Kirby Smart isn’t about to let go of the No. 1 player in Georgia without a fight. Chad Simmons noted that safety Kamarui Dorsey will be back in Athens soon. The Hampton (Ga.) High standout has been committed to Texas A&M since November 2025. And he has publicly reiterated his trust in head coach Mike Elko. But there’s one thing the Bulldogs have that the Aggies don’t. 

While Dorsey’s recruitment isn’t a traditional transfer portal saga, Georgia is treating it with similar urgency due to several portal exits. Texas A&M’s SEC muscle and billionaire boosters like Jeffery Hildebrand make the program a formidable opponent on the trail. Kirby Smart, meanwhile, holds the upper hand due to the number of players who’ve transitioned to the NFL from Georgia since 2021.

“Since the 2021 NFL Draft, Georgia has had 8 safeties drafted into the NFL,” The Bulldawg Report wrote on X on January 18. “Over that same time, Texas A&M has had 1. The choice is clear.”

That comparison is the development history. If Kamarui Dorsey is projecting to Sundays, that’s an aspect to consider. 

Georgia’s broader NFL footprint reinforces that pitch. Thirteen of the NFL’s 14 playoff teams feature at least one former Bulldog. There are 36 Georgia alumni in the postseason, and the program is guaranteed representation in Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara. And then, there’s the familiarity factor. 

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Before Kamarui Dorsey pledged to Texas A&M, Georgia was the program at the top of his board. Kirby Smart was back at Hampton on Thursday for a direct check-in. And the safety has been direct about what resonated during the visit. 

“Kirby was just checking on me from a personal level first,” he told Rivals. “He was talking about how I’m one of the best safeties in the country and from Georgia, so he was talking about coming home and playing for my home state.”

They’ll meet again in the Athens visit scheduled for January 31. At 6’2, 190 pounds, Kamarui Dorsey is ranked No. 41 overall in the Rivals Industry Rankings, No. 12 in the Rivals300, and No. 1 in Georgia. This is the type of in-state prospect Kirby Smart cannot afford to miss, particularly after years of emphasizing border lockdown recruiting. Texas A&M, however, is not backing off. 

“Texas A&M is still my home,” he said. 

Mike Elko visited him on January 9, and Kamarui Dorsey is scheduled to return to College Station on January 24. The Aggies are armed with resources few programs can match, and that reality is shaping every high-profile recruitment. According to Indiana University-Columbus professor Ryan Brewer, Texas A&M’s program valuation now sits at roughly $1.6 billion, second nationally behind Texas. Few donors loom larger than Aggies benefactor Jeffery Hildebrand, whose $8 billion net worth underscores A&M’s financial muscle. But Georgia’s move is to double down on proximity, proof, and presence.

Kirby Smart’s counter is closer to home

Kirby Smart’s instate recruiting philosophy will be on display during the Bulldogs’ first junior day of the January contact period. The focus is on building early, building locally, and building with intent. Sixteen prospects will attend the upcoming junior day, nine of them from Georgia. That ratio reflects the head coach’s long-standing approach. 

Among them is Harrison (Ga.) WR DJ Huggins, a 5’11, 180-pound playmaker coming off a 67-catch, 1,127-yard, 12-touchdown junior season. He has already acknowledged Georgia’s consistency and winning culture. Valdosta (Ga.) standout Marquis Fennell earned an offer during a recent visit after a dominant junior year. The 6A Offensive Player of the Year rushed for 1,480 yards and 23 touchdowns, added 764 receiving yards, and proved his versatility on special teams. 

Up front, Northside (Ga.) LT Jeremiah Rozier was a sophomore last season who showed advanced run-blocking ability and movement skills. The offer to this 6’3, 275-pound lineman signals Georgia’s intent to identify cornerstone pieces early. In the end, the Kamarui Dorsey recruitment is not just Georgia versus Texas A&M. It is a test of whether Kirby Smart’s sustained development and local dominance can ultimately triumph.