Kickoff Countdown: Who wore it best? No. 66

UGASports is counting down the days until the Bulldogs’ 2024 season opener. For each day in our countdown, we will reveal our opinion of the best player in Georgia history to wear that jersey number.

UGASports selects Royce Smith as the best Georgia player to wear jersey No. 66.

Position: Offensive Guard

Hometown (High School): Savannah, GA (Groves)

Height/Weight: 6-3, 250

Lettered: 1969-1971

Career: Royce Smith entered the University of Georgia weighing approximately 190 pounds. It's an understatement to say he left UGA a lot different. Smith got up to 250 pounds while maintaining a 4.8 speed in the 40-yard dash. At the time, he also set a program record by bench pressing 430 pounds. On the field, he was something else. Smith was a starter for three straight seasons for Vince Dooley and the Bulldogs in the late 60s and early 70s. In 1971, he was named the team’s captain and helped lead the Bulldogs to a 11-1 record. Smith was also named All-American that season and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the SEC’s best blocker. He was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. Sadly, Smith passed away in 2004 as the age of 54. In 2007, the University of Georgia inducted him into the Circle of Honor.

Post Career: Smith was selected eighth overall in the 1972 NFL Draft (five picks ahead of future Pro Football Hall of Famer Franco Harris) by the New Orleans Saints. He played 62 career games in the NFL for the Saints and the Atlanta Falcons.

Honorable Mention: George Collins, Jeff Harper, Dennis Roland