4-Star CB Christopher Smith Commits to Georgia over Alabama, Ohio State, Others

Georgia made a big addition to its 2018 recruiting haul on Monday, as it received a commitment from cornerback Christopher Smith in a video for Rivals.com:

"It really hit me Georgia was my school after my latest visit there," Smith told Chad Simmons of Rivals.com. "My mom and my family were cool with me going to any of my top six schools, so that was kind of a clean slate for me, but Georgia is it for me."

"After visiting Georgia for their spring game, I knew that was where I wanted to go," he added. "All of the schools on my list are great schools and Georgia is one of the best, so why not go right down the road and play for the in-state school? They have everything I am looking for."

According to Scout.com, Smith is a 4-star recruit who rates as the No. 32 player at his position and No. 6 corner from the state of Georgia in his class.

The Hapeville Charter standout from College Park, Georgia, generated a ton of interest from many of the top programs across the nation.

Scout listed Georgia, Alabama, USC, Auburn and Oregon among the schools that courted the 6'0", 165-pound defensive back.

When asked about Georgia in particular, Smith had great things to say about the school after receiving a scholarship offer in November 2016, per Brandon Sudge of the Macon Telegraph: "Getting an offer from the program felt great, and I'm looking forward to building relationships with the coaching staff. ... The campus is beautiful. But most importantly I liked the intensity of the fans and their passion. The atmosphere is unreal."

While Smith's 40-yard dash time is listed as a modest 4.65 seconds by Scout.com, he seemingly has the tools needed to be a shutdown corner at the collegiate level.

He boasts solid height that should allow him to do battle with big receivers, and there is plenty of room for him to grow further into his frame and become a more physical player in the coming years.

Cornerback depth is of the utmost importance in college football due to the utilization of spread offenses, and Smith provides the Bulldogs with a player who can develop into a starter at the position in short order.

Like most cornerbacks making the leap from high school, Smith will likely need some time to get acclimated to the speed of the game, which may result in him being eased into action.

Georgia doesn't necessarily need him to be a big-time contributor immediately, but his continued improvement in college suggests it won't be long before he's starting on a regular basis.