(Updated) Can the Georgia Bulldogs Finish with the Top Rated Recruiting Class Again?
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
Supremacy in the SEC still favors the Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Nick Saban with six national championships from 2009-20, but a legitimate challenger is rising out of the East. One way to win college football games is to out-talent the opposition, and few teams have recruited better or more consistently than the Georgia Bulldogs over the last four years. Georgia ended the 2020 recruiting haul atop the nation, but can they do it again in the 2021 class?
Kirby Smart took over in Athens in 2016 needing just one season to rework the roster in his image posting a 36-7 record (21-3 SEC) from 2017-19. The SEC only campaign in 2020 did not end as planned with an 8-2, 7-2, record, but the Bulldogs did put an end to Cincinnati fans claiming a faux national championship with a 24-21 win in the Peach Bowl.
Coinciding with all the victories on the field in Athens, wins along the recruiting trail. The Bulldogs turned in the nation’s best recruiting class in 2018 securing a mind-blowing seven five-stars coupled with 15 four-stars. Proving the effort was no fluke, UGA ended the 2019 cycle with the second-rated class, five five-stars and 15 four-stars, behind Alabama’s pull of 23 four-star players.
Thanks to 247/Sports’ star ranking system, the Bulldogs were once again kings of recruiting in 2020 after securing 25 players, four five-stars, 15 four-stars, and six three-star prospects inching out the Crimson Tide.
With limited availability of five- and four-star players, can Georgia leapfrog Ohio State and then Alabama to reclaim the top recruiting class in the nation?
Heading into National Signing Day, UGA has 20 commitments, a great grouping of four five-stars, 11 four-stars, and five three-star players. On the national landscape, there are 15 uncommitted seniors rated as a four-star or better. There are also 14 highly coveted recruits that are committed to a program but have yet to sign their National Letter of Intent; this brings the possibility of a change of heart in Georgia’s favor on Wednesday.
No matter how NSD pans out, the Bulldog fanbase has a lot to be excited about going forward. Coach Smart landed one of the nation’s best offensive tackles in Amarius Mims with a five-star in the pocket already in Brock Vandagriff. The bookend to Mims’ talents is highly prized four-star Micah Morris, an in-state product like Mims and Vandagriff.
Defensive coordinator Dan Lanning outworked the competition in the box getting a pair of five-star linebackers in IMG Academy’s Xavian Sorey and Pauling County’s Smael Mondon (GA). With five-star credentials, Carrollton’s Chaz Chambliss has future All-SEC written all over him.
The secondary added size and speed in corner Nyland Green. At 6-2, 183, Green is reminiscent of 2020 SEC Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) coming out of high school. Joining Green at corner is another top in-state talent, three-star Javon Bullard, and four-star Kamari Lassiter from American Christian in Alabama. Listed as an athlete but projects as a safety, watch out for another Georgia product, David Daniel.
Allowing those in the secondary to succeed, the defensive trenches have reloaded with end Jonathan Jefferson and tackles Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, and Marlin Dean. An enforcer at linebacker filling the gaps is Jamon Dumas-Johnson.
National Signing Day comes to an exciting conclusion on Wednesday, Feb.3.
Updated: Georgia ended the 2021 recruiting cycle ranked fourth nationally seeing LSU slip into the No. 3 spot after adding four-star receiver Brian Thomas Jr. from Walker High School (LA). UGA rallied 20 commits; four five-stars, 11 four-stars, and five three-star prospects. Of the 20, an amazing 16 are already on campus including all four five-stars; OT Amarius Mims, QB Brock Vandagriff, LB Xavian Sorey, and LB Smael Mondon.
The Bulldogs are getting a hot start on the 2022 class. UGA is ranked second nationally behind Ohio State with eight commits; two five-stars and five four-star players.
Photo credit: Dawn of the Dawg; Kirby Smart carried off the field