UGA recruiting: Who are the big targets people aren’t talking about?

Georgia finished first in the recruiting rankings in the 2018 class. Expect the Bulldogs to be right at the top in 2019, too. DawgNation’s Jeff Sentell will answer a Recruiting Question of the Day on Tuesday and Thursday. You can ask him your questions on Twitter or the DawgNation message board forum. Previous QODs can be found on our question of the day archives page.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

DawgNation message board user bmauldin asks: Who is a 5-star or high 4-star 2019 recruit that we aren’t talking about much that we have a significant chance with? (After last year I’d almost say, anyone.)

Bmauldin hits the nail on the head in a few places. The Bulldogs do have a trio of 5-star prospects committed for 2019. Everyone also is aware of a few of those “seismic” names on the board.

Georgia fans always ask about longtime 5-star linebacker Owen Pappoe (Grayson/Loganville, Ga.) and newly minted 5-star recruits Andrew Booth Jr. (Archer/Lawrenceville, Ga.) and Travon Walker (Upson-Lee/Thomaston, Ga.).

But there are a few names in the big-time talent category that I don’t think garner the attention that they probably should. I will go a little deeper into the well than I would with other recognizable targets such as out-of-state inside linebackers Nakobe Dean and Brandon Smith.

I’ll offer up five names for 2019:

Devontae Dobbs/5-star T/Belleville, Belleville, Mich.: Rates as the nation’s No. 3 tackle for 2019 on the 247Sports composite, and No. 10 overall.

Why Georgia: The days have passed when the Bulldogs weren’t contenders for top-tier prospects far outside the SEC footprint. Dobbs warmed up to UGA last summer when he camped in Athens and worked out for Sam Pittman. He recently took a second unofficial visit to Athens. Is he a guard or a tackle in the long run? DawgNation has been thinking guard since we saw him last at the Future 50 in Orlando, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t be a great “swing” player to provide early depth.

Lewis Cine/4-star S/Trinity Christian, Cedar Hill, Texas: Rates as the nation’s No. 3 safety and the No. 41 overall prospect for 2019.

Why Georgia: Cine recently visited Georgia for G-Day. He loved it. He told DawgNation prior to the visit that there were only two schools that were recruiting him heavily enough to garner serious long-term consideration. The Bulldogs missed on talented Marist safety Kyle Hamilton earlier this week so Cine becomes much more important. Cine was told that the Bulldogs plan to sign two safeties in 2019 after not signing any in 2018.

Jayden Daniels/4-star QB/Cajon/San Bernadino, Calif.: He rates as the nation’s No. 2 dual-threat quarterback and the No. 80 overall player for 2019.

Why Georgia: There’s more to this than offering up a quarterback’s name because everyone wants to read about quarterbacks. There’s that Jake Fromm and Justin Fields dynamic at work in Athens, and that seems like something that only a confident prospect will want to wade into. I think Daniels could be a guy like that. He’s a big name on the board, but I think the Bulldogs eventually might sign a high 3-star or a low 4-star quarterback that they haven’t offered or heavily recruited. Yet.

Xavier Truss/4-star T/Bishop Hendricken/Warwick, R.I.: Rates as the nation’s No. 14 tackle for 2019 on the 247Sports composite ranking and No. 103 overall.

Why Georgia: He visited for a junior day earlier this year and loved it. He’s told DawgNationt that the Bulldogs will garner an official visit. Look for the Bulldogs to sign a pair of tackles in the 2019 cycle, and that might do it for the offensive line class.

Jamie Pettway/3-star LB/Westover/Albany, Ga.: Rates as the nation’s No. 48 outside linebacker and No. 653 overall player for 2019.

Why Georgia: This one is more of a deep dive, but one to file away. Pettway loves Georgia and has called it his dream school. He was at G-Day, but the Bulldogs can be very selective here. Pettway does not have a UGA offer, but I think he’d accept it when or if he receives one.

The Bulldogs have higher-value targets at outside linebacker, but most of the SEC schools that have offered him also see him at inside linebacker. That’s the position fit the Bulldogs discussed with him over the weekend. Pettway does have offers from the likes of Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.