Georgia football 2023 signees who could outperform their recruiting rankings

The final recruiting rankings are in for the 2023 recruiting cycle, with all four services providing a final update for the 2023 class.

Unsurprisingly, the top of the rankings are littered with Georgia signees. The Bulldogs inked 12 players who finished among the top 100 overall players in the On3 Consensus rankings. Georgia is also in a position to add to that number, with 5-star tight end Duce Robinson announcing his commitment on Wednesday.

Georgia has shown in recent years that it is able to get the most not just out of those at the top of the rankings, but those who slip through the recruiting radar. Jordan Davis and Eric Stokes are recent examples of 3-star prospects who went on to become first-round picks. Stetson Bennett was a no-star recruit who ended his career as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

With that in mind, there will very likely be multiple players in Georgia’s recruiting class that outperform their recruiting ranking for the Bulldogs. Below, we take a look at four players that we think can become big-time players for Georgia despite not having the shinest star rating.

Offensive tackle Bo Hughley, No. 127 overall

Georgia has done a great job in recent years developing offensive tackles. Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson were first-round picks. Jamaree Salyer was one of the surprises of the draft with how he played as a rookie for the Los Angeles Chargers. Broderick Jones is also expected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft as well.

All four of those players have different body types, yet Georgia found a way to develop all of them into All-SEC level players in college. Hughley falls outside the top 100 in the rankings and isn’t even Georgia’s highest-ranked tackle commitment in the class, as Monroe Freeling holds that distinction.

But there’s a lot to work with for offensive line coach Stacy Searels. Hughley is listed at 6-foot-6 and 295 pounds. He should be able to easily add the necessary strength and weight to be an SEC offensive lineman.

Hughley won’t enroll early but Thomas was the only one of the previous four offensive tackles mentioned that did not redshirt as a freshman. It might be a couple of years before Hughley sees the field, but given Georgia’s track record with this position, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see Hughley follow in the similarly giant footsteps of the offensive tackles that played for Georgia before him.

Defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett, No. 182 overall

Jarrett got a lot of comps to Davis during the recruiting process. Both prospects hail from North Carolina, with Jarrett arriving in Athens from Greensboro, Ga. They are also massive, space-eating defensive tackles. Davis was listed at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, but would often get up to 350 pounds during the course of the season.

Jarrett is listed at 6-foot-5 and 380 pounds. Like Davis, there simply aren’t many humans that are that size and can move well enough to be an impact defensive lineman in the middle of the defense.

Davis found a role as a freshman back during the 2018 season and given Jarrett’s size, he’ll have the chance to do the same. Jarrett’s weight will be something to monitor during his career, as was the case with Davis.

Georgia did see Jarrett enroll early to get a jump on his college career but the defensive tackle was seen wearing a boot on his foot during Georgia’s national championship game.

Wide receiver Yazeed Haynes, No. 221 overall

Georgia has a strong track record of wide receivers producing as freshmen. George Pickens, AD Mitchell and Dillon Bell all found ways to make an impact early in their Georgia careers.

We think Haynes is best positioned of Georgia’s three wide receiver signees to do the same. Haynes is the lowest ranked of the trio, as Georgia also brought in Tyler Williams, No. 91 overall, and Anthony Evans, No. 196 overall.

Haynes has an impressive frame at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds. He’ll need to put on some weight, but he enrolled early at Georgia and went through bowl practices to help prepare for an SEC schedule.

We’ve heard he’s already distinguishing himself among Georgia’s freshmen in off-season workouts. Competition in the wide receiver room is expected to be fierce this season, especially after Georgia brought in transfers RaRa Thomas and Dominic Lovett.

Peyton Woodring, unranked

This is cheating a bit, as Woodring is seen as one of the best kicking prospects in the country. He held offers from Georgia and Alabama before settling on the Bulldogs.

He’s already made a 60-yard field goal at the high school level. And it wouldn’t come as a surprise to us at DawgNation if Woodring went on to win the place-kicking and kickoff jobs in his freshman season. Georgia’s only other scholarship kicker is Jared Zirkel, who will enter his fourth season in Athens this fall.

Kickers rarely get drafted but we did see Georgia punter Jake Camarda become a fourth-round draft pick in last year’s NFL draft. Rodrigo Blankenship found success in the NFL, while Jack Podlesny is down at the Senior Bowl this week in hopes of impressing an NFL team.

Offensive tackle Bo Hughley, No. 127 overall

Defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett, No. 182 overall

Wide receiver Yazeed Haynes, No. 221 overall

Peyton Woodring, unranked

More Georgia football stories from around DawgNation