Want a daily lap through Georgia football recruiting? That’s what the Intel will bring at least five days a week. We’ll cover the news and share some insight about a prospect like 5-star UGA commit Zamir White plus add some perspective to help fans figure out what it all means.
Jonathan Smith is what a person in my industry would call an informed source on 5-star RB Zamir White, 247Sports’ top-ranked running back in the Class of 2018.
Smith grew up with White. He played with him for two seasons at Scotland County High School in Southeastern North Carolina.
But Smith is also a college football player. A very good one at that. The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder is a rising sophomore at North Carolina. He was good enough to get on the field some last fall as a true freshman.
That showing more than upheld his 3-star ranking and status as the nation’s No. 11 inside linebacker for the class of 2016 per the 247SportsComposite.
DawgNation had a chance to speak with Smith on Tuesday afternoon at White’s commitment ceremony. He had several intelligent opinions on the subject of his best friend’s future.
The most interesting of those was when he played the part of a talent scout. Smith knows what an elite college RB looks like. His opinion definitely mattered on the subject of White’s potential.
Does White live up to that 5-star rating and that status as the nation’s No. 1 RB prospect for 2018?
“Zamir White is going to be an instant-impact player,” Smith said. “He is going to be a 1,000-yard rusher no matter what.
“He’s going to make it to the league. He might only be there for three years if God blesses him with that or if that is God’s plan. I think he can impact Georgia’s football team as a freshman.”
What did Jonathan Smith see as a big factor for Zamir White?
Smith said that his best friend just looked at his choice as a business decision.
“I think he just looked at it toward where he felt comfortable at and what he thought he was going to benefit the most from,” he said. “He obviously thought that Georgia was going to benefit him the most and I support his decision.”
While he said that he’d be good if White was with him and close by at North Carolina, Smith also said he’d be good with White about four-to-five hours away at UGA.
What does he think sets White apart?
“His work ethic,” Smith said. “He works like a horse. He and I have always worked out together since we were younger and he used to always push me. I used to always push him. He’s obviously the more athletic one so I used to try to get on his level.”
He sees that ethic as another factor that will drive him to future success.
“I think that is what will benefit him at Georgia,” Smith said. “He’s a hard worker and very competitive. He won’t lose. He won’t like to lose.”