I feel like a kid on Christmas morning that is so happy to wake up and open his presents, except my present lies within the 55-inch ultra HD TV I purchased just in time for this special occasion.
College football returns to our televisions tonight.
North Carolina will travel to Charlotte to face Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN. UGA will host South Carolina on Sept. 19, which is shaping up to be a busy weekend in recruiting.
Speaking of recruiting, DawgNation.com was busy cranking out content for its readers on Wednesday.
We have a lot to get to, so let’s get to it.
Today’s must-reads
1. UGA recruit will take visits, but remains 100 percent committed
There’s always some doubt that creeps into fans’ minds when they read about a commit visiting other schools.
But UGA fans should not worry about offensive line commit Aaron Dowdell.
Dowdell told the AJC that he will take his official visits, but remains 100 percent committed to UGA and nothing will change that.
Who can blame him for wanting to take official visits? It’s a free trip on someone else’s dime to see a different part of the country and take in a college football game in another environment. Sign me up for that, please.
In this story by DawgNation’s Jeff Sentell, Dowdell mentions two possible schools other than UGA that could receive official visits.
2. UGA makes it clear that it wants a legacy to commit
Sept. 1 was the first day that 2017 recruits could receive contact through Twitter direct messaging, and Jaden Hunter’s phone could not stop buzzing with messages from UGA coaches.
Hunter, who is the son of the late Brice Hunter, told the AJC that he received around 15 messages from UGA coaches shortly after midnight. He’s a 4-star linebacker from Westlake High School.
At one point, Hunter wondered if UGA even wanted him, but that’s not the case anymore. He knows that he’s a wanted man in Athens.
I also hope that Hunter has an unlimited data plan with all of the time he spent on Twitter talking to UGA coaches.
3. UGA has a chance to land one of nation’s best players this Friday
Marlon Davidson, a 5-star defensive end from Montgomery, Ala., released his seven finalists on Wednesday, and UGA did make the cut.
Along with UGA, Alabama, Auburn, Michigan, Florida State, LSU and Clemson are also in the hunt.
Auburn is the clear favorite to land Davidson, as 100 percent of recruiting analysts on 247Sports’ Crystal Ball project him to commit there. His older brother played for the school and currently serves as an analyst for Auburn.
There is a connection with UGA, though. His brother played for UGA defensive line coach Tracy Rocker.
Davidson will announce his commitment this Friday at 11 a.m.
4. Former NFL star calls UGA target a future NFL player
Chris Slade was a former NFL All-Pro for the New England Patriots. If there’s anyone that knows what a future NFL player looks like, it’s him.
Slade, who is Pace Academy’s head coach, called UGA target Jamaree Sayler a future NFL player. Sayler, who is rated the nation’s No. 1 offensive guard in the nation for 2018, told the AJC that UGA is one of the schools he can see himself playing for one day.
Perhaps UGA will be the school that prepares Sayler for a future NFL career.
5. Who do you want to commit to the G?
We at DawgNation.com created a poll to see who fans really wanted to see in red and black. As of writing this, the nation’s No. 1 athlete Mecole Hardman Jr. is the most sought-after recruit that Bulldogs fans want.
Behind Hardman, 5-star Kyle Davis, 5-star Isaac Nauta and 5-star Derrick Brown are the most wanted recruits for fans.
So, who do you want? Make sure you vote here.
That’s all for today. I hope you enjoy the return of college football tonight. As for the Bulldogs, we still have two days until UGA’s season kicks off.