Recruiting Rewind: UGA hunting big names with big game
The SEC schedule kicks off this week with UGA heading to Vandy. Most high school programs around the South have now played at least two games and that’s offered up a sample size to take a good look at a few elite UGA recruiting targets so far.
There’s still a lot of uncommitted elite talent on the table just in the state of Georgia with names like Derrick Brown, Kyle Davis, Mecole Hardman, Jr., E.J. Price, Demetris Roberston and Nigel Warrior still sorting out their recruiting options.
What were the big stories on Labor Day to follow with UGA recruiting? That’s what Rewind is here for.
Today’s must-reads
1. Get to know Big Country
If you don’t know about Ben “Big Country” Cleveland, here’s the skinny on the big fella: 1) He’s 6 feet, 7 inches and about 320 pounds; 2) Cleveland and Jacob Eason were the first two commitments to the 2016 class at UGA; 3) The senior offensive tackle can run the 40 in under five seconds and bench press about 450 pounds; 4) He has impeccable character and a world-class outlook on life; 5) He’s pretty good at video bombs and 6) He likes to eat squirrel.
Huh?
Yeah, he likes to eat squirrel. You just never know what might be on his breakfast table. The story is almost as colorful as watching any six-year-old come up to him after his games and hearing the things that those kids say after they see a human being that big. Almost.
2. UGA in good shape with 5-star OL
UGA has a pretty good “in” with the top prospect in New York state for the Class of 2017. That’s Brooklyn resident Isaiah Wilson. The 5-star offensive tackle even lists UGA as a childhood favorite. He got to know the Bulldogs while watching games on TV with his father.
There’s no telling what the Bulldog Club memberships look like around Brooklyn and Manhattan, but maybe that’s a sign of things to come.
When a junior 5-star from approximately 1,000 miles away is going to visit and give UGA a good look, then that’s Example No. 512 so far why offensive line coach Rob Sale knows what he’s doing. The 6-foot-7, 322-pound Wilson rates as the No. 5 offensive tackle in the nation for 2017.
The Brooklyn Bulldog Club. Do you think there’s even such a thing?
3. Sets the record
Landon Dickerson told the AJC this week he’s coming to UGA for the South Carolina game on Sept. 19, but it will not be one of his official visits. He hasn’t settled on all of his official visits yet and just wanted to clear that up.
There had been at least one conflicting report about whether or not Dickerson was using that visit as one of his officials.
4. Have you tried the podcast?
One of the new rollouts over the last week at DawgNation has been the DawgNationDaily podcast from Atlanta radio veteran Brandon Adams. It’s a good way to get a good sense of opinion and analysis on all things UGA in the event there’s something called a “traffic jam” somewhere around Metro Atlanta
It is also good if you’ve got some individual time with a treadmill to burn.
5. Interesting Auburn news
Auburn had an up-and-down recruiting weekend. The Tigers beat out Alabama and UGA for 5-star Alabama defensive end Marlon Davidson but also saw legacy Stephen Davis, Jr. de-commit from their 2016 class.
The son of the one of the top running backs in Auburn history wants to check out his other options at this point. He told AL.com back in May that he committed “too early” to Auburn.
That’s another example that recruiting legacy sons back to their pop’s program isn’t as easy as it looks. UGA is hoping that its attention on Jaden Hunter can produce an alternate result. The four-star junior LB from Westlake High School really liked the love he got from UGA last week.
The ❤️ , #DawgBlooded ?? pic.twitter.com/5SZwesNzd8
— jaden hunter . (@onejhunter) September 3, 2015
Jeff Sentell covers 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.
