The best prospects on UGA’s 2018 recruiting board

Welcome to your one-stop shop for all the relevant UGA football news and takes every Monday through Friday. Who are the best prospects on UGA’s 2018 recruiting board? Read on to find out.

Top (possible) Dawgs

It’s never too early to look ahead, so for this edition of ‘Top Dawgs’ I’m taking a look at the 5 best potential Georgia signings from the 2018 class. So, not really Top Dawgs, but certainly Potential Dawgs.

I’m also trying to keep this to players who seem like they actually might sign with Georgia, and the best way I can go about that is looking at 247’s Crystal Ball predictions. So, even though he’s been on campus, I’m going to keep 5-star ILB prospect Teradja Mitchell off the list because everyone seems to think he’ll go to FSU. That isn’t to say he definitely won’t come to Georgia, because absolutely anything can happen in recruiting, but I’d rather focus on the guys Georgia seems to have a real fighting chance signing.

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1) Zamir White, RB — With Nick Chubb and Sony Michel departing next season, it behooves Georgia to get as many talented options as possible to try to fill those shoes. The 2018 recruit with the best chance to do that is White. The 5-star prospect from Laurinburg, N.C., looks like another Tar Heel State product on the field: Think Todd Gurley. He’s got power, vision and a top-end burst that will leave defenses in the dust. Most of the latest predictions point to Clemson, but if White signs with the Dawgs, their claim on the title “RBU” will be as strong as ever.

2) Jamaree Salyer, OG — I think a big part of any recipe for sustained success at UGA is the ability to keep the best offensive linemen in the state of Georgia at home. The Dawgs did it this year, and if they want to do it next year, they need to land Salyer. Rated a 5-star prospect by Scout and 247, Salyer, who goes to Pace Academy, is as nimble as they come at 6-foot-4, 330 pounds. That mobility will help pull and make blocks outside, as well as reach the second level to lay blocks on linebackers. Although Alabama is in the hunt, and you can never count out the Tide, Georgia is in the driver’s seat right now.

3) Justin Mascoll, OLB/DE — With a possible exodus to the pros coming from UGA’s linebackers this year or the next, the Dawgs have to keep stockpiling at the position. Mascoll is another hybrid who could put his hand down and play DE or stand up and play OLB in college. He could stand out at either, but if he came to UGA, I’d expect him to line up at linebacker. The 5-star prospect out of South Gwinnett has a lot of athleticism and speed that lets him close down on quarterbacks and he could be deadly in the pass rush if he can improve his technique and add a couple of moves to his arsenal.

4) Tyreke Johnson, CB — UGA’s secondary will be full of seniors next season, and we’ve already seen UGA try to get replacements lined up with a ton of defensive backs in this year’s class. That should continue next season, and Johnson will be a top priority. Out of Trinity Christian in Jacksonville, Fla., the 5-star recruit has great height for a corner, something coach Kirby Smart puts a premium on, along with the kind of body control you want in a standout for the position. UCLA and FSU are in front for Johnson, but he also is tight with Richard LeCounte III, so UGA may get a helping hand through that relationship.

5) Derrik Allen, S — Another defensive back rounds out the list. The 5-star Lassiter standout is listed as a corner by some recruiting sites, but at 6-2 and more than 200 pounds, it’s difficult to imagine him lining up anywhere but safety. And it should be a natural fit. A quick look at his highlights shows he can play center field and defend against the deep ball. It could be an uphill battle to sign him, though. Georgia will have to fend off Notre Dame and Ohio State to keep Allen in Georgia.

Caliya Robinson named espnW Player of the Week

It was a banner weekend for Lady Dogs basketball as Georgia beat arch-rival Tennessee in double-overtime. And it got a little better on Monday when sophomore Caliya Robinson was recognized as espnW’s National Player of the Week after a pair of stellar showings in wins against Tennessee and Arkansas, including a 28-point, 13-of-17 performance against the Lady Vols.

Two weeks after being removed from the starting lineup, @UGA_WBB’s Caliya Robinson is our player of the week. https://t.co/TN41I7HQk5

— espnW (@espnW) February 6, 2017

Although she is no doubt the most talented player on the Lady Dogs’ squad, Robinson was benched following losses to Ole Miss and South Carolina in which she scored a total of just 5 points. But Robinson was at her best coming off the bench these last two games, averaging 24 points in them. For the season, she’s now averaging 13.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while leading the SEC with 2.4 blocks per contest. If she has indeed rediscovered her form, those numbers could see a bump in the final weeks of the campaign.

UGA hoops takes on Florida on Tuesday night

Georgia hoops barely missed an overtime upset of the Florida Gators when the two met earlier this year in Gainesville. The season is pretty much under wraps for UGA, considering its NCAA tournament hopes have completely fallen by the wayside. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a chance to get one over on the Gators when they come to Stegeman Coliseum on Tuesday night, which Dawg fans always love, no matter the sport.

The key will be keeping Yante Maten in the game. Last time out against UF, Maten fouled out with just under four minutes to go. Nine minutes is far too long for Georgia to go without Maten and still have a chance, especially against a team as good as Florida. UGA was close last time, though. And if Maten plays most of the 40 minutes and anything extra, Georgia should have a chance to win. That’s something coach Mark Fox really needs as his tenure in Athens has (once again) started to sour.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Stegeman and will be televised on ESPN 2

ICYMI

• Two Bulldogs who became Patriots, then Super Bowl champs (Seth Emerson, DawgNation)
• Kirby Smart using the fire of competition to mold Bulldogs (Chip Towers, DawgNation)
• Georgia depth chart analysis: Safeties (Seth Emerson, DawgNation)
• When it comes to his defensive line, Smart not complaining (Anthony Dasher, UGA Sports)
• Bulldogs ‘saddle back up’ to try to stop slide against hot Gators (Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald)
• Heartbreak and hurt: The 5 most crushing title losses in modern Georgia sports history (Jason Butt, Macon Telegraph)

Good dog

Every dog looks like Tom Brady.

It's not about who wins or loses tonight, it's about which dog looks the most like Tom Brady. #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/XECYvHAeY4

— BarkBox (@barkbox) February 5, 2017