Cole Speer has never met Kris Durham, but he certainly knows who he is.

Durham starred at Calhoun High before signing with Georgia, before moving on to the NFL, where he played four years with a trio of teams.

With one more season to go, Speer is already following in Durham’s footsteps. After announcing his commitment to the Bulldogs Thursday, he's ready to take the next step.

“I don’t know him personally, but I’ve watched him play a little bit,” the three-star performer said during a telephone interview with UGASports. “I actually made the decision (Wednesday) night, and they (Georgia coaches) were excited. I was excited. I didn’t want to get off the phone with them.”

While the offer from the Bulldogs was certainly nice, it was the faith placed in him by Bulldog offensive coordinator Todd Monken that convinced him to make the call.

“I remember getting that first text from Coach Monken, he said ‘Hey, I love your film. We want to get you up here,’” Speer said. “A few days later I went, worked out, and it went from there.”

It was during that private workout with the Bulldog coaching staff that he clocked at 4.39 and 4.49 in two attempts at the 40-yard dash. Earlier, Speer clocked a 4.38 during a workout at Appalachian State.

Per Speer, while in Athens, he also recorded a 38-inch vertical leap and hit a top speed of 22 mph during drills and one-on-ones.

A second trip to Athens earlier in the month convinced him even more.

“The last time I was there, it was more about hanging out. I got to meet all the players, interact with everybody,” Speer said. “But when he (Monken) asked me to come meet him in his office and talk to me, I was ecstatic—whether he offered me or not. When he did, it just made my day. And to this day, I’m excited as I can be about it.”

He also had a message for Georgia fans: nobody is going to work any harder.

“Anytime I’m on the field, I’m determined to give it 100 percent, and that’s what I’m going to do every single day,” Speer said. “I’m just going to try and become a better player. And with the coaches at Georgia, I believe I can do that.”

At 6-foot and 185 pounds, Speer believes he can be the total package at wide receiver after catching 59 passes for 1,159 yards and 11 touchdowns last year as a junior.

“They’ve been needing some explosive receivers,” Speer said. “But they also need some power, and I think I can bring some of that, too.”