EXCLUSIVE: Former NFL HC Mike Smith warns Georgia Bulldogs about the impact of incoming NIL money

As the winningest coach in the Atlanta Falcons' history, Mike Smith is intimately familiar with football in Georgia, whether it be the Bulldogs or the NFL. After Georgia's dominant 65-7 victory against the TCU Horned Frogs in the CFP Championship game yesterday, Smith could not stop gushing about it.

Speaking exclusively on Sportskeeda's "The BallFather Podcast," Smith was effusive in his praise for Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart and believes the team's program is the benchmark in college football. He said:

"What a dominating performance by the University of Georgia. In every aspect of the game. Kirby Smart's got the University of Georgia head and shoulders above every other team in the college football circuit."

However, Mike Smith thinks that Georgia's biggest challenge will be keeping the players they have to repeat their championship-winning feat and become three-time back-to-back champions next season. With NIL coming into force, players will be able to encash their names, images and likeness. Smith feels that even though the Bulldogs may have created a superior program, the team's strength might not allow one player to stand out.

He believes other universities will try to lure players with the promise of more NIL money if they hop out of Georgia. Mike Smith said it would be Kirby Smart's next big challenge:

"He's just going to have to figure out how to keep the players that he's got. Because there's going to be a bunch of NIL money trying to be going towards Georgia from other universities across the nation. Over the next few years, they're going to use Georgia as the test pattern for how they're going to steal players because it's going on. And there's a lot of coaches that are complaining about, and it's going to be a mess, and I know we haven't gotten into the NIL like we really need to, and I know it's something we're going to talk about the off season, as well."

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Mike Smith praises Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett

One player who will not remain in college football in the upcoming season will be Bulldogs QB Stetson Bennett. After winning back-to-back college championships and having established himself as one of the best college quarterbacks of all time, 25-year-old Bennett will now have to move on. Mike Smith toasted him, saying:

"But what a story! With the quarterback there, Georgia: Cinderella story. Yeah, walk on to the two-time national championship quarterback, it's an unbelievable story."

If Smith were still the Falcons' head coach, there might have been a chance for Stetson Bennett to stay in the state and further establish his legend in Georgia.