What went down over the weekend with UGA recruiting? Well, there were a few key stories, at least one new big offer and a couple of 2017 visitors scheduled to arrive Monday and Tuesday.
What do you need to know this week? This is the weekend 5-star receiver Demetris Robertson will take his long-awaited official visit to UGA. That should be the primary focus of everyone’s attention this week. Robertson attends Savannah Christian and is rated as the nation’s top receiver for 2016.
Robertson attends Savannah Christian and is rated as the nation’s top receiver for 2016.
What’s important now? Let’s jump right into it.
UGA football weekend recruiting roundup
Poole needs more time
The sentiment surrounding 4-star junior cornerback William Poole (Hapeville Charter/ Atlanta, Ga.) was that he would make his decision around his birthday. Well, that day came and went on Saturday with Poole on a long-anticipated official visit to Florida.
UGA and Florida have been the primary contenders for Poole since Kirby Smart arrived at UGA. Smart made him a priority on his first road trip once he finished his duties as the defensive coordinator at Alabama. Poole has Georgia fans in his immediate family and he projects to commit with the Bulldogs.
That said, the Gators complicated his decision over the weekend. Poole shared a few thoughts on his recruiting process on social media after that visit.
“I have a lot more things to sort out and think about,” he said. “Don’t want to move too fast. I need to make sure I’m making the best decision for me. I’m not making any commitment that I will later regret. I know I’ve stated for one to soon be coming, but I need to re-evaluate everything.”
Poole is rated as the nation’s No. 12 cornerback for the Class 0f 2017 and the No. 100 player overall.
Holloman picks up cherished UGA offer
Newton junior receiver Jeremiah Holloman had one of those days that turn heads and inspires tweets and text messages aplenty. The 3-star receiver, who de-committed from Michigan last week, has a strong all-around game and looks the part of a college receiver already.
Nearly 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Holloman won the top overall performer honor at the MVP Camp at Lovejoy on Sunday. He also picked up a UGA offer that he will take a very hard look at late Sunday night.
That seems like perfect timing for the two unofficial visits he had scheduled for Monday. He was expected to spend the morning at South Carolina and then arrive at UGA in the afternoon.
Holloman is rated as the No. 107 receiver nationally and the No. 70 prospect in Georgia for this year, but look for those numbers to ascend quite rapidly.
He’s got a lot of polish to his game, but it is also clear that he has a sharp mind. He wants to study business or sports marketing, and admires the path that Jerry Rice set for the receiver position.
Another visit planned for Tuesday
Lanier High linebacker Tyler Taylor got a UGA offer late last month from receivers coach James Coley and immediately hoped to make a trip to Athens. However, he was ill over the weekend and wasn’t able to make the trip.
He made it clear that he really was appreciative of the UGA offer and hoped his mother would be able to join him on the visit.
It is fair to say he regards the opportunity at UGA as one of his dream offers.
“I say that because of the program and how prestigious the program is,” Taylor said.
Taylor’s recruiting has blown up over the last few weeks. He had just seven offers less than three weeks ago, but an Alabama offer sparked a flood of other big-name scholarships.
He’s also picked up UGA, Auburn, Florida, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas since Feb. 28.
The 6-foot-1, 212-pounder is rated as the nation’s No. 10 prospect at his position for 2017.
Another Alabama linebacker “loves” UGA
Tadarian Moultry (Jackson-Olin HS/Birmingham, Ala.) might have been the most impressive player at the MVP Camp on Sunday. The 4-star inside linebacker has a top group that includes both Alabama and Auburn, but will also take a good look at UGA.
What does he think about the new-look Bulldogs?
“I love them,” Moultry said.
Moultry told DawgNation that he plans to visit UGA on Saturday. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder plays the game in the box, and the drills in a camp setting hide his true value.
His visit to UGA will be his first to the campus. He is being recruited by assistant Glenn Schumann. That’s a key relationship as those ties go back to his time on the Alabama staff.
“I’ve been loving them (Georgia) since I was little,” Moultry said.
Moultry placed UGA right behind Alabama and Auburn at this time in his recruiting process.
Another name for 2016
It appears to be just a matter of time before Grayson senior outside linebacker Mykelle McDaniel gets needed high-school courses approved that he took in the eighth grade. The delay is a result of McDaniel taking those classes while he was being homeschooled prior to enrolling at Grayson in the ninth grade.
Expect UGA to be a major contender to add his name to its Class of 2016. UGA sets up well for his pre-med major and he loved his recent unofficial visit. South Carolina will also get an official visit from McDaniel this weekend.
McDaniel also visited Alabama last weekend.
Not-so-fast with another priority in-state target
Mary Persons defensive end Malik Herring also plans to take things a little slower than expected with his commitment. The 4-star prospect told DawgNation late last week that he has a genuine relationship with UGA head coach Kirby Smart that goes back to his days at Alabama.
Alabama was the first school to offer Herring, and Smart made that offer. Herring is very tight with UGA commitments Jaden Hunter and Richard LeCounte III, but he now feels his recruitment will go longer than most had thought.
He said he planned to make his decision in December, but that was scrapped when he decided that he will not enroll early.
Herring is one of the top defensive targets on the UGA board for 2017. He’s rated as the No. 6 weakside defensive end in the nation and the No. 113 player overall.
Unless otherwise indicated, player rankings and ratings are from the 247Sports Composite.
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.