Georgia football defensive back Chris Smith on his time at Georgia: ‘10/10 experience’

Chris Smith has a hard time picking out his favorite Georgia football memory. He feels compelled to mention winning the national championship, a game in which he had an interception. He then brought up his first career start, coming against Florida in 2020.

Unlike so many members of the Georgia team, Smith wasn’t some 5-star recruit destined to see the field early. He moved into the starting lineup following the injury suffered by Richard LeCounte during the 2020 season.

It’s a spot Smith hasn’t given up, sans three games he missed due to a knee injury at the end of the 2021 regular season. As for a specific game, he also brings up his interception against Clemson to open the 2021 season. His younger brother, TJ a safety at Kansas State, came down with an interception earlier that day in a game against Stanford.

“It has been a 10/10 experience. I have built a lot of connections with coaches and players,” Smith said. “I have learned a lot about myself as a man. I even grew into myself as a man when I was here.”

Related: Georgia football safety Chris Smith racks up multiple midseason All-American honors

Smith plays much bigger and harder than his 5-foot-11 frame would indicate. He’s not afraid to lay the lumber and has made a number of big plays this season. He’s got five tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two interceptions to go along with his 44 tackles.

Related: Georgia football safety Chris Smith ready to show younger teammates what it means to play big

For all the talk about Smith’s off-field growth, he’s very much a plus player at safety. He’s played his way into likely being a day-two pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, with teams impressed by his toughness and versatility.

Smith spoke this week with reporters and took the opportunity to look back on all he’s done at Georgia. Winning a national championship, becoming a starter and emerging as a leader all demonstrate how accomplished Smith has become in his five seasons with the Bulldogs.

Much like his play or off-field leadership, Smith is a testament to growth and getting better all the time, both mentally and physically.

“A lot of guys when they first get here, we feel like we’ve got it all figured out. But you really don’t — you’re just getting started,” Smith said. “[Stepping up as a leader is] just a constant cycle here, and it’s just a part of the culture that we’ve built here.”

Georgia safety Chris Smith calls his time at Georgia a 10/10 experience

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