INDIANAPOLIS — Dominic Lovett was a quick hit with Georgia coach Kirby Smart, which those who know Smart realize is no easy task.

So, Lovett was asked by DawgNation at the 2025 NFL Combine on Friday, what’s the key to getting in good with Smart like he once did after transferring to UGA from Missouri.

“Honestly? Don’t be no Prima Donna,” said Lovett, who led UGA with 59 catches that netted 607 yards and a team-high six TD receptions. “Kirby is kind of old-school, he likes the tough guy, he likes smash-mouth football, so he wants the guy that’s going to block when they don’t have the ball.

“He wants the guy who’s going to dig out the safety, and he wants guys on special teams.”

Lovett, who entered into the 2025 NFL Combine with a low enough draft grade that some suggested he will end up signing as a free agent, made it a point to stand out on special teams at UGA.

“I didn’t play special teams before I got to Georgia, but when I got to Georgia, I fell in love with special teams,” said Lovett, who paired with Arian Smith as gunners (outside pursuit players) on the punt team.

“Me and Arian kind of took that gunner role, (and) we only allowed 23 yards in two years,” Lovett said on Friday. “We take pride in special teams, it’s just another opportunity to be on the field and it does impact the game.”

Lovett knows how important it is to prove his scrappiness, as at 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds, he’s on the smallish side for the NFL even playing the receiver position.

“I play bigger than I am,” Lovett insists. “Even though I’m 5-10, you can put me outside or in the slot, and I can play bigger than what I am with my attitude and heart.”

Lovett shared a story of how Smart — noted for his sharp comments on the hot microphone he carries around practices — raised the bar on him from the time he arrived.

“The day after I arrived, he was like, “Yeah, you know you’re gonna come here and we’re gonna love you and we’re gonna, you know, break your head the next day,” Lovett said with a laugh. “We had conditioning, and for y’all that do’t know, at Georgia conditioning is like different than everybody else.

“He’s like, ‘Dom, get your ass in shape!’ I was like, “I am, but it’s not Georgia shape,” he said. “That was his way of pulling me into the program, and he’s a great coach, he coached me hard every day and he never let me slack off. So thanks to Coach Smart, I appreciate that.”

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