Kirby Smart Delivers Firm Response to Trend of NFL Players Returning to College

There has been a new trend in the College Football recruitment as the many schools are accepting players who are currently on the NFL rosters. While programs may welcome this trend positively to strengthen their teams, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart stands against it and has cleared his position on this issue.

Kirby Smart’s Stance on Recruiting from NFL Rosters

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has taken a clear and firm position. According to him, the Bulldogs are not evaluating or recruiting players currently on NFL rosters. Smart drew a sharp line between his program’s approach and that of some other college teams that have shown openness to bringing in former NFL players seeking a return to the college game.

Jan 1, 2026; New Orleans, LA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reacts after a play against the Mississippi Rebels in the third quarter during the 2025 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

“We’re not currently evaluating anybody that are on NFL rosters,” Smart said. “My thought is just to each his own. I’m worried about our team, our organization, how we do things.”

“The opportunities presented to the guys on our team are important to me. They’ve earned those opportunities through an offseason, through a summer program, through a really tough fall camp. You have to decide, each and every person, if that’s valuable enough to warrant replacing your players that have worked with your team with others,” he added.

His message was for existing college football players to put their best foot forward and match the NFL level.

“They might be better, so our job is to upgrade and try to get better as much as we can and win games. If some people feel like that gives them an opportunity to be better and doesn’t change their culture, then more power to them. This thing is tough,” he said.

Smart’s stance stands in contrast to coaches like Lane Kiffin at LSU, who have been more willing to explore adding players with recent NFL experience. Smart’s position aligns with a broader philosophy he has often expressed which is to prioritize high-school recruiting and internal development over quick-fix additions from the transfer portal or professional ranks. His stance also supports SEC’s decision on their schools not recruiting players from NFL rosters.

SEC’s Involvement in the NFL-to-College Return Issue

Southeastern Conference moved decisively to prevent former professional athletes from returning to compete for its member schools. The action came amid a sudden wave of NFL training-camp players and undrafted free agents seeking a path back to college under expanded eligibility granted by recent court rulings.

Following meetings of presidents, chancellors, and athletic directors on August 25, the SEC announced that its institutions are not permitted to roster athletes who previously declared for the NFL, NBA, or WNBA draft without appropriately withdrawing, who signed a contract with an NFL or other professional football league, the NBA/G-League, or the WNBA or its affiliates, or who had been listed on an official roster of any of those professional leagues.

“College athletes, not former professional athletes, have been at the heart of the Southeastern Conference. Individuals who choose to leave college athletics, sign professional playing contracts, and compete professionally should not then be permitted to return to college competition,” SEC stated.

The conference later outlined specific consequences for non-compliance. These included a half-season suspension for the head coach covering all coaching, recruiting, and administrative duties, a fine equal to 50% of that sport’s annual operating budget, the loss of certain conference voting privileges, and additional sanctions at the commissioner’s discretion.

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