Georgia football coach Kirby Smart hinted earlier this month that the Bulldogs could still bring in a player who earned an extra season of eligibility this summer. After going underrated in the 2026 NFL Draft, WR Cole Speer made a return to the Bulldogs. However, even after his return to Athens to play a fifth season under Smart, the head coach is still not sure whether the wide receiver will be on the roster for the 2026 season.
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“I wouldn’t make any assumptions right now with the NCAA and the things going on… Nothing is official yet,” Kirby Smart said on WR Cole Speer on August 19, who has reportedly rejoined the team.
The “uncertainty” surrounding his career stems from roster limits and legal appeals rather than an injury. Smart noted that adding players late in camp is strictly contingent on staying within the mandatory 105-player roster limit. At the same time, the NCAA is actively appealing the court ruling that allowed Speer’s return.
Kirby Smart emphasized that Georgia is always hovering around the 105-player roster cap. He stated the program is open to welcoming back veterans only if they have an open slot, noting, “If we don’t have room, we can’t do that, and we’re stuck with it.”
Even with everything going on, Speer has officially returned to practice. He has begun his mandatory NCAA acclimation window before he can participate in full-contact drills. The coaching staff highly values Speer for his physical play on special teams. His career highlight is his critical blocked punt against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Over 41 career games in Athens, Speer has primarily served as a depth piece, logging 5 receptions for 56 yards.
Cole Speer initially left Georgia because he had exhausted his four years of standard college eligibility and went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. Because he did not redshirt during his four years in Athens, his college career was technically over. However, everything changed with a court ruling on the 2022 class.
A Colorado district judge issued a preliminary injunction granting all Class of 2022 recruits a surprise fifth year of eligibility. This opened a legal loophole for Speer’s immediate return. Many 2022 class student-athletes are arguing that they are at a disadvantage under the new NCAA eligibility rule because they didn’t redshirt their freshman year. The NCAA has already filed an active appeal to overturn the injunction.
The final battles for Georgia’s roster
With the NCAA enforcing a strict mandatory limit of 105 players per roster, Kirby Smart has no room to carry extra depth. Speer’s late addition takes away a valuable spot. It has amplified pressure on several camp standouts fighting for a permanent place.
Georgia lost four of its top five pass-catchers from last year to the NFL Draft. Speer faces a direct battle with an explosive freshman class for depth-chart snaps behind established weapons. Tre Shields, a true freshman wide receiver, has emerged as camp’s ultimate “sleeper pick”.
With JaCorey Thomas being the only other 2022 recruit eligible to leverage the injunction to return, young secondary players Demello Jones and Ja’Marley Riddle are pushing themselves to their absolute limits. The battle to claim the final rotation spots before travel rosters lock is on.