Georgia football fans can get a quick update on the latest news involving the Bulldogs each day with DN90. DawgNation’s Brandon Adams provides all the latest UGA happenings on video in about 90 seconds. So follow along as Kirby Smart and the rest of the Bulldogs attempt to lead UGA to a national championship, and get up-to-the-minute UGA recruiting news as well. On this edition of DN90, the discussion focuses on the current state of the Bulldogs’ 2021 recruiting class in the wake of the coronavirus and after a few high-profile misses on prospects that pledged elsewhere.

DN90: UGA recruiting still on track after getting ‘hit in the mouth’ by coronavirus

Georgia has had the No. 1 recruiting class in the country in two of the last three years, and has finished no lower than sixth in the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings since Kirby Smart became UGA coach in 2016. Yet that track record of success doesn’t necessarily calm concerns when a recruiting cycle starts a bit slowly.

UGA’s 2021 class could arguably be said to be underwhelming thus far. The Bulldogs rank just 16th nationally. This remains true even when it’s considered that the average player rating of UGA’s 10 current pledges (93.95) is higher than all but three programs (Ohio State, Alabama and Clemson).

Statistics are easily ignored when UGA is losing out on five-star athlete James Williams — who recently chose Miami — and four-star offensive lineman Terrence Ferguson, who recently committed to Alabama.

However, DawgNation’s recruiting insider Jeff Sentell joined DawgNation Daily Friday to say he felt the Bulldogs’ were still on track for a highly-rated class.

One of the names that gives hope to that prediction is five-star offensive tackle Amarius Mims.

Mims recently spoke to DawgNation and offered glowing reviews of his relationship with first-year UGA offensive line coach Matt Luke.

“He’s the new coach coming in,” Mims said. “I would say that relationship with him. As long as we keep building that relationship like we’re doing now, everything will be good.”

There are presumably a number of elite recruits like Mims who are strongly considering the Bulldogs, and the next couple months could see them go public. Yet the one matter that continues to complicate UGA’s recruiting efforts is the same nemesis that’s upended so much of American life: the coronavirus.

Recruiting experts have said this cycle could end up being unlike any other, and for UGA that has seemed to be especially true. The Bulldogs haven’t been able to host visitors and coaches haven’t been able to be on the road.

As Mims said, the relationships UGA’s assistants — such as Luke — are able to build with prospects are a crucial aspect of the Bulldogs’ recruiting formula, and all could be well again with the 2021 class once those relationships can be furthered by means other than video teleconferences.

For more of what Jeff said about how the coronavirus has impacted UGA’s 2021 recruiting class, check out the latest edition of DN90, linked above.