4-star OT Kelton Smith sets commitment date

In-state prospect Kelton Smith has locked in a commitment date and is expected to commit to the Dawgs. Who is Kelton Smith?

Four-star offensive tackle prospect Kelton Smith has locked in a commitment date ahead of the 2022 high school football season. Smith will announce his decision on July 22 at 5:00 p.m. EDT.

Kelton Smith is a member of the class of 2023. He plays high school football, basketball, and track for Carver High School in Columbus, Georgia. Smith plans to play in the 2023 All-American Bowl on NBC.

Kelton Smith has great size at 6-foot-6 and weighs 300 pounds. The Carver High School star has received scholarship offers from Texas A&M, Tennessee, Florida, Oregon, and Ohio State among others.

The four-star offensive tackle has taken recent visits to LSU, Georgia, Florida, and Ole Miss. Where will he commit? Smith is favored to commit to head coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs per 247Sports.

Kelton Smith could play inside at the college level. In Smith’s junior year highlights, he shows power when blocking in the run game and primarily played right tackle. Smith shows good versatility and played some snaps at left tackle last season.

The Carver standout announced his commitment time via his Twitter account:

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247Sports spot on in ranking Kirby Smart 4th best coach in CFB

247Sports ranked Georgia football’s Kirby Smart as the #4 coach in college football. Here’s why he was spot on.

On Thursday, Brad Crawford of 247Sports released his list of the top-25 coaches in college football.

Give credit to Crawford — he took on this story knowing that it would receive mixed reviews from across the country.

Here was his top-five:

1. Nick Saban, Alabama

2. Dabo Swinney, Clemson

3. Ed Orgeron, LSU

4. Kirby Smart, Georgia

5. Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma

I don’t think there’s any question about numbers one and two. Saban and Swinney have taken turns ruling college football for the last decade.

But after those two is when fans start to think their coach should occupy that #3, #4 or #5 spot.

I’m not here to bash Crawford’s ranking of Smart at #4. Instead, I 100% agree with it. How can you not?

I saw a story that stated Georgia fans should be offended by Smart’s ranking on this list. It mentioned recency bias as the main reason Orgeron was put at #3.

I’m not on board with that. Some can call it recency bias, but I call it a national championship win, meaning he’s accomplished something that Smart has not. Meanwhile, they were both playing in the same conference, and LSU kicked Georgia’s butt for the second straight season. At one point, you have to tip your cap to Coach O.

Smart’s time will come where he’ll eventually pass Coach O, but that won’t be until he wins a title. He’s doing everything else right. He’s getting his team to the big games, he’s recruiting better than any coach in America, he catapulted Georgia back into the national spotlight and he’s producing NFL talent.

All that’s left is a ring. That may be a very simplistic way of looking at it, but in the end that’s how success is measured. Have you not been watching the Jordan documentary?

Had Georgia beaten LSU last season in the SEC Championship Game, then we would be having a different discussion. But Georgia did not just lose, it got pounded by a final score of 37-10. The year before, Georgia got spanked in Baton Rouge 36-16. In Smart’s last two games vs Orgeron, his Bulldogs have gotten beat by a combined score of 73-26.

So no, Georgia fans have no right to be offended about the #4 ranking for Smart. If anything, we should be celebrating the fact that Georgia has the fourth best coach in America.

I loved Mark Richt as much as the next guy, but come on, he was never a top-five coach in America. Maybe not even top-10.

Kirby’s time will come.

A few other notable names on the list:

#8 – Florida head coach Dan Mullen

#9 – Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher

#13 – Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn

#15 – Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops

#21 – Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt

247Sports ranks top-25 CFB coaches: Where is Georgia’s Kirby Smart?

Georgia football coach Kirby Smart was ranked 4th in 247Sports’ list of the top-25 coaches in college football.

On Thursday, Brad Crawford of 247Sports released his list of the top-25 coaches in college football.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart checked in at No. 4.

Crawford’s top-five was as follows:

1. Nick Saban, Alabama

2. Dabo Swinney, Clemson

3. Ed Orgeron, LSU

4. Kirby Smart, Georgia

5. Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma

Smart was named the Bulldogs coach in 2015 after serving as Alabama defensive coordinator under Nick Saban for eight years.

Smart has led his alma mater to a 44-12 record over four years as the Bulldogs head coach and has boasted three consecutive No. 1 ranked recruiting classes.

There is no question that Smart has built a powerhouse at Georgia. He recruits at an elite level and has one of the best defensive minds in all of college football.

So, what separates Smart from Saban, Swinney and Orgeron?

A national championship.

Smart has led Georgia to three consecutive SEC East titles, an SEC Championship title, a College Football Playoff victory and a National Championship bid, but a couple of close losses to Bama have held the Bulldogs from the top of college football.

Jan 1, 2018; Pasadena, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart holds the Rose Bowl trophy — Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

However, Smart will have another shot at a title in 2020 and it may be with the most talented team he has had in his time at Georgia.

The Bulldogs return many of the starters from the 2019 record-breaking defense and have a new air-raid offensive system behind the arm of Wake Forest transfer quarterback Jamie Newman, and new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

A few other notable names on the list:

#8 – Florida head coach Dan Mullen

#9 – Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher

#13 – Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn

#15 – Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops

#21 – Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt

May recruiting update: Oklahoma in the running for nations top running backs

Here is where Oklahoma’s quarterback board stands in May for the 2021 recruiting class.

The running back room at Oklahoma is one of the most star-studded position groups not just in the Big 12, but in the history of college football. From Billy Vessels, Steve Owens, Joe Washington, and Billy Sims to Adrian Peterson, DeMarco Murray, Samaje Perine, and Joe Mixon, there are always big shoes to fill in the Sooners backfield.

Here is where Oklahoma’s quarterback board stands in May for the 2021 recruiting class.

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CAMAR WHEATON—5-STAR—No. 1 RUNNING BACK

When DeMarco Murray was hired as the running backs coach, he was hired to do one thing: Get Camar Wheaton in crimson and cream. The No. 7 overall 2021 prospect is ranked 52 spots above the next closest running back, per rivals. Wheaton is a ‘can’t miss talent’ however, the Sooners need to fight off Texas and Alabama for Wheaton to take his talents from Garland, Texas (Lakeview Centennial High School) to Norman, Oklahoma.

TREVEYON HENDERSON–4-STAR–NO. 3 RUNNING BACK

Despite being verbally committed to Ohio State, everything is still in play for Henderson. Like most of Oklahoma’s recruits, Henderson (Hopewell, Virginia; Hopewell High School) has not yet stepped onto campus for an official visit but it is likely he will once everything gets a little more back to normal.

LJ JOHNSON–4-STAR–NO. 4 RUNNING BACK

Grabbing offers from nearly every Power 5 program, Johnson has taken an official visit to Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. The Cypress, Texas (Cypress Fairbanks High School). Former Oklahoma and current Texas RB coach,  Jay Boulware could affect Johnson’s decision to don burnt orange over crimson.

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Oklahoma currently has four verbal commitments from 2021 players. Per Rivals, they are No. 50 in the nation in 2021 recruiting with three 3-stars and a solo 4-star committed, but the Sooners can and will shoot up the rankings quickly once a few big dominoes fall.

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UGA trending for two 4-star offensive linemen from Georgia

UGA football recruiting is putting in work and is now trending for two 4-star lineman out of the state of Georgia.

Georgia appears to be trending for two of the top offensive linemen in the class of 2021.

Both are from the state of Georgia and both are listed as offensive guards. Terrence Ferguson and Dylan Fairchild are projected to commit to Georgia, per their 247Sports profile pages.

Rusty Mansell, a leading recruiting analyst for 247Sports, recently submitted his crystal ball picks for Fairchild and Ferguson.

He projected both to Georgia, which is good news for the Bulldogs given Mansell’s reputation of being one of the most accurate at predicting where a recruit will go.

Terrence Ferguson:

Ferguson is a four-star guard out of Fort Valley, Georgia. He attends Peach County High School.

Ferguson ranks as the nation’s No. 51 overall prospect, No. 3 offensive guard and No. 5 player from Georgia.

The 6-foot-4-inch, 300-pound lineman made visits to Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. Sam Pittman and Arkansas offered him as well in December.

Dylan Fairchild:

Fairchild, out of Cumming, Georgia (West Forsyth HS), is a 6-foot-5-inch, 298-pounder who plays both guard and tackle.

Per the 247Sports composite rankings, Fairchild is the 211th ranked player in America, the 10th ranked guard and the 22nd player in Georgia.

The Bulldogs offered Fairchild in early March. He has received a great deal of recruiting interest recently, including from Florida State, Auburn and Texas A&M.

Georgia football makes big jump in 2021 national recruiting rankings

Georgia football made a big jump in the recruiting rankings following a commitment from 4-star DE Elijah Jeudy.

After a commitment by 4-star defensive end Elijah Juedy on Sunday, Georgia moved from No. 14 to No. 7 in the 2021 national recruiting rankings according to 247Sports.

That makes seven total commits in the 2021 Bulldog recruiting class:

5-star QB Brock Vandagriff

4-star OT Micah Morris

4-star ATH David Daniel

4-star RB Lovasea Carroll

4-star SDE Jonathan Jefferson

4-star WDE Elijah Jeudy

3-star DT Marlin Dean

Ohio State currently leads the 2021 recruiting class rankings followed by North Carolina, Clemson, Florida, USC and Notre Dame.

Will Georgia football land three of 2021’s top-ten recruits?

Georgia football is predicted to land three of the nation’s top-ten recruits in the 2021 recruiting cycle.

Right now, Georgia has the nation’s 17th ranked recruiting class for the 2021 cycle.

Headlining Georgia’s class is 5-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff out of Bogart, Georgia. Vandagriff ranks as the No. 12 overall player in the country.

Aside from Vandagriff, Kirby Smart has secured commitments from 4-star athlete David Daniel and 3-star defensive tackle Marlin Dean.

For the time being, recruiting is suspended nationwide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. That includes both on and off campus recruiting.

As far as recruiting goes, it’s not time to hit the panic button based on Georgia’s No. 17 ranking. Smart has secured the nation’s No. 1 class three years in a row and is on a quest to make it four. This year, though, it’ll just take a bit longer to climb up the rankings than in years past.

Related: Georgia’s top defensive targets for 2021 – can UGA land three 5-star DBs?

Related: Georgia’s top offensive recruiting targets for the class of 2021

When recruiting picks back up, Georgia will find itself in prime position for three of America’s top-ten recruits.

According to 247Sport’s Crystal Ball predictions, the Bulldogs are seen as the favorites to land the nation’s No. 6, 7 and 8 ranked recruits. Additionally, outside of the top-ten, Georgia is viewed as the leader for the No. 23 recruit.

Let’s start from the top.


No. 6 overall: James Williams

The No. 6 overall recruit, James Williams, is a safety out of Opa Locka, Florida. In February, Williams released a top-three of Georgia, Alabama, and Clemson.

The five-star junior is the state of Florida’s top prospect both at the safety position and overall as per 247Sports, which currently projects him as a 100% Bulldog lean according to seven recruiting analysts.

At six-foot-five and nearly 220 pounds, Williams’ size (particularly his length) is rare for a defensive back. Head coach Kirby Smart, a former safety, and defensive backs coach Charlton Warren would have big plans for a player with the speed and vision necessary to play both strong and free safety combined with the size and physicality to play STAR.

That speed and vision give the out-of-state standout the ability to quickly diagnose plays and react accordingly. Whether he joins the Dawgs, Tide, or Tigers, three programs which have dominated the past three years’ recruiting cycles, he is capable of making an immediate impact on a playoff-caliber team as a true freshman.

Georgia football QB Jamie Newman keeps moving up in Heisman odds

Georgia football QB Jamie Newman moves up in 2020 Heisman odds.

Georgia was in need of a quarterback and the graduate transfer from Wake Forest was a hot commodity when he made his decision to depart the Demon Deacons and take his talents to Athens. As if replacing three-year starter Jake Fromm isn’t difficult enough, Jamie Newman will be challenged to implement a new, more RPO- oriented attack and add some swagger to the UGA offense.

The Las Vegas oddsmakers, who are more right than wrong, believe he made the right decision in choosing the Bulldogs.

According to William Hill Superbook, Newman’s odds for securing the Heisman have moved to 10/1, now third behind Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields (7/2) and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (4/1).  In early February, Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook had Newman at 12/1 odds and just after his transfer announcement, Newman was listed at 16/1 odds.

Newman was one of the top graduate transfers on the market. Miami, Oregon, Maryland and Washington, among others were seeking the services of the North Carolina native.

According to Pro Football Focus, Newman is the nation’s third-highest graded returning quarterback, behind only Fields and Lawrence.  He started all 13 games last season and led Wake to an 8-5 record. He completed 220 of 361 passes (60.9 percent) for 2,868 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He rushed for 574 yards and six touchdowns on 180 carries.

Being the starting quarterback at the University of Georgia always comes with high expectations and takes an extremely talented, confident and bright athlete to handle the pressure. Jamie Newman checks off all the boxes. Dawg fans will have their first opportunity to check out Newman and the 2020 Bulldogs during G-Day, scheduled for 2:00pm on Saturday, April 18. The game will be game carried live on the SEC Network.

Aaron Murray to miss Week 2 of XFL

Georgia football legend Aaron Murray of the Tampa Bay Vipers in the XFL will not play in Week 2.

Tampa Bay Vipers quarterback Aaron Murray struggled in his XFL debut last weekend against the New York Generals.

The former Georgia Bulldog went 16/34 for 231 with two interceptions and two fumbles in a loss to New York.

The Vipers, now 0-1, announced on Friday that Murray will be sitting out this weekend’s contest, springing former Oklahoma State quarterback Taylor Cornelius into the starting role.

In the first half of last week’s game, Murray apparently suffered a foot injury that has since held him out of practices.

Murray returned back to his hometown of Tampa to play for the Vipers this season. After breaking numerous SEC and Georgia records, Murray attempted to play in the NFL, where he did not find much success. He then went on to work for CBS as a broadcaster in addition to playing a single season for the Atlanta Legends, a member of the Alliance of American Football in 2019.

Georgia football top recruiting targets for class of 2021

Here’s a look at the top Georgia football recruiting targets for 2021

Georgia football wrapped up a 2020 recruiting class that ranked No. 1 in America.

Right now for the class of 2021, the Bulldogs have two commitments for a class that currently ranks No. 24.

Those two commitments are pretty big, however. The headliner for this class is, and will continue to be, 5-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff (Bogart, Ga.), the No. 1 ranked quarterback and No. 8 player overall.

Accompanying Vandagriff as the only other commit in this class is 4-star defensive back David Daniel (Woodstock, Ga.). Daniel, who is recruited as a safety, is considered an athlete on 247Sports and ranks as the nation’s 45th player.

Until both Vandagriff and Daniel officially sign with Georgia roughly a year from now, Kirby Smart and staff will continue to recruit both of them heavily. But there’s still 20+ others guys that Smart will need to land a commitment from for the 2021 class, and we are taking a look at a few players that should be Georgia’s biggest targets.

Here are Georgia’s top targets for 2021:

OFFENSE

5-star OT Amarius Mims

Amarius Mims is 2021’s Broderick Jones, who was Georgia’s 5-star offensive tackle in the 2020 class.

At nearly six-foot-eight and 320 pounds, the junior out of Cochran, GA is already considered to be a Georgia lean. As per 247Sports, 100 percent of recruiting experts predict he will enroll at the University of Georgia.

Mims recently released a top-12 that included Georgia and a plethora of other SEC powerhouses.

He is the ranked as the No. 13 player in the country.

5-star RB Will Shipley

5-star running back Will Shipley is a priority recruit for just about every major program in the country.

Ranking as the nation’s No. 21 overall player and No. 1 all-purpose back, Shipley could join Tim Worley, Todd Gurley, Keith Marshall and Zamir White as the next great Georgia running back out of North Carolina.

Shipley comes from Weddington High School in a town about 5 minutes south of Charlotte where he has a 4.375 grade-point average.

He clocked a 4.46 40 time, rushed for 2,066 rushing yards last season and averaged 11 yards per carry.

Georgia coaches have been in contact with Shipley, with Kirby Smart and Dell McGee both visiting separately.

4-star OT Micah Morris

Another offensive lineman, Micah Morris is a 4-star out of Kingsland, Georgia.

He ranks as the nation’s No. 44 overall player and No. 7 ranked tackle. It looks like right now it’s mainly between Georgia and South Carolina.

Morris, 6-4, 316 pounds, visited Georgia on February 1st.

4-star WR Jaquez Smith

Right now, Georgia is the favorite to land 4-star wide receiver Jaquez Smith out of Westlake High School in Atlanta.

Smith, who ranks as the No. 136 overall player in the 2021 class, is being recruited by a lot of the usual suspects. He visited Georgia for last season’s Notre Dame game

Smith could compliment freshman George Pickens and Dominick Blaylock in future seasons.

4-star RB Evan Pryor

I think Georgia could bring in two running backs for the 2021 class and Evan Pryor would be a player to keep an eye on regardless of what happens with Shipley.

Pryor ranks as the nation’s No. 86 overall player and 6th ranked running back. He, like Shipley, also hails from North Carolina, in a town called Cornelius. Much like Shipley’s hometown of Weddington, Cornelius is a city that is on the outskirts of Charlotte, so it’s an ok bet to assume the two high profile backs have crossed paths multiple times.

The last time Georgia brought in two running backs from North Carolina we saw Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall takeover the SEC and put up wild numbers. Pryor recently visited Georgia, and the Dawgs will do their best to land the speedy ball carrier.

NEXT: DEFENSE