Do you want to know who UGA is really after right now? Yet maybe you need a little help keeping up with when they all plan to commit?
Here’s a breakdown of UGA’s top remaining targets for the Class of 2016 and the latest reported information pertaining to when they might commit. These targets are presented in order of when they plan to commit.
The 247sports Composite Index ranking are used for each recruit. Consider this a Fast Forward for DawgNation rather than the Daily Recruiting Rewind.
WR: 3-star Tyler Simmons (McEachern High School)
Tyler Simmons by Chris Kirschner/AJC/Dawgnation)
Date: sometime in October
National ranking: No. 86 WR
Teams in the running: UGA, Alabama, Texas A&M
UGA’s shot: Simmons told the AJC that UGA was his leader. He then backed off of that the following day in another report. With his announcement coming soon, UGA has to be the favorite to land the McEachern receiver.
OL: 3-star Tremayne Anchrum (McEachern High School)
Date: Oct. 12, 2015
National ranking: No. 19 OG
Teams in the running: UGA, Nebraska, Wake Forest, Colorado, Clemson
UGA’s shot: Anchrum told the AJC that UGA leads right now. He grew up a Bulldogs fan, and it would be a total surprise if he ended up anywhere other than UGA when Oct. 12 rolls around.
UGA’s shot: Its fairly logical to assume that Carter might be seen as Gary, Brown, Davidson and Jackson insurance in the event that none of those gentlemen wind up signing with UGA. He’s a talented player in his own right, but also one of the other top prospects on the UGA Big Boardfor 2016 that prefer to keep their name out of headlines on web pages. Rivals.comreported that he made another trip to UGA on Aug. 9 to check out the first day of fall drills in full pads.
Date: possibly at the Under Armour All-America game
National ranking: No. 1 DT, No. 1 overall player
Teams in the running: UGA, Michigan, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, USC
UGA’s shot: His mother told the AJC that she is concerned that UGA operates in a 3-4 defense, and she isn’t sure how her son could shine in that. Despite those comments, she does love Athens and Gary does, too. UGA has a chance to land the nation’s best prospect, but it depends on if he takes an official visit to the school. Auburn and Michigan seem like the two favorites to land his signature.
TE: 5-star Isaac Nauta (IMG Academy)
Isaac Nauta is the nation’s top-ranked tight end. (Randy Schafer/Special)
Date: Jan. 9 at the Army All-American Bowl National ranking: No. 1 TE Teams in the running: UGA, TCU, Southern California, Michigan UGA’s shot: After he de-committed from FSU, the natural progression was his No. 2 school would be in a prime position to land him. Nothing has happened to change his mind about that. What is interesting is that it appears he’s moved on from the Seminoles. Immediate or extended family ties can be traced to his interest in UGA, TCU and Michigan. He’ll likely go to the school out of those three spots that uses its tight ends most creatively and effectively this fall.
OL: 4-star E.J. Price (Archer High School)
Date: Jan. 9 at the Army All-American game
National ranking: No. 8 OT
Teams in the running: UGA, Auburn, LSU, Michigan, Michigan, Oklahoma and Tennessee
UGA’s shot: Price de-committed from UGA in late June because he felt he needed more time. Herecently released his Top 8 and that included every one of the schools which are listed in the running up above. UGA is still perceived as his leader by recruiting experts and it would be a safe projection that if he cut that list in half to a Final 4 that UGA would still be in that lot, too.
ATH: 5-star Mecole Hardman, Jr. (Elbert Co. High School)
Hardman, Jr. is the nation’s No. 1 athlete. (Joshua L. Jones/ Special)
Date: will silently commit by late October and then announce on Feb. 3, 2016 (National Signing Day) National ranking: No. 1 ATH Teams in the running: UGA, Tennessee, Alabama, Miami, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Florida, Michigan, Stanford and Auburn. UGA’s shot: Mecole is very tight-lipped when it comes to recruitment. He won’t say who his leaders are and won’t give any information when it comes to his Signing Day decision. But, UGA and Tennessee were his co-leaders for some time and the Bulldogs seem to be trending with the 5-star.
Date: Feb. 3, 2016 (National Signing Day)
National ranking: No. 2 ATH
Teams in the running: UGA, Alabama, Stanford
UGA’s shot: Stanford has led for Robertson after he backpedaled away from a year-long commitment to Alabama. UGA gave off a good vibe at Dawg Night and that allowed the program to slide into a co-No. 2 spot with the Crimson Tide. He also told the AJC that neither UGA or Alabama would get an official visitbecause he already knows what both have to offer. If other big names like Davis and Hardman, Jr. say yes that might mean UGA has enough receivers for this class and no longer sees the need to put all out the stops while recruiting him.
DL: 5-star Derrick Brown (Lanier High School)
Lanier DT Derrick Brown is the state’s No. 1 prospect for 2016. (Chris Kirschner / AJC)/Dawgnation)
Date: National Signing Day
National ranking: No. 3 DT
Teams in the running: UGA, Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn
UGA’s shot: Brown named UGA his favorite before backing off of that after receiving some heat. But the Bulldogs should still be considered the favorite to land the state’s best prospect. One-hundred percent of recruiting analysts on 247Sports’ Crystal Ball seem to agree.
OLB: 5-star Ben Davis (Gordo, Ala.)
Date: Feb. 2, 2016 (National Signing Day)
National ranking: No. 3 OLB
Teams in the running: UGA, Alabama, Auburn
UGA’s shot: His dad, Wayne Davis, is Alabama’s all-time leading tackler. If UGA somehow swayed him away from Alabama, it would be one of the biggest upsets in recruiting history. He did tell the AJC earlier this summer that UGA was going to get an official visit.
OL: 4-star Terrance Davis (Hyattsville, Md.)
Date: February 3, 2016 (National Signing Day) National ranking: No. 2 OG Teams in the running: UGA, Alabama, Michigan, Maryland and UCLA. UGA’s shot: Davis made his second trip to UGA back on July 18 for Dawg Night and left Athens liking what he saw. He told the AJC the following day that UGA would get one of his official visits this fall. He shared a Top 5 (Read current. Not Final 5) with Rivals.com in early August and UGA was right in the thick of that list, too.
WR: 4-star Tre Nixon (Melbourne, Fla.)
Date: TBD (looks like a decision won’t be made before the start of his senior season)
National ranking: No. 43 WR
Teams in the running: UGA, Penn State, Auburn, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Tennessee
UGA’s shot: He’ll likely take a few visits, but it appears that the race should come down to Penn State and UGA. Penn State was regarded as his leader earlier this summer, but UGA gained some ground when he made a visit earlier this month.
OL: 4-star Willie Allen (New Orleans, La.)
Louisiana OT Willie Allen would be a huge get for OL coach Rob Sale. (Mike Eden/ Special)/Dawgnation)
Date: TBD
National ranking: No. 6 OT
Teams in the running: UGA, Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU
UGA’s shot: There are a few recruits on this year’s Big Board for UGA that prefer to remain out of the spotlight. Allen would be one of those. He plays for one of the nation’s top programs and all-time great prep coaches for John Curtis and at John Curtis in the New Orleans area. He toldScout.com in August that he was definitely considering UGA and the program would get an official visit, along with Auburn.
OL: 4-star Landon Dickerson (Hickory, N.C.)
Date: TBD
National ranking: No. 10 OT
Teams in the running: UGA, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Auburn, Florida State
UGA’s shot: Dickerson and UGA were both late entries to one another’s recruiting radars over the summer, but the two have made up considerable ground over the summer. Dickerson made two trips to UGA in less than a month’s time and left Athens impressed. UGA might not even be among his private Top 3 at this time, but the program has made up significant ground. Virginia Tech, Florida State and Auburn are seen as the teams to beat for his signature.
DL: 4-star Antwuan Jackson (Cedar Grove High School)
Date: TBD
National ranking: No. 8 DT
Teams in the running: UGA, Auburn, Ohio State
UGA’s shot: UGA’s chances with Jackson appear to be dwindling. The word on the street for the longest time is that Auburn and UGA would go 15 rounds for his signature, but now Ohio State has jumped into the fray. Jackson even released his leaders earlier this summer and had Auburn and Ohio State as his co-leaders and UGA at third.
DB: 4-star Nigel Warrior (Peachtree Ridge High School)
Date: TBD
National ranking: No. 4 S
Teams in the running: UGA, Alabama, Tennessee, Miami, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon
UGA’s shot: Warrior has said all the right things regarding UGA to this point and he did return to campus this summer after not visiting for approximately one year. He told the AJC he just had to slow down his recruiting at one point, but now he’s in the process of setting up his official visits. He won’t take an official to UGA, Bama or UT and explained that there’s nothing for those schools to worry about.
DB: 4-star Shyheim Carter (Kentwood, Lou.)
Date: TBD
National ranking: No. 5 CB
Teams in the running: UGA, Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, Ole Miss, UCLA and USC
UGA’s shot: Carter just came onto the scene over the last month. He visited UGA for “Dawg Night” as an Alabama commitment, but then de-committed from that program on Aug. 10. He returned to UGA for another trip the following week, but wasn’t ready to make a new commitment at the time. Its not outlandish to think that UGA likely leads for Carter at this time, but he’s still got a lot of school evaluation still left to do. He’s publicly expressed his appreciation for defensive backs coach Jeremy Pruitt and the way his trains cornerbacks.
