Cortez Smith watched as a recruit as Georgia football further established itself under Kirby Smart as a premier program by winning national championships in 2021 and 2022 and going 42-2 over the last three seasons.

The four-star offensive lineman from Parkview High who lives in Snellville didn’t mention that on-field success as the biggest factor that led to him announcing Saturday that he’s committed to the Bulldogs. It was things like the school’s academics and nutrition resources available to players.

“It’s really the specialization they put into each person,” Smith said. “They make sure everybody is treated the same and everyone is well taken care of.”

The four-star offensive lineman becomes the 21st commitment for Georgia’s 2025 class.

The 6-foot-3, 320-pound Smith made his commitment a month after taking an official visit to the school. He picked the Bulldogs over South Carolina, Miami and Georgia Tech.

He said Georgia sees him fitting in on the line as a center or guard and mentioned former Georgia offensive lineman Warren Ericson, now a graduate assistant, as a key recruiter.

“I feel I bring to the table hard work, a leader and definitely an explosive guy,” said Smith, who won the 7A shot put and placed second in discus.

Smith becomes the third offensive line commitment for Georgia and this class and its highest-ranked at No. 132 nationally and No. 16 in the state by the 247Sports Composite.

He joins four-stars Mason Short of Evans (No. 176) and Dontrell Glover of Fairburn (No. 286).

Smith’s commitment comes more than a year and a half after he received a Georgia offer while at the Tennessee game on Nov. 5, 2022.

“I will never forget it,” he said.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Why Parkview O-lineman Cortez Smith committed to Georgia football