PRO 2025 Rookie Spotlight: Arian Smith, WR Georgia
Rookie Spotlight: Arian Smith, WR Georgia
Height: 6-0
Weight: 185
Hands:
Arm:
2025 Age: 24 – (10/11/01)
NFL Play-Style Comparison: Jeff Badet, Jalin Hyatt
Draft Grade: UDFA
Projected 40: 4.33
Breakout Age: No Breakout
Event: Senior Bowl
Offensive Market Share Metrics (Final Season)
Receptions: 14%
Receiving Yards: 21%
Receiving TDs: 14%
High School: Lakeland HS (Lakeland, Florida)
As a high school prospect: Class of 2020; 4-star (5.8)
College Attended: Georgia(5)
Pros
– Powerful build
– Burner with legit 4.3 wheels
– Ability to play in the slot (20% in 2024)
– 2-time National Champion at Georgia (300 total receiving yards in those two seasons)
Cons
– Failed to eclipse 200 receiving yards until 5th college season
– Two games with 6+ receptions during 30 career games with a catch
– Limited route tree with predominantly downfield in-breaking routes and upright running style
– 10 drops in 2024 (17%) – led College Football, lots of bad drops and body control/understanding on his profile (Raw)
– Struggles to get off of any defensive contact in the first 5 years
Highlight/Film
Scouting Notes:
Elite Speed defines Arian Smith’s career at Georgia, in 5 seasons he has 10 touchdowns, 45 first downs, and 13 drops on 112 targets. Smith may just run sub-4.3 during the February NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Alex and I will be there to watch him firsthand, just as we were in 2024 to watch Troy Franklin from Oregon, underwhelm in the 40 and prove he was truly a developmental player as a catcher of the football and a route-runner. Franklin was MUCH better than Smith in college at Oregon production-wise than Smith was at UGA, though.
As a raw prospect with a limited short and intermediate route tree, Smith sometimes gets caught up in mild press coverage. With just 6+ receptions in two career games, his profile continues to get squeezed as he never broke out at Georgia, and delivered a below-par 1.95 yards per route run average. There is room for Smith on an NFL roster as a potential special teams threat and developmental receiver, but it will come at the expense of a 7th-rounder or undrafted free agent. Anything can happen through the draft season, but at the outset, we’re taking a hands-off approach to Smith in dynasty rookie drafts outside of possibly the 16-team, 5-round variety.
