Georgia football player Kelton Smith retires due to a medical disqualification.
Kelton Smith, an offensive lineman for the Georgia Bulldogs, has medically retired from football just a month before the 2024 season, as reported by Dawgs Daily and initially by On3.
Smith is stepping away from the sport due to medical disqualification after being expected to participate in what would have been his second season with Georgia football.
Although the specific nature of Smith’s health issues is unclear, reports suggest he has been facing “multiple issues.”
During the preseason, Smith was preparing to add depth to the offensive guard position but observed the Bulldogs’ G-Day Scrimmage from the sidelines.
A product of Carver-Columbus (Ga.), Smith committed to Georgia in the summer of 2022, choosing the Bulldogs over SEC rivals LSU, Florida, Texas A&M, and Florida State.
Ranked as the No. 13 interior offensive lineman and the No. 187 overall prospect nationally, according to a composite of four national recruiting services, Smith’s departure leaves Georgia without two of its five offensive linemen from the 2023 class. He joins three-star guard Joshua Miller, who transferred to Syracuse, in exiting the program.
Additionally, Smith is the second Georgia player to medically retire this offseason, following former Bulldogs tight end Pearce Spurlin, who retired due to a congenital heart condition.
