Kirby Smart makes it clear which Georgia position group has to get better

Of course, Georgia has to replace those four wide receivers. They combined for 150 receptions, 1,691 yards and 13 touchdowns.

With so much experience walking out the door, Georgia knows its new crop of wide receivers has a lot to live up to in 2026. Even with Gunner Stockton coming back, Smart wants to see this group make big strides forward.

“Our wide receivers are young for the most part, we’ve tried to emphasize some periods that put pressure on them, game-like situations, where last year, you know, we got, we got, we probably got four wide receivers that are going to get drafted,” Smart said in an interview with 680 The Fan on Tuesday. “So when you got four wide receivers get drafted, you probably better be working on some other area. And that’s, that’s been the focus this year.”

Georgia added Georgia Tech wide receiver Isiah Canion via the transfer portal. He figures to be one of the main points of interest in Saturday’s spring scrimmage. He has been dealing with an ankle injury that caused him to miss multiple practices, but Canion was able to participate in Georgia’s most recent scrimmage.

Georgia is banking on the likes of Talyn Taylor, Landon Roldan and Thomas Blackshear to improve in their second years in Athens. That trio had a combined five receptions last season.

Even with Stockton returning, Smart knows it will be on those around the veteran quarterback to help propel the offense forward. For as much success as Georgia had a season ago, it has become abundantly clear more will be needed if Georgia is to win a national championship in 2026.

Sure, there are those in the national media putting pressure on Stockton to improve. But Smart knows what he has in his quarterback, who will play in his fifth spring game this Saturday.

At wide receiver, there are a lot more question marks.

“I think Gunner would be the first to tell you he wants to be more efficient. He wants to be more explosive,” Smart said. “That comes with having explosive playmakers around him. That comes with having an offensive line that gives him time to do it. That comes with his legs, which he did last year and had explosive plays through his legs. It’s just all around, how do we become more explosive?”

Before Georgia adds to its NFL haul, it will have a better idea of how its current wide receiver room stacks up. The NFL draft is set to take place from April 23 through 25, while Saturday’s spring game is set for 1 p.m. ET.

G-Day will give Smart a better idea of what he has to work with. The spring scrimmage will also provide a better idea of how much more work must be done to internally improve the receiver room.

“Now that you’re fixed, it puts a little more pressure on,” Smart said. “Can you get your roster better than their roster? Can you improve your kids more than they improve their kids because you can’t go out and change kids now? So you gotta take your roster and develop them.”