Want a daily lap through Georgia football recruiting? That’s what the Intel will bring at least three days a week until August. We’ll cover the news and which way this 4-star or 5-star might lean plus add some perspective to help fans figure out what it all means.

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Inside Linebacker. Offensive tackle. Outside linebacker.

Those are the three positions Georgia has accepted public commitments from for 2018.

Who’s next? DawgNation hit that topic hard yesterday with a robust Z-to-A listing of the prospects that seem to be the biggest targets of mutual interest at this time.

Size and length. Georgia already has those areas covered in 4-star OLB commitment Adam Anderson (Jeff Sentell / Dawgnation.com)/Dawgnation)

In continuation of our theme to hit the 2018 class hard, we’ll take a look at something else that helps to frame up what this year’s recruiting cycle will look like for the Bulldogs.

Today’s topic: What positions already seem to be the recruiting priorities? 

247Sports rolled out an impressive feature on their prospect pages last year that makes it easy for fans to check the numbers, study offers and see which positions have the biggest recruiting needs.

Click on any recruit’s page. Go to his offer listing and there’s a heads-up display that shows how many commitments and players each school has at that prospect’s position.

The example for Jamaree Salyera player I deem as vital to Georgia’s class as any other — shows there are not only zero commitments, but also six guards on the Georgia roster. (Note: That number will jump to eight this summer when the 2017s report.)

That’s the first piece of the puzzle to figure out where the needs are. Just a simple look at the roster. But then the reported offers take that information a step further. 247Sports offers another database

247Sports offers another database to check out the reported offers Georgia has extended in the Class of 2018.

We trot out the phrase “Follow the visits” a lot in the space to show genuine interest from recruits no matter what they say during interviews. Visits — especially the unofficial ones — also equate to time and money on the player side.

5-star prospect Jamaree Salyer has been rated as the nation’s No. 1 OG for 2018. (Jeff Sentell / AJC)/Dawgnation)

Leaned-in fans can also “study the offers” to determine which positions the Bulldogs have prioritized with early offers for 2018.

That method isn’t exact, but it shows the patterns. The only position that would eschew that way of thinking would be at quarterback. The volume of offers there says a lot about position needs, but the elite schools extend their offers to an initial wave of prized QBs first and then work down their boards.

Georgia’s clear priorities so far

  • Wide receiver: 20 offers
  • Cornerback: 16 offers
  • Defensive tackle: 16 offers
  • Offensive tackle: 16 offers
  • Running back: 11 offers

Which positions are on the other end of the spectrum for UGA?

  • Center: 0
  • Inside linebacker: 4
  • Tight end: 5
  • Offensive guard: 6
  • Outside linebacker: 6

A closer look at the 2018 grocery list

The best way to get an even better grasp at the class and what the identified needs are calls for taking a position-by-position fly-by.

As opposed to the fan perspective of seeking out the top-rated guys, this is more of the way that a college program would look at their board.

We’ll try to accomplish this like a traffic drone flying over a Metro interstate.

Georgia just added a massive infusion of talent with its 2017 class and it means the team can be more selective. The program added a total of 17 players at defensive back, offensive line and at receiver earlier this month.

Those three positions stocked up almost 66 percent of the 2017 class.

How many D’Andre Swifts does Georgia need to sign in the Class of 2018? (Jeff Sentell / DawgNation.com)/Dawgnation)

There’s another method I use to look at players and needs which remove the “processing” and “needs to transfer” narratives out of the equation.

Those dialed-in fans could very well stand up at their G-Day tailgate and roll off 5-10 names of guys that aren’t getting on the field enough. If they’re not playing ball by their third season, the wonder is if they will ever become a contributor. 

Would those guys be better served at an FCS school? That’s always the popular — yet sometimes unfair — way to look at that matter. The reality is that unless that player was stuck behind an All-American or All-SEC talent, those vets are in danger of being supplanted on the depth chart in the fall by the new recruits, too.

I’m not going to cover those names here because that is bad form.

But what I will do is share what Kirby Smart’s Georgia has signed at each of the positions over the last two years that should also help everyone identify where the scholarship bodies are needed in 2018.

Note: These numbers do take into account the Class of 2017.

QB

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 2

Expiring scholarships: 0-1 (That’s only if Brice Ramsey returns. That is very much up in the air at this time.)

2018 offers so far: 8 (This includes six dual-threat QBs.)

Projected need: 1-2 (Stetson Bennett as a 2017 preferred walk-on really helps here.)

RB

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 3

Expiring scholarships: 2 

2018 offers made here so far: 11 (Includes all-purpose backs)

Projected need: 2

WR

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 6

Expiring scholarships: 1-2 (This also depends on roster migration)

2018 offers made here so far: 20

Projected need: 3

TE

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 2

Expiring scholarships: 2

2018 offers made here so far: 5

Projected need: 1-2

C

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 0

Expiring scholarships: 0

2018 offers made here so far: 0 (The Bulldogs look at recruiting the center position differently. Cross-training a versatile guard seems like the UGA way.)

Projected need: 0 (Lamont Gaillard will be a redshirt junior this fall. I’d also think a priority 2018 guard recruit — such as Salyer — is willing to play that position to get on the field faster, too.)

OGs

4-star OG Deontrey “Trey” Hill is another major priority for Georgia’s 2018 class. (Jeff Sentell/ DawgNation.com)/Dawgnation)

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 4 (This counts 2016 signees Ben Cleveland and Solomon Kindley as guards.) 

Expiring scholarships: 2

2018 offers made here so far: 6

Projected need: 2

OTs

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 5

Expiring scholarships: 1

2018 offers made here so far: 16

2018 commitments: 1 (4-star OT Max Wray)

Projected remaining need: 1-2

DE

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 2 (Robert Beal and Chauncey Manac were rated here, but they are listed at OLB for the purposes of this exercise.)

Expiring scholarships: 1 

2018 offers made here so far: 16 (9 at weak-side DE, 7 at strong-side DE)

2018 commitments: 0

Projected need: 1-2

Note: The weak-side DE position in Georgia’s scheme often crosses over to the OLB spot. 

DT

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 4

Expiring scholarships: At least 1 (The NFL could also claim Trenton Thompson)

2018 offers made here so far: 16 

2018 commitments: 0

Projected need: 2-3

ILB

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 3

Expiring scholarships: 1 (At least. Might hinge on NFL prospects)

2018 offers made here so far: 4

2018 commitments: 1 (3-star ILB Donovan Georges)

Projected remaining need: 1-2

OLB

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 4 (This counts 2017 signee Robert Beal as an OLB.) 

Expiring scholarships: 2-3 (At least)

2018 offers made here so far: 6

2018 commitments: 1 (4-star Adam Anderson)

Projected remaining need: 2-3

CB

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 7 (This counts Mecole Hardman, Jr. at this position.)

5-star DB Tyreke Johnson is one of Georgia’s highest priorities for his position in the Class of 2018. (Jeff Sentell / AJC)/Dawgnation)

Expiring scholarships: 1

2018 offers made here so far: 16

2018 commitments: 0

Projected remaining need: 2-3

S

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 3 (That’s a big reason why UGA was so attractive to DeAngelo Gibbs and Richard LeCounte III.) 

Expiring scholarships: 3

2018 offers made here so far: 10

2018 commitments: 0

Projected remaining need: 2

ATH

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 1 (5-star prospect Mecole Hardman is listed at CB in this discussion.) 

Expiring scholarships: N/A (It is very hard to gauge this metric as all these prospects soon tether themselves to a position in college.)

2018 offers made here so far: 9 (Most of these are cornerback, receiver or defensive back types. Peach County ATH Kearis Jackson is a great example here. He could help his future team on both sides of the ball. American Heritage ATH Miles Jones is another example of a prospect who could help the Bulldogs in the return game, too.)

2018 commitments: 0

Projected remaining need: N/A (Those projections are made at the other specific positions. 

P/K

Signees over the last two years on the roster: 1* (The counts the recent development about the blue shirt extended to David Marvin.)

Expiring scholarships: See above

2018 offers made here so far: 1 (Georgia recently offered Norcross junior punter Jake Carmada who could quickly compete for time at punter and kicker.) 

2018 commitments: 0

Projected need: 1

 

 

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Follow Jeff Sentell on Twitter for the latest on who’s on their way to play Between the Hedges. Unless otherwise indicated, player rankings and ratings are from the 247Sports Composite.