Tag: SEC Recruiting

Georgia football HC Kirby Smart on how COVID-19 has hindered recruiting

NBC’s Mike Tirico spoke with Georgia football HC Kirby Smart on the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on recruiting.

Mike Tirico of NBC Sports spoke with Kirby Smart on Thursday afternoon about how recruiting tactics have changed and what he and the Bulldogs staff are doing to stay on top of things during the COVID-19 shutdown.

“Our ability to gather information on a kid comes from, number one, going to his high school and talking to the people who have been around him,” Smart said. “We rely heavily on that information.”

“The next thing, at a place like Georgia, you rely on camp information. When a kid comes to camp – how does he work? Does he work? Does he want to workout? Is he competitive? What are his skill sets?” – Smart continued. “When you take away the opportunity to have camps this summer and be able to recruit face-to-face, you put a lot of doubt in a lot of peoples heads.”

The NCAA extended its dead-period last week from April 15 to May 31 in the midst of shelter-in-pace orders across the country.

The dead-period keeps coaches from face-to-face meetings with recruits which includes off-season recruiting camps that programs like Georgia have come to rely on.

Although coaches may not meet recruits in person, they are still allowed to keep in touch through calls, texts and video chats.

“Kind of like the NFL does, we have to go back to old school and call people, get on virtually and find out if a kid is committed to the time he said,” Smart added. “A lot of these GMs now, they’re calling kids and they’re saying, ‘alright, is he going to be on time for the Facetime, is he driving a car? What is he doing?’ Well, we’re doing the same thing with a high school kid. If he is committed to the process and jumping on Zoom at the right time, he’s probably gonna be the right kinda kid to be on your team”

 

Georgia football offers 2022 Alpharetta offensive tackle

Wednesday, Alpharetta, Georgia offensive tackle Dayne Shor announced a scholarship offer from UGA football in the 2022 recruiting class.

Wednesday, Dayne Shor, a 6-foot-6 295 pound offensive tackle from Alpharetta, Georgia tweeted that he received and offer from Georgia in the 2022 recruiting class.

Although Shor is not ranked nationally, the Denmark High School prospect holds offers from Flordia, Auburn and Florida St. among seven others.

Currently, Georgia has zero commitments in the class of 2022. In the past few weeks, though, the Bulldogs’ 2021 class has come together nicely with the recent additions of 4-star running back Lovasea Carroll and 4-star defensive end Elijah Jeudy. Currently, Georgia’s 2021 recruiting class ranks ninth in the nation. Just last week it was sitting at No. 7.

 

Georgia football offers 2022 4-star WR Armani Winfield

Lewisville, Texas receiver Armani Winfield tweeted that Georgia football offered him a scholarship for the class of 2022

Wednesday, Armani Winfield, a 4-star receiver at Lewisville High School in Lewisville, Texas, tweeted that he received a scholarship offer from Georgia.

According to 247Sports, Winfield is the No. 13 receiver and the No. 90 prospect in the 2022 recruiting class.

As a sophomore, the 6-foot-2 180 pound recruit caught 58 passes for 758 yards and 8 touchdowns and was named District 6-6A Co-Offensive Newcomer of the Year as a freshman.

Winfield holds offers from Oklahoma, Auburn and Florida, among 29 others, and is predicted by 247Sports to sign with Oklahoma.

Georgia football offers 2022 4-star safety Zion Branch

Top-100 safety Zion Branch from Bishop Gorman recentley tweeted that UGA football offered him a scholarship in the 2022 recruiting class.

Georgia offers scholarship to 4-star safety…

Kirby Smart and the Georgia coaching staff have been on a roll lately, sending out numerous scholarship offers to a number of a talented prospects.

Related: Georgia offers scholarship to 2022 4-star CB

Related: Georgia recruiting: Bulldogs offers 2022 4-star safety

Related: Georgia offers top-100 player in class of 2022

Related: Georgia offers No. 2 ranked recruit in Pennsylvania

On Monday, Zion Branch, a 4-star safety from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, took to Twitter to announce a scholarship offer from Georgia as well.

247Sports has Branch listed as the No. 3 safety and No. 74 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting class.

Although Branch is listed as a safety, at 6-foot-3 190 pounds, I could see Kirby targeting Branch for the star position in the 3-4 Georgia defense, using him as more of a hybrid player.

Branch holds offers from Texas A&M, Auburn and USC among 17 others.

Right now, per 247, Southern Cal is viewed as the favorite to land Branch.

On Branch, 247Sports wrote:

“Well rounded defender that can cover, make plays on ball and impact the run game closer to the line of scrimmage. Versatility to fit at various spots, with chance to help out in the box. Natural feel in space and roams the secondary with confidence.”

 

Georgia football offers scholarship to 2022 4-star CB

Monday, the Bulldogs offered a scholarship to 2022 top-100, 4-star CB Jaylon Guilbeau from Port Arthur, Texas.

Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs staff are staying busy on the recruiting trail by offering another scholarship in the class of 2022.

On Monday, 4-star cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau from Port Arthur, Texas announced that he had received an offer from Georgia on Twitter.

Related: Georgia offers 2022 4-star safety Bryce Anderson 

The Memorial High School prospect holds offers from Alabama and LSU among 10 others.

247Sports has Guilbeau ranked as the No. 57 prospect in the 2022 class and the No. 9 cornerback.

247Sports wrote:

“Two-sport athlete who runs track (400 meters). Consistently stays low in backpedal. Willing to mix it up at the line of scrimmage. Disruptive at the catch point, thanks in part to length. Shows encouraging competitiveness when the ball is in the air.”

Guilbeau joins Bryce Anderson and Austin Jordan as the most recent Bulldog offers in the class of 2022.

Kirby and staff must have found an area they like, as all three prospects are speedy defensive backs from Texas.

Georgia football recruiting: Bulldogs offers 2022 4-star safety

Monday, Georgia football offered a scholarship to speedy 2022 4-star safety Bryce Anderson from Beaumont, Texas.

On Monday, 2022 4-star safety Bryce Anderson took to Twitter to announce a scholarship offer from Georgia.

247Sports has the Beaumont, Texas prospect ranked as the No. 4 safety and the 14th best recruit in Texas in the 2022 recruiting class.

On a national scale, he is considered the 92nd ranked player in America.

At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Anderson now holds offers from Georgia, LSU, Florida and Alabama among 21 others.

On Anderson, 247Sports wrote:

“Speed manifests on the field. Has played both ways as dual-threat QB and DB, but long-term fit is in the secondary. Could provide versatility thanks to athleticism, instincts, and awareness. Capable in man coverage, but also terrific covering territory as a deep safety.”

In addition to football, Anderson also runs track at West Brook High School where he ran a 10.92 100 and 22.03 200 as a freshman.

Related: Georgia offers 2022 4-star CB Jaylon Guilbeau

Right now, LSU looks like the team to beat for Anderson. All seven of 247’s crystal ball predictions are in favor of the Tigers.

Anderson joins a string of recruits that have recently received offers from the Bulldogs. It seems that Kirby Smart and the Georgia staff are targeting speed in 2022.

 

Georgia football offers top-100 player in class of 2022

Monday, 2022 top-100 player and 4-star corner back Austin Jordan tweeted about receiving a scholarship offer from Georgia football.

On Monday, Austin Jordan, a 2022 4-star corner back from Denton, Texas, took to Twitter to announce a scholarship offer from Georgia.

247Sports has Jordan ranked as the No. 13 corner and No. 83 prospect overall in the 2022 recruiting class.

He holds offers from Ohio State, Texas and Oklahoma among 14 others.

247Sports wrote:

“Good size for a corner prospect with great frame potential. Terrific athlete with great top-end speed verified in a track setting (10.98 100 as a freshman). Flashes impressive turn-and-run ability vs. vertical game. Aware in zone coverage with physical tools to excel in man. Can improve ball skills. Plays a bit high at times. Tackling consistency can improve. Among the top DB’s in Texas for 2022. Projects to high-major level with long-term NFL Draft potential.”

Jordan is a two-sport star at Ryan High School where he plays football and runs track. As a freshman, he ran a 10.98 100 meter and 22.08 200 meter which easily makes him one of the fastest players in the 2022 class.

Although it is still very early in the 2022 recruiting cycle, Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs know that you can’t teach speed, so look for Austin Jordan to be a major target in the year to come.

Georgia football recruiting: Looking at UGA’s 2021 class

Reviewing Georgia football’s 2021 recruiting class led by five-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff and four-star running back Lovasea Carroll.

Georgia has been busy on the recruiting trail during quarantine, as head coach Kirby Smart and his staff have secured two commits in the last 24 hours.

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That brings the total of commits in the Bulldog’s 2021 class to six.

(All player and class ratings via 247Sports.)

5-star QB Bock Vandagriff

The group is headlined by five-star quarterback Brock Vandagriff of Prince Avenue Christian School. 247Sports Composite has the Bogart, Georgia native ranked as the No. 12 prospect nationally and the No. 2 ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2021 class.

4-star OT Micah Morris

Next on the board is recently committed four-star offensive tackle Micah Morris of Camden County. Matt Luke added the 6-foot-4 316 pound blocker as his first o-line commit of the 2021 class. Morris is ranked as the No. 11 offensive tackle.

4-star ATH David Daniel

The next addition for the Bulldogs is David Daniel from Woodstock, Georgia. Daniel is ranked as the No. 4 athlete in the 2021 class and although he is listed as an athlete, Daniel looks to be best slotted at linebacker or safety for the Bulldogs.

4-star RB Lovasea Carroll

The most recent addition to the Georgia backfield is four-star running back Lovasea Carroll out of IMG Academy. He ranks as the No. 8 back in the 2021 class. The 6-foot-1 210 pound bruiser has all the measurables to be work horse for UGA.

4-star SDE Jonathan Jefferson

Jonathan Jefferson from Douglas County is the first defensive commit for the Bulldogs in 2021. The 6-foot-4 255 pound strong side defensive end is ranked as the No.11 end in the country and No. 12 player in the state of Georgia.

3-star DT Marlin Dean

The 6-foot-6 265 pound Elberton, Georgia native joins an always loaded UGA defensive front. Dean is ranked as the No. 25 defensive tackle in the 2021 class.

A key aspect to note is that all commits are from Georgia. Even Carroll, who plays for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, hails from Warrenton, Georgia.

As 5-star quarterback commit Vandagriff recently said on twitter,

“The best in GA stay in GA.”

Be on the lookout for more commits as the Bulldog’s No. 8 rated class  begins to take shape while coaches reach out to recruits during the  downtime.

And of course this classic from Georgia great Thomas Davis. 

Georgia cracks top eight for 4-star DT

The Georgia Bulldogs, Auburn Tigers and three other SEC schools have made the top eight schools for 2021 defensive tackle Katron Evans.

The Georgia Bulldogs have made the top eight schools for 2021 defensive tackle Katron Evans. Evans has an impressive frame at 6-4, 320 lbs. He plays high school football at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland.

Evan is a four-star recruit and a top ten defensive tackle in his class. He released his top schools via Twitter:

Katron Evans places Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, USC, TCU, and Arizona State in his top eight. Evans was most recently received an offer from the Auburn Tigers. He has a long time to make his decision and can’t currently visit any schools due to the recruiting dead period.

Interestingly, Evans did not put many schools close to his hometown in his top eight. We’ll keep you updated throughout his recruitment.

Kirby Smart and UGA have four commitments in the class of 2021. The Dawgs already have one defensive tackle commit in Marlin Dean, an in-state three star.

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PFF says Georgia football ‘easily’ has SEC’s best QB-WR duo

According to metrics by Pro Football Focus, Georgia football has the SEC’s highest rated QB-WR duo for the upcoming 2020-2021 season.

Pro Football Focus released its top 10 players returning to the SEC in 2020 this Monday.

On the list were two Georgia players including sophomore wide receiver George Pickens at the number seven spot as well as incoming transfer QB Jamie Newman at the number three spot.

PFF evaluates all players at the professional and college level, which means their Newman rating is no joke. The Wake Forest transfer is being hyped up to hopefully have a Heisman caliber season with the Bulldogs and potentially a run at a national title.

PFF analyst Anthony Treash wrote in the article:

“With Jamie Newman now throwing Pickens the ball, the Bulldogs have easily the best quarterback-receiver duo in the SEC and one of the best in the country.”

Newman trailed only Joe Burrow on his passing grade of throws that were 20 yards or more last season, while Pickens had the third most catchable targets without a drop last season as a true freshman.  That right there is a scary sentence.

If the predictions are correct, Georgia is set to have one of the best offenses they’ve had in a while in 2020.  The QB-WR duo with Newman and Pickens along with a plethora of other offensive weapons can give Dawgs fans lots of confidence looking ahead.