine was a part of a Class of 2019 that helped forever change Georgia Football. Alongside the likes of Nakobe Dean, Nolan Smith and others – including JUCO addition Stetson Bennett – Cine helped guide Georgia to its first National Championship in over four decades during the 2021 season.

Hailing from Cedar Hill, Texas, Cine started games in each of his three seasons. As a freshman, he played in all 14 – starting the last two — while finishing with 20 total tackles. In his first career start at the SEC Championship Game, Cine posted six tackles against an LSU offense that shined that season. He would match that total in the Sugar Bowl win over Baylor. Then, in 2020, the safety spot was his for the taking.

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Cine started all 10 games during the 2020 season, plus all 15 in 2021. In 2020, he finished second on the team in tackles behind Dean with 49 stops. Then, in 2021, he got the better of his teammate by one tackle, finishing as the team-leader with 73 to his name. Cine’s 12 tackles at South Carolina during the 2020 remained his career-high until the day he left Georgia. He also had an outstanding showing in the National Championship Game against Alabama with seven tackles including one for loss and a pass breakup, earning him Defensive MVP honors in the win. Cine was named a Third-Team All-American by the Associated Press and to the All-SEC team by both the coaches and media. He would go on to be picked by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the last of record five Georgia defenders selected in the first round.

Safety: Christopher Smith (2018-2022)

Christopher Smith just wrapped up his Georgia career with a successful fifth-season, earning unanimous All-American status – one of just 13 players in program history to do so. He absolutely deserves a spot on this team.

After seeing action in just five games as a freshman and playing primarily on special teams as a sophomore, Smith was thrust into an important role in 2020. He was forced to take over for Richard LeCounte in a top-10 game against Auburn after LeCounte was ejected for targeting. He would finish with three tackles. Then, when LeCounte saw his season come to an early end due to injury, Smith became a starter.

He would carry that title with him into 2021 and 2022, years that saw Georgia win national titles with Smith as a big part of the success. In the season-opener against Clemson, Smith scored the only touchdown on an interception and 74-yard return. That sparked an outstanding regular season for the Bulldogs, going 12-0 for the first time since the 1980s. Smith, who had another interception in the National Championship Game against Alabama and acted as a key blocker for Kelee Ringo on his own interception return, finished with 35 tackles, four pass breakups, three interceptions and two quarterback pressures.

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Smith’s “super-senior” season saw him finish fourth on the team in tackles with a career-best 61 stops. He started all 15 games for the Bulldogs and was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award. Smith had a team-high three interceptions with five pass breakups, one fumble recovery and a memorable 96-yard touchdown return of a blocked field goal in the SEC Championship Game. Named an All-SEC First-Team player, Smith showed a knack for making big plays in the biggest games. He was taken in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.

STAR: Mark Webb (2017-2020)

Mark Webb arrived in Athens as a wide receiver. The cousin of D’Andre Swift, it was sort of a package deal, and Webb wasn’t the primary part of the package. However, after a switch to the secondary during his freshman year, Webb developed into a player that consistently contributed to Georgia’s efforts.

He played in 13 games, primarily on special teams, during the 2017 season. Then, in 2018, Webb played in all 14 earning his first career start against Middle Tennessee State early in the season. He finished that year with 14 tackles including what was then a career-high six stops against Auburn.

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Webb took on a primary starter’s role in 2019 as he finished fifth on the team in tackles with 46 to his name. A starter at STAR for nine of 14 games that year, Webb won the team’s Charley Trippi Award for versatility. He led the team in tackles at Tennessee. He tied his career-high with six stops against Florida. Then, in 2020, Webb had his best season to date on the way to being drafted. Seeing action in eight of 10 games, he had 21 tackles including a career-best nine in a win over Mississippi State. Webb came down with his first career interception against Auburn. He had four tackles at Alabama. Webb was taken in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers, who he’s still with to this day.

Second Team: Safety – Richard LeCounte (2017-2020), Safety – J.R. Reed (2016-2019), STAR – Javon Bullard (2020-present)

In Case You Missed It…

Quarterback

Running Back

Wide Receiver

Tight End

Offensive Line

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