This Sentell’s Intel rep makes sure DawgNation saw that viral photo that the Georgia football social media account released last night from the Orange Bowl practices at Barry University in Miami.
Did you see it yet? Did you get a good look?
If not, then tilt your eyes up above at the pic that has drawn 346,000 impressions on the “X” social media platform at the time of this publication.
That photo features Georgia football head coach Kirby Smart. Lost in a wash of new ‘Dawgs. He’s covered up by 14 of Georgia’s 28 new signees in the 2024 class.
They have gone from “Graduation Day” to “Signing Day” to bowl practices in about two weeks. It hasn’t even been that long for some of them.
They are far more than just practice bodies. Those toothy smiles are the future of the Georgia football program.
There won’t be much math, but we must break out some arithmetic here. Georgia is allowed an NCAA-mandated 85 scholarship players. There are 20 players from this year’s roster that chose to dive into the transfer portal.
Split that remaining 65 into offensive and defensive players. Think about kickers and specialists. That’s about 31 ‘Dawgs per side.
Now factor in a tally of injured ‘Dawgs. Or those weighing lingering injuries against their NFL futures.
That’s a roster hit. There were maybe 60 available bodies. Those were 60 legit SEC players.
That’s not quite the roster blah blah FSU is suffering from, but it alters practice methods. Kirby Smart said this week in Miami the Bulldogs have done more “good on good” lately with their first, second and third teams repping against one another rather than scout teams.
Now add in those 15 midyear enrollees plus the transfer portal addition in London Humphreys. (Humphreys is the second player from the left in that photo.) That pushes the legit SEC player tally up to 75 or so.
That’s a big difference. Smart would not be able to practice down near South Beach without those midyear reinforcements to the Georgia football roster.
Those new ‘Dawgs have been an important part of the team’s practice regimen over the last 10 days.
What else does one need to know about that photo? While some wanted to just know the names that go with all those faces, we want you to know them.
Here’s the cross-reference that goes through this reporter’s mind about what DawgNation needs to know about those 15 faces in that photo.
Georgia football: 13 things to look for in that Orange Bowl practice photo
Here’s that picture again. You need this closer down the page for this exercise.
We will approach that photo breakdown with a simple stream of consciousness. There will (hopefully) be no more addition or subtraction. We will not use anything that has to do with 3.14 to the umpteenth power but might use a few emojis because our platform is capable of keyboard wizardry.
- 1) I want you to take a good look at Kirby Smart first. The head man. The lead ‘Dawg. Is it any wonder he’s bathed in sunlight down in South Florida? 😎 The beam of sunlight shining through the heart of this photo just seems appropriate.
- He’s surrounded by the future of Georgia football down in South Florida. The Dade County ☀️ is bathing Smart in optimism. The Georgia football creative team is full of 5-stars, but I don’t think they added anything in there. No Lightroom photo tools are necessary.
- Georgia will have at least 21 of those 28 signees enrolled early and on campus in January. That number could climb to 22 depending on the latest from 4-star All-American DT Jordan Thomas in New Jersey. That is half the class in this one photo. There are seven prospects alone who ranked among the nation’s top 100 overall prospects that made this photo opp.
- 2) The second thing lends itself to a scientific analysis of this image. Rising freshman TE Jaden Reddell shows up as the first ‘Dawg from left to right. There have been at least 15 fans and DawgNation folk who have reached out to me since they saw the photo. They are taken with the size of Reddell and his size in that picture.
- The 6-foot-4-plus, 230-pounder was the nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 TE at certain times as far as the rankings go. He settled in as the nation’s No. 4 TE for the 247Sports Composite and the On3 Industry Ranking.
- Reddell made his commitment to UGA and stuck with it. No more visits. That’s what commitment means to the Reddell family. Jaden’s mother, Krissa, is an impressive person even going by the standard of the Georgia football parents we’ve gotten the chance to know over the years. She’s at times old school and funny and yet fierce, sensitive and loyal. She will be a fan favorite follow on social media for at least the next three seasons. She takes her role as a single parent seriously and is overjoyed to know Jaden will have so many positive role models like Todd Hartley to look to in the program. That was important to her during Jaden’s recruiting process. It remains so.
- Her son looks like a Viking here. Or somebody cast in the next season of “House of Dragons” as an unparalleled fighter. He reported early and went through bowl practices in Athens so he could be around Brock Bowers as much as possible. That meant bypassing an invite to the All-American Bowl out in Texas. Practicing at UGA early was just what he wanted to do more.
- That’s because Bowers has walked the path Reddell aims to go. He wanted to see him work. To see what his grind looked like. To possibly practice with him. That’s an impressive stance for a high school prospect moving up to the next level. It shows how focused he is.
- We will never name a prospect as another Bowers in this space, but Reddell is bigger than the two-time John Mackey Award winner. The visual in the group photo reflects that. With Reddell, I feel led to call upon the words of Curly Bill Brocius from the classic “Tombstone” with a last nugget. I want you to tell all your DawgNation friends about Reddell:
“Watch it SEC. I hear he’s real fast.”
- Reddell is quite fast. The reported times on the former baseball and basketball player have him in the low 4.5 and high 4.4 range. That’s where Bowers was in the 40 coming out of high school.
- 3) Check out the 😁 smile just off Smart’s left shoulder. That’s 5-star DL Joseph Jonah-Ajonye. He loves the ‘Dawgs and loved them before he committed over the summer. The 6-foot-5, 270-pounder just turned 17. He’s already turning heads in Athens through those bowl practices for the way he moves and how he can already move people. That’s impressive given he’s only been playing football since he was in high school. Jonah-Ajonye also put on some 40 pounds before his senior season. He’s still very new to the game and new to his body. He will be a defensive end in Athens no matter how many of those recruiting rankings list him as a DL. Joseph-Ajonye is another ‘Dawg in this class who was raised by a single mother. That’s not uncommon. What has proved uncommon is the level of impact both women have made on their achieving All-American sons. That is rare.
- 4) Where’s Ellis? It was at this point that my reporter’s brain lent itself to finding where 5-star CB Ellis Robinson IV was in this shot. That’s not because he’s the highest-rated member of this class and the highest-rated CB prospect Smart has ever signed. Check those arms. Check that length. Robinson is a centerpiece of this Georgia class. He’s currently in a No. 20 practice jersey
- Something tells me that his jersey number is not permanent. There will be a little more on that down below. Those transfer portal losses at cornerback will immediately be offset by Robinson. He’s a little thin, but I feel he will be SEC-ready by the fall. He’s a rare ‘Dawg that a guy like me can point to as a potential freshman starter and not look foolish next season in doing so.
- 5) Look who’s in the middle of everything. Right at the center. Just off Smart’s left shoulder. Flanked by ‘Dawgs and playmakers on all sides. That’s rising freshman QB Ryan Puglisi. He’s wearing the No. 11 jersey. He wasn’t the only QB on Wednesday wearing the No. 11 jersey. Yet that somehow feels right given a lot of stuff in the Puglisi backstory. Puglisi was cast as the Christmas Star recently in his high school play.
- 6) There are 14 midyear enrollees here. We want to point out a lost ‘Dawg from the photo now. That’s 5-star LB Justin Williams. He’s the highest-rated LB prospect the Bulldogs have signed in the Smart era. That is saying something given the respect we hold for names like CJ Allen, Nakobe Dean, Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Smael Mondon Jr., Monty Rice, Channing Tindall, Jalen Walker, Quay Walker and Raylen Wilson.
- Williams is fierce and explosive on the field. He never stays put. Perhaps that is why he wasn’t able to be rounded up for this group photo. He had a UGA debit card growing up out in Texas when he was barely in high school. The ‘Dawgs were one of his father’s two favorite teams as he grew up. Georgia was late offering the nation’s No. 1 LB in this class, but it didn’t matter given the affinity he always had for the ‘Dawgs.
- 7) There’s already some chemistry forming. Or some good competition cooking. Look how the receivers are grouped on the left side with Reddell, Humphreys and Sacovie White as the first three ‘Dawgs lined up from the left. Ajonye and All-American OT Daniel Calhoun and side-by-side behind Smart in the center of the picture. Calhoun is also sticking close to a guy he will line up close to during his time in Athens in TE Colton Heinrich. Heinrich will be better than all the recruiting rankings say. He’s a versatile and physical football player who reflects all the traits expected from parents who were basketball coaches at the college level.
- We’ve heard that Calhoun has already shown he can play at this level so far during these early practices. He’s grown up as the third of three sons that his father Vincent Calhoun has sent off to college football. That’s something. We feel confident in saying that no coach will ever be harder on the new ‘Dawg harder than his father did coming up.
- The right flank has a lot of skill players meshed up. There’s 4-star CB Ondre Evans at far right and he’s framing up explosive WR NItro Tuggle. Robinson is on the left and Robinson is on the right. Those two will continuously be draped all over Tuggle during their UGA practices and scrimmages. They will make him better and he’s going to make them better. That’s just Georgia football there.
- There is also big OT Marques Easley. He has very good feet and good work on his senior tape. He’s standing next to North Carolina DT signee Nnamdi Ogboko. Those are two very large humans. Those are part of the 12 line-of-scrimmage players the Georgia staff signed this year.
- 8) Ogboko has only been playing football for two years. He knows he will need a year or two to develop and he’s good with that. He’s keenly aware of the path Jordan Davis walked from the Tar Heel State as a developmental 3-star that some saw as an OT. He respects Georgia line coach Tray Scott a great deal and is aware of his track record with players with Davis.
- 9) The jersey numbers: Those are an inexact science. It depends on who stays and who goes and who’s been around the program longer to claim vacated numbers for next season. There are also a few recruits I’ve been told have been told they can wear certain numbers that get freed up. 5-star safety signee KJ Bolden (who’s not in Miami) is likely to wear No. 1 as a freshman. Ajonye is likely to get the chance to wear the famed No. 99 on the defensive line in Athens. He knows all about Jordan Davis and considers that a high honor.
- But those elements are subject to change. That’s the preface there for pointing out Puglisi in No. 11 makes sense. So does showstopping WR Nitro Tuggle in No. 7. He’s got a game suited for putting touchdowns (plus the extra point) on the board.
- 10) I want to be sure to point out 4-star Mays High DL Quintavius Johnson. I’m never going to be guilty of overlooking that young man and his talent. He’s 6 feet, 4 inches and 245 well-sculpted pounds. I don’t know if Georgia has ever had a player quite like that. Maybe going back to the Charles Grant days. But “Q” has a whole other bag entirely. He was a former high school QB. He played exclusively under center early. He can still throw the ball 60-plus yards. Johnson had a 5-TD game in the playoffs this year. He had four rushing scores in another game. He also returned two pooch kickoffs for scores in a game this year, too.
- That young man is about to play linebacker, set the edge and get the quarterback. That’s quite a skill set for the fourth player from the left in that photo standing in the back.
- 11) The ‘Dawg to Johnson’s right is All-American LB Chris Cole. He’s one of several Bulldogs that will stay in South Florida after the Orange Bowl to play in the Under Armour All-American Game. He’s a top-50 overall prospect at LB and a former safety. He also put on 30-plus pounds for his senior year and shined at a new position. Cole is a safety convert. Smart even told Cole on a visit the ‘Dawgs don’t have a player who can do all the things he can. Not at his size and speed. Cole was a top national hurdler this past spring. He still flashes a lot of safety-level skills when dropped into coverage.
- 12) There is also the bright beaming smile on the face of Sacovie White. That young man has lived the life. I don’t think a jackhammer could knock the smile off his face given the trajectory of where his life is now heading. When White’s jersey becomes one of the most popular on this roster in a couple of years, I won’t be the least bit surprised. He had a great rep at practice on Wednesday against All-American safety Malaki Starks. Not too shabby for an undersized receiver out of Cass High in Northwest Georgia.
- 13) The last new ‘Dawg I want to mention is 4-star CB Demello Jones. He’s got his arm draped over Smart and he’s always smiling. Not just for pictures. Not just for this picture. It feels like the only time he’s not smiling is in the seconds before and during a play in games.
- There’s something about those ‘Dawgs that are south of Macon. It has always been that way with that GA red clay. There’s just something about it. (Swainsboro is closer to Augusta than Macon, but that high school is covered by both the Augusta and the Savannah markets. That’s always been South Georgia enough for me.) Jones is a top 75 overall national recruit and is rated as the No. 5 safety. That said, he’s going to be a cornerback early at UGA. The way the recruiting services have him rated shows his versatility. He scored two rushing touchdowns, caught a passing touchdown and had a Pick-6 in the Class 1A state championship game this year. That was a great game, but it was far from the best game of his career. That one might not even crack the top four for Jones.
These are some big dudes. It is a big class in numbers and on the height chart. There are 10 Bulldogs in that photo that are already taller than the 6-foot-3 mark. Georgia has 18 new signees at least that tall in this class.
There is a lot to process in that picture. The young men in that photo will continue to make Georgia better. They are all great and talented football players, but there’s something more to that for each of them.
They are not going to play football all their lives and they also have the potential of being more than just a “DGD” when their time in the game is up. That’s what makes these highly-rated signing classes different in Athens these days.
SENTELL’S INTEL
(check on the recent reads on Georgia football recruiting)