NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kirby Smart officially appeared at the 2023 SEC Media Days Tuesday morning. Among his comments to the media were the statuses of several injured players, the addition of a few walk-ons and efforts to fill recently vacated positions.

Smart gave updates on several players’ injuries and their recoveries. Smart said running back Branson Robinson and linebacker Smael Mondon’s statuses for week one is currently unknown.

Both suffered injuries during spring camp. Smart said they are progressing well, but is uncertain if they will be well enough to play during week one.

Meanwhile, former five-star and sophomore defensive end Mykel Williams should be good to go by fall, according to Smart.

“[Williams] had a great rehab,” Smart said. “I’ve gotten to see him run some during the agility stuff. He’s not back completely yet, but he’s ahead of [Robinson and Mondon].”

Additionally, Marvin Jones Jr. and Jalon Walker, who both suffered labrum injuries, were also cleared for practice. Smart said both will wear harnesses and focus on conditioning and getting back to practicing. Safety Dan Jackson is also back at practice and receiving reps.

Smart also touched on the running back room at Georgia. Three players at that position — including Robinson, Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards — suffered injuries during spring practice, with Andrew Paul working back from a season-ending injury he suffered before the 2022 season.

Edwards competed at G-Day and Milton, Smart said, is ready to go for fall camp. Paul is continuing to work back and, according to Smart, is showing some promise.

“Andrew Paul is doing great,” Smart said. “He’s a typical ACL guy that happens in fall camp. They come back the next year and they’re not always 100% right away, but he’s going to be cleared. He’ll come out in a rigid brace starting out and then he’ll work himself into confidence and come out of it, but there’s nothing that I’ve see that’s kept me from believing he’s gonna be ready to go.”

Amid the injuries, Georgia has three walk-ons — Cash Jones, Sevaughn Clark and recent transfer Len’Neth Whitehead — that can fill in when necessary. Jones played well during G-Day and Smart preached confidence in Clark. While Smart doesn’t know what Whitehead might bring to the team or how conditioned he is, Smart believes the Tennessee transfer could provide useful depth for a position group that needs it.

Smart also touched on special teams. The unit is looking for both a field goal kicker, but also a holder. Former quarterback Stetson Bennett did it last year, but with his departure, the unit needs to find a replacement.

“We have had some, I can’t say competition, [but] we’re trying to settle who the field goal kicker is before the holder,” Smart said. I usually defer to the kicker to decide who the holder is. I like for it to be a quarterback, but not necessarily the [starting] quarterback. We’ve opened it up this year to try [Ladd McConkey and] some other guys. [Bennett] had done it for so long and he made me comfortable because of his athleticism and his speed and then of course he could throw. We don’t know who it is yet. We’ll have to decide that in fall camp.”

The Bulldogs continue to search for a starting kicker. While Jared Zirkel and Liam Badger battled it out on G-Day, the addition of true freshman Peyton Woodring over the summer complicated the battle for Smart.

“We don’t get to go out and work with [the kickers] in the summer,” Smart said. “They kick and compete amongst themselves. We don’t get to go out there and say, ‘Who hit from where?’ That gonna be a big focus for fall camps. We’re gonna have more pressure kicks in practice.”

Smart spoke on the fact that, since former kicker Rodrigo Blakenship won the job, there hasn’t been a kicking competition like this one. However, despite the uncertainty about the position, Smart made one comment alluding to a potential starter.

“I will say this, I was very pleased with Zirkel in the spring,” Smart said. He had his best spring by far and it’ll be a good competition.”