The word “breaking” appears in this headline. Yet that really doesn’t cover a situation that happened several days ago.
Xavier Jenkins, a 3-star receiver from Lowndes High School in South Georgia, has de-committed from Georgia. A source close to that situation told DawgNation Jenkins de-committed from UGA last Saturday, but his name still rests on the Georgia commitment board on all the major recruiting websites.
Jenkins was the first receiver to commit to the new Georgia staff back in February and the fifth member of the Class of 2017. He is expected to go camping this weekend at Miami. The Hurricanes, and former UGA coach Mark Richt, recently extended an offer to him.
The Bulldogs recently moved up to No. 3 nationally after four commitments in the span of a week earlier this month. This decision now means that Georgia only has 14 commitments for its 2017 signing class. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound prospect is rated as the nation’s No. 94 prospect at receiver for 2017. His prospect ranking had been the second-lowest on the board for this year’s class. Matt Landers, another 3-star receiver, remains the lowest-rated recruit among Georgia’s 2017 commitments.
The move raises eyebrows because it was an early commitment but also a way for Georgia to establish a larger recruiting presence in South Georgia. That’s one way to look at it. The other is the numbers game. Trey Blount, a 4-star receiver from Pace Academy in Atlanta, is the only other committed receiver for the Class of 2017.
The de-commitment from Jenkins means that Georgia has just two committed receivers in this class with at least two more slots now open for elite talent. Georgia is after several other highly-rated receivers that were at The Opening this past weekend.
Newton High 4-star playmaker Jeremiah Holloman and Pennsylvania 4-star Mark Webb, Jr. could very well be on their way to Georgia. Holloman is uncommitted and will be taking his time with his decision, but Webb told Dawgnation last week in Oregon that UGA was his leader and the school he would choose if National Signing Day was this week.
Several receiver recruits and commitments have told DawgNation that the staff hopes to sign just four receivers in this year’s signing class. Holloman has said that Georgia would be willing to take a fifth receiver if that was what was necessary to add him to this year’s class. Webb also told Dawgnation that he expects to be a package deal with four-star running back D’Andre Swift. Those two are first cousins who play about 30 miles apart from one another in the Philadelphia Metro area.
Jeff Sentell covers UGA football and UGA recruiting for AJC.com and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow him 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.