UGA recruiting: De-commitment, rankings flux and 5-star worries highlight week

What does the recruiting snapshot look for like Kirby Smart and UGA after this week?

Jeff Sentell/DawgNation

Posted 1 week ago

Psst. Been living it up too much this week? Too much studying? Too much 5-star adulting or parenting? Do you think you might be a prospect or three behind in your UGA recruiting updates of late?

These are the weeks where the semi-regular UGA recruiting snapshot becomes your best friend.

What did you miss this week?

Longtime 2019 target de-commits. Luke Griffin is no longer going to be a Bulldog. Was this one more like a catch-and-release?
De-commitment ripple effect: The Bulldogs no longer have the nation’s No. 1 class for 2019. Ole Miss and its 14 commits now hold that honor on the 247Sports team composite rankings.
5-star worries Part I: Owen Pappoe ? What’s the latest there? Does Auburn really have that legit shot?
Rankings boost: 5-star UGA commits Nolan Smith and Jadon Haselwood saw their respective rankings increase on 247Sports.
5-star worries Part II: Haselwood is taking his first official visit to Oklahoma this weekend. There are some family ties with Haselwood and the Sooners, but this is definitely not a panic-button visit.
5-star worry Part III: Smith also is expected to take another unofficial visit to Tuscaloosa, Ala., this weekend. This also isn’t anything substantial.

Tweets of the week

We’ll address something here that might help my good friend Brandon Adams sleep at night. But first, we wanted to make sure everyone saw the “Our fans may have helped us” tweet and hype video from Georgia football.

Here’s the video. (We must admit that is a pretty sweet shirt that coach Dell McGee is wearing.)

"I believe we won some games because of our fans, I really do."

G-Day game:
April 21, 4:00pm, free admission.#DawgNation, we need you there.
That's What's Important Now.#ATD / #WIN pic.twitter.com/TyBul9JLuF

— Georgia Football (@FootballUGA) April 12, 2018

And here is a certain 5-star commit’s hot take on that video.

Just a special place… https://t.co/J63yPJNiQl

— Nolan Smith II (@SmithNoland2) April 12, 2018

2019 UGA recruiting class timeline

The Bulldogs have seven commitments in the 2019 class. The latest came from 4-star strongside defensive end Bill Norton, who committed on March 18. Norton, the nation’s No. 10 player at his position for 2019, had been pondering committing to UGA for quite some time.

UGA ranks third nationally in the 247Sports composite team recruiting rankings, but it is worth noting that the Bulldogs have just seven commits for this cycle. Ole Miss has 15 pledges to hold the top spot. Miami also has 11 commits at the No. 2 position.

Quick fact: Georgia has a trio of 5-star commits for this cycle. SEC rival Auburn just picked up its third commitment for 2019 earlier this week.

Haselwood, a 5-star wide receiver (Cedar Grove H.S./Ellenwood, Ga.) ranks as the top Georgia commit and is the No. 2 overall player in the nation, according to the composite.

The Bulldogs also have one commitment for 2020. That’s 4-star defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse. Stackhouse plays for Stephenson High in Stone Mountain, Ga. He committed on the day of Georgia’s SEC Championship Game victory against Auburn.

How the 2019 class shapes up so far:

June 11, 2016: 4-star tackle Luke Griffin (North Murray/Chatsworth, Ga.) commits to UGA

nolan smith-georgia recruiting-nfl combine-testing-commitment — Five-star defensive end Nolan Smith saw his rankings get a bump this week. (Jeff Sentell/DawgNation)

Jan. 29, 2017: 5-star DE Nolan Smith (IMG Academy/Bradenton, Fla.) commits to UGA

Feb. 18, 2017: 4-star DT Rashad Cheney Jr. (Washington High/Atlanta) commits to UGA

March 16, 2017: 5-star WR Jadon Haselwood commits to UGA

July 15, 2017: 4-star linebacker J.D. Bertrand (Blessed Trinity/Roswell, Ga.) commits to UGA

July 16, 2017: 5-star WR Dominick Blaylock (Walton/Marietta, Ga) commits to UGA.

Oct. 30, 2017: 4-star cornerback Jalen Perry (Dacula/Dacula, Ga.) commits to UGA.

Jan. 25, 2018: Rashad Cheney Jr. de-commits from UGA

Feb. 7, 2018: 4-star tight end Ryland Goede (Kennesaw Mountain/Kennesaw, Ga.) commits to UGA.

March 18, 2018: 4-star DE Bill Norton (Christian Brothers/Memphis, Tenn.) commits to UGA.

April 1, 2018: Luke Griffin de-commits from UGA.

UGA recruiting visit preview for the weekend

There are visits galore around the SEC and the nation, but we will highlight a few of interest to Georgia fans.

5-star WR Jadon Haselwood, as previously stated, is on an official visit to Oklahoma.
Nolan Smith very well could be at Alabama. It will be interesting to see if he makes that trip.
Andrew Booth (Archer/Lawrenceville, Ga.), rates as the nation’s No. 5 cornerback for this cycle. Booth, a 4-star prospect, and his teammate, 3-star defensive end Colby Wooden. will be at Clemson for the spring game.
Marist (Atlanta) safety Kyle Hamilton, a true hidden gem for 2019, is at Michigan. The Wolverines canceled their spring game over weather concerns, but he still intends to visit.
Warren McClendon (Brunswick/Brunswick, Ga.) is expected to visit UGA this weekend. A 4-star tackle, he’s a UGA legacy who turned 17 this week. He rates as the nation’s No. 24 tackle for 2019.
New Jersey resident Antonio Alfano, the nation’s No. 5 strongside DE, will visit Alabama and UGA this weekend. The plan is for him to be in Athens on Sunday.

UGA recruiting by position in 2019

Which positions are the major priorities for 2019? Well, the receiver spot was one, but that has been checked off as efficiently as Grandma filled her cart at Kroger with everything needed for Thanksgiving dinner last November.

Here’s the wood left to chop in terms of positional priorities for the class:

1. Defensive tackle (2-3)
2. Inside linebacker (an additional 2 commits)
3. Tackle (2)
4. Safety (1-2)
5. Quarterback (1)

Where the UGA class ranks

Georgia’s 2018 class is ranked No. 3 nationally and No. 2 in the SEC. Ole Miss leads the conference with its 15 commitments for 2019.

It is also worth noting the Bulldogs had zero members — one if we count Adam Anderson, who de-committed and eventually re-committed — of their eventual top-ranked 2018 class on the board at this time a year ago.

Latest news on UGA recruiting

In case you missed anything from this week, here are the latest headlines:

Spotting trends for UGA recruiting

UGA has offered 14 quarterbacks so far in 2019, but six of those have committed to other programs.
The Georgia staff has offered 43 players who are pledged to other schools, including six recruits who are Miami commits. Georgia also has offered four commits at Alabama, FSU, Michigan and Texas A&M.
The Bullldogs have offered 51 prospects with a rating below 4 stars or do not have a rating. The majority of those are 3-star recruits. That makes up just 22% of the offers for 2019.
Haselwood and fellow 5-star pledge Dominick Blaylock should be seen as strong commits to the program. When they sign, it will be the first time the Bulldogs have landed a 5-star receiver since Marlon Brown chose the program in 2010.
There’s likely going to be a “best available player” slot or two with the class. Will that mean an extra tight end? A hybrid TE or a third receiver? Will that mean an extra outside linebacker or another safety? There should be some mix-and-match this year.
What if another strong defensive tackle wants to jump on board? It might mean one less safety or defensive end.
As always, look to see a blurred line between the outside linebacker signees and the weakside defensive end signees. Those positions call for the same skill set along Georgia’s odd front. The recruiting services still classify those types as two distinct positions.
I expect the battle for the top class in the SEC and the nation to come down to Alabama and Georgia. That would fit seamlessly into the likely narrative for the 2018 season.