Brandon Smith (CB) announced his commitment to Georgia during ESPN's telecast of the Under Armour All-American Game. Smith is one of the most important in-state recruits for the Bulldogs this season. Truly elite players at positions of extreme need have to stay in state for us to move up as a program. This commitment is a very big deal.- DawgPost commitment announcement
- UGASports commitment announcement
- Scout.com profile
- Rivals.com profile
Rivals has Smith as the #4 rated CB with 5 stars. His other offers were from...well...everyone on the planet. To me, that's what matters most. Are you recruiting kids that folks above you in the pecking order want?
Several reporters have asked him about Rodney Garner's possible departure from UGA, and it doesn't seem that it will matter to him.
In my non-expert opinion, the two biggest fish left out there are Marlon Brown (WR from Memphis) and Bobbie Massie (OT at Hargrave). From what I've read, I like our chances with Marlon more than Massie.
PWD
25 comments:
Biggest defensive commitment since Reshad Jones.
Only the 8th Rivals 5-star recruit for Georgia (Rivals first started ranking recruits with the 2002 class).
The other 7 were:
Matthew Stafford
A. J. Green
Kregg Lumpkin
Paul Oliver
Brandon Miller
Reshad Jones
Richard Samuel
So if history is a decent indicator, he'll at worst be a solid, multi-year contributor and at best one of the best UGA has ever had at the position. Sounds good to me.
I wouldn't be the the least bit surprised if Richard Samuel takes the starting job next season from Caleb King at the RB position...
If I remember correctly Samuel is averaging more yards per carry then King, just not sure how much they avg.
Kris,
Most schools look at big, fast physical players who relish contact, were elite HS linebackers and fumble / bobble the ball constantly and say...
"That's a linebacker"
Neither King or Samuel impressed me much at all this year. If Samuel keeps fumbling, he'll be on the bench anyway. (See Exhibit A: The Bowl)
Why not move him to LB now and save the splinters? Nobody asked me though.
PWD
PWD -- I could not agree more with your opinion of Samuel at RB...for his sake and for the team, he needs to get to LB in Spring and move on with his career.
The RB job is King's to lose next year. I just hope that someone from the Jackson/Samuel/Thomas/Ealey group pushes him.
As far as Smith goes, hopefully this means no more Logan Grey on PR.
Washaun Ealey (Recruit for 2009 - RB) looks pretty impressive...
ESPN has a highlight video from his HS play...
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/tracker/player?recruitId=56832&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf%2frecruiting%2ftracker%2fplayer%3frecruitId%3d56832
Maybe he can take Caleb Kings spot?
Is it just me or does Caleb King not look to built like an SEC RB? He is so tall and skinny, I just don't see how he'll hold up as a starter.
If King doesn't step up and Samuel doesn't hold on to the ball, who do we rely on?
We then rely on Matthew Stafford/Aaron Murray/Joe Cox/Logan Gray to get AJ Green & Michael Moore the ball
Hopefully we can add Marlon Brown to that equation. That kid is a stud. He and Debose(UF commit) really impressed me tonight.
Murray/Mettenburger, Ealey, and Brown sounds like a heck of a trio for the future!
BCS Sucks,
You forgot Mudcat.
I was impressed with Greg Reid and Branden Smith. Reid seems to have changed his mind about the Land of Jorts. He's a little under-sized, but made up for it with relentless pressure.
Marlon Brown would make a great Bulldog.
It seemed like every time I saw him on the sideline after someone else made a big play or scored, he was right there to congratulate them and pat them on the back.
That really impressed me.
That, and his blazing gazelle-like speed on that long TD catch.
AJ, Michael Moore and Marlon Brown would be a killer spread.
Nobody noticed that his name is Branden not Brandon?
Has anyone watched Branden Smith's highlight videos 1 & 2 on UGAsports.com?
Amazing.
(sorry for plugging another site...that was not my intention.)
PWD says "Are you recruiting kids that folks above you in the pecking order want?"
What programs are above us on the pecking order?
The way I see it, UGA can go toe to toe with every program in the nation in just about every category except for a recent national title. Academics, facilities, NFL production, college town/atmosphere, coaches, fan base/support are all categories I see UGA being able to compete with any program with.
Tell me if I'm wrong PWD.
You answered your own question.
Florida is above us in the pecking order. Isn't that obvious?
You can argue for about 10 programs being above us in the pecking order including but not limited to:
Texas
Oklahoma
Southern Cal
Ohio State
Florida
LSU (2 MNCs in the past 5 years)
I definitely think we took a hit in terms of public perception this season. PWD's right about that.
Whoever wins the King-Samuel position battle will be the one that pass blocks the best. I think we've seen by now how important that is to Richt. I think Easley looks good to, but it's a lot to ask mentally for a true freshman to understand the protection schemes, especially when he's probably never blocked before in his life. The good news is, whoever is back there will be running behind the best line we've had since 2002.
I thought UGA was only going to have 14-15 available scholarships this year. I know we're still waiting on Stafford's and Knowshon's decisions, but that still only gives 16 or 17 (I forget the exact number). How are we able to sign more players?
PWD,
True about Mudcat, but I wasn't counting JUCO/Prep school 5-stars (which Elmore was in '02). (Those end up being a lot sketchier than true 5-star high school recruits, imho.)
"I definitely think we took a hit in terms of public perception this season."
Then LSU should have taken a billion hits.
They did, before they rebounded to whip a VERY good nats team.
Anon at 9:33-
We have 17 available scholarships assuming no attrition (81 current scholarship players, which is 4 below the maximum of 85, plus 13 graduating seniors). However, usually 1-2 recruits will not qualify and we should have some attrition from players leaving early for the draft, transferring, and/or hanging up the cleats. We will plan accordingly and most likely try to sign 21-22 players on NSD.
Anon 9:33
That 14-15 figure is old. It was valid before UGA lost some players. I don't have the list in front of me, but they dismissed a few players. Michael Lemon comes to mind, but there were others. They also had one offensive lineman quit the team. If you add in the possible losses of Stafford, Moreno, and Allen, the number of available scholarships goes over 20.
I think USC and Florida have to top the list. When the USC 4 year backup leads his NFL team to a 11-5 record, that is a heckuva recruiting angle!
USC has a beach and a wealthy student body and you could hang with TV,record and movie stars.
Austin is also a great college town. I do not see Gainesville as being a great college town, but I gotta think the aura of The Swamp is pretty awesome.
Never been to Norman.
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