Woah! That’s definitely a big hit by Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart. Finally, he snagged the recruit who had rivals tripping over each other. That is none other than four-star offensive tackle prospect Juan Gaston Jr. As discussed on the Locked on Bulldogs podcast, Gaston had the hottest ticket in town. Ultimately, it was Smart who won the lottery. However, things would have been different if ex-Alabama HC Nick Saban still held the post in Tuscaloosa. Why wouldn’t it? After all, he has been the top dog of talent snatching.   

Given the current situation, it’s hard for Smart not to be in the limelight. He has been blessed with the good and the ugly. On the one hand, he is losing out on players to legal woes, and on the other, he is acing the recruitment game. That being said, here comes Smart’s latest win. And podcast host Daniel Monroe could not help but gush about it as he quipped, “Every time we open our eyes there’s a really exciting in new Georgia football commit.”

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Smart now seems not to spare a moment to sit back and rest. And while constantly running after recruits, the Bulldogs HC just struck gold. The podcast co-host could not help but praise the coach’s luck, “Kirby Smart has got zero chill out here on the recruiting trail — Juan Gaston, the four-star 2025 offensive tackle prospect.” But what is so grand about this recruitment? Because Gaston was the dream recruit everyone was losing their minds over, from Alabama Crimson Tide to Oregon. The new HC Kalen DeBoer failed to gain the Atlanta product’s trust, who chose to stay home and proudly declared, “My heart just led me to the right place. I feel like I’ll do great there.” However, if Alabama still had Saban as their HC, things would have been different. 

Saban’s lasting legacy on Alabama recruitment

Saban is called the GOAT for a reason! He is hailed as the savior who racked Crimson Tide on the top shelf after wandering through the wilderness. Saban’s stint in Tuscaloosa was a surreal moment. Recruitment is an integral part of coaching, and no coach in college football has fully embraced talent scheming quite like Saban. During his 17-year-long run in Tuscaloosa, he signed 10 top-ranked classes. And what was his USP?

It’s Saban’s way of reeling in fresh talent. The ex-Crimson Tide head coach handpicked the use of symbols that helped to reinforce the narrative. The former HC ensured specific pointers were in check. Instead of getting tangled in the web of future outcomes, Saban wanted to trust the “process.”

Following this, Alabama still owes the GOAT for landing some gems. Some of the big names are QB Bryce Young, OT Cyrus Kouandijo, and WR Julio Jones, among others. Even though it’s unknown whether Gaston would have committed to Crimson Tide if Saban was still there, it definitely would not have been this easy for Smart to earn his trust.