Georgia Making Noise for Highly Touted Prospects
• When he left junior day in Athens in late February, 2016 McEachern defensive tackle Georgia at the top his interest list.
A month later, the Bulldogs are maintaining that position, and others have gone quiet.
"I don't think anyone has taken the spot. I think Georgia scared them off or something," Rochester said. "I really took a break from recruiting. I had gained some weight but really have trimmed it down, went from 300 pounds to 325 pounds of muscle, so I really had to go handle some things, like getting my footwork right and getting my speed up. My main goal this year was to get faster off the ball. I already got the bull-rush down. It's all about that speed work. Speed work is what I've preached this off-season."
Heading into the spring and summer, it looks to be Georgia and Auburn as the two schools up-front for the five-star defender. He will take several other visits over next couple of months.
UGASports Columnist Trent Smallwood's take:[/B]
Coming into his latest visit to Georgia, the Bulldogs were not talked about much among Rochester's favorite schools. That changed when he came to Athens, listing them as number one. Even though Georgia is the leader, this will be a battle to the end for the McEachern prospect. One thing working in Georgia's favorite is the relationship he has with some other high profile commits in the state that are currently leaning towards the Bulldogs. If some of those prospects commit, it could make the University of Georgia that much more enticing.
[/I]
• Class of 2016 defensive back Marlon Character (Atlanta/Grady) has long had a decision on his mind, but his recruiting landscape of late has changed rapidly, save one team.
"Out of the original three of TCU. As for Alabama, I haven't really been talking them either, but I've touched base with recruiters and stuff."
Georgia's Jeremy Pruitt has made the four-star defender a priority, and he's not the only one on the Bulldogs staff reaching out on a consistent basis.
Their message is apparently striking quite the chord.
"I've been talking with Coach Richt and Coach McClendon, as well. I talk to them almost everyday," Character said. "I think they see me fitting in more at cornerback, I'm pretty sure. They've got Coach McClendon, and he's told me I'm one of their biggest prospects they're looking at. They've really been trying to get me to commit, and I was actually thinking about it before this call."
Trent Smallwood's take:[/B]
Character was originally going to announce his decision shortly after New Years, but since then it has changed. He wanted to take some more visits to make sure he was making the right decision before announcing. Georgia is sitting in very good position right now as they have made him a priority in this class. Going into the spring and summer months, the Bulldogs have all the momentum here.
[/I]
• It's not everyday one gets to take in a college practice and see the inner workings of a program, but 2016 Peachtree Ridge defensive back Chad Clay got to do just that last Tuesday, spending the afternoon in Athens.
"I actually got a chance to go up there and see a practice, and it was a good experience," Clay said. "It was my first time going to a college practice. I had a good time and really enjoyed it. It's a lot different from high school practices."
The three-star cornerback, who's been speculated to be a Bulldog lean of late, feels coaches went out of their way to include him in the day.
"They were kind of treating me like I'm already playing there," Clay said. "Watching practice, they were making sure I was close to all the drills and seeing everything that was going on. They treated me like I was already there. They pretty much see me playing cornerback and a little star position, like the nickleback."
Trent Smallwood's take:[/B]
Peachtree Ridge defensive back Chad Clay has had Georgia as his number one school besides a short stint where he listed LSU the favorite. Since then, the Bulldogs have regained the lead and right now it's not close. He told UGASports that he was looking at an April announcement, and if that happens, I expect it to be the Georgia Bulldogs.
[/I]
• Four-star defensive back Nigel Warrior (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) not only has one of the best names in the Class of 2016, he also has close to 30 offers from programs all across the nation. Of course the in-state Bulldogs are among the schools making the Rivals100 recruit a priority.
"I hear from Coach (Mark) Richt, Coach (Jeremy) Pruitt, Coach (Olten) Downs, and Coach (Jonas) Jennings," Warrior said. "It's mostly everybody on the staff."
Georgia is offering a thorough pursuit, and a recent hire has helped create a connection to the 6-foot safety.
"With Georgia, I talk to them probably two or three times a week since they got the new coach from Creekside, Coach Downs. My cousin went to Creekside, so I got to know Coach Downs before he went to Georgia. I talk to him a lot, too."
Trent Smallwood's take:[/B]
Georgia has been a school talked about for Warrior for quiet sometime. Tennessee and Alabama are two schools that are also going to be in the mix until Warrior makes his announcement. Georgia has a chance here and will be in the mix to the end, but it is going to be a tough pull fighting off the legacy school Tennessee and the team with all the momentum Alabama in the end.
[/I]• Stanford Samuels Knows exactly what everyone expects him to do.
The four-star 2017 prospect is aware that most think he'll follow his father's footsteps to Florida State. He's not going out of his way to strongly refute the train of thought, either. His talking point, at least currently, is simply that it isn't as much of a forgone conclusion as most assume.
According to Samuels, Florida State already has company at the top of his recruitment. Georgia joins the Seminoles on his short list of frontrunners.
"I love the family atmosphere of all the coaches and the coaching staff at Georgia," Samuels said. "It's just, you feel at home. Whenever I'm around those guys, I feel like I'm at home. I love that feeling."
Trent Smallwood's take:[/B]
Georgia got on Samuels early and has been in the top two since the start. Pruitt has done a nice job here asserting himself and making the Bulldogs a factor. The longer it goes, the more momentum Florida State will gain. I fully expect him to be a Seminole in the end, but the fact that Georgia is in the top two says a lot about the recruiting efforts by the Bulldogs. [/I]_____________________________________________________________________________
Dawgs Send out New Offers[/B]
• Thursday's practice was about more than getting the team ready for the fall, as the Bulldogs also used the opportunity to extend an offer to 2016 North Gwinnett wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe.
"We got there around 4:30, and they took me out to the practice field," Imatorbhebhe said. "We walked around a little bit, watching the different positions doing their drills and pass skeleton, 7-on-7, and they did 11-on-11 and did whole team. After practice, Coach [Mark] Richt just gave the state of the team and addressed to them on what they needed to work on and everything. Herschel Walker was there and he gave a speech to the team, as well. As soon as practice concluded, Coach Richt himself, in the middle of the field when all the hype had died down and all the reporters had left and all the coaches had left because it was a coaches clinic, he said 'Yeah, just wanted to let you know thank you for coming out here, and I want to let you know you have an offer from us, the Georgia Bulldogs.' I was really happy about that. It was pretty cool. I already knew it was going to come, because they really wanted me to come. They told my coach to come up there, so I had a feeling it was coming. When he offered me I wasn't even surprised, but it just validated my thought."
But did the delay hurt the chances of the Bulldogs landing the four-star receiver?
"I wouldn't say they waited too long," Imatorbhebhe said. "I mean, if it would have come sooner, they would have stood a little bit better chance, but they beat the deadline. It's not like they are all the way out west, and it's hard to communicate with them and hard to see the campus and everything. Yeah, they offered a little late, but I guess they have some grace. They are close, they have close proximity, and my parents want to see more of them. We could go up there, and it's not be a big issue. It's not like they are out of the race completely, but they've got some catching up to do, I would say. They are still a school I would consider, though."
• Thomas Brown just returned to Georgia last month as an assistant coach, and the former Bulldogs star has wasted no time in getting to work on the recruiting trail. Brown spent quite a bit of time recruiting in the mid-Atlantic region during his stint at Wisconsin and hopes to continue to use those relationships to help him get players to Georgia.
On Friday afternoon, Brown put out an offer to outside linebacker Josh Kaindoh (Baltimore, Maryland/Our Lady of Mt. Carmel).
"They called my coach yesterday and left a voicemail, so my coach called them back today," Kaindoh told UGASports. "I talked to Coach Thomas Brown and he just happened to extend an offer to me."
The Bulldogs certainly have the Class of 2017 prospect's attention after today.
"It's a school I'll definitely consider," Kaindoh said. "He tells me that they have a good combination of academics and football. I think they are a pretty good team. That's the first time I talked to them. I don't know a lot about them just yet."
• In the past, Georgia's coaching staff hasn't put a lot of focus on recruiting the state of Texas, but that appears to be changing. The coaches have offered a number of prospects from the Lone Star State recently, including one on Wednesday to freshman defensive end Max Wright (Katy, Texas/Taylor).
Wright's coaches connected with the Georgia staff to make it happen.
"My coaches were at Georgia for a coaching clinic and the coaches asked if they knew of any guys they should be recruiting," Wright said. "My coach gave them some video of me and then it just happened. They communicated with me through my coach. He told me today Georgia offered. He said the defensive coordinator watched my film and liked me. I haven't talked to their coaches yet."
Georgia is the first to offer Wright but the Bulldogs won't be the last as the 6-foot-3, 230-pound defender is already garnering interest from Michigan.
The offer will help but Wright is already somewhat familiar with the Bulldogs.
"They are a strong program from what I have watched," Wright said. "They are always one of the top three or four SEC schools. They always have a strong defense. Their running backs are awesome. I've always kind of liked Georgia. One of my good friends is obsessed with Georgia. He's nudging me to go there."
• Top football recruits have been showing up in Athens every day as of late, and that trend continued on Wednesday afternoon when sophomore offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (Atlanta/Pace Academy) and some teammates made the short trip up to see what Georgia has to offer.
Despite not having the chance to take in a practice, Thomas received some good news while on campus.
"I got to meet with the offensive line coach Mark Richt," Thomas said. "I didn't get to meet the offensive coordinator. Coach Richt and Coach Sale told me I have an offer. They were just telling me to keep working. They like my size and my footwork."
This wasn't the first time the Georgia native has been in Athens.
"This was my second time up there," Thomas said. "I went to a camp there last year. I like Georgia so far. I didn't get to see the dorms or anything, but the football facilities are pretty nice. They have been pretty good there under Coach Richt."
• At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, Mary Persons defensive end Malik Herring looks like anything but a sophomore in high school, and that frame has more than a few schools interested, including the Bulldogs.
Herring picked up his Georgia offer during the late February junior day, and he left Athens impressed.
"It was a great experience," Herring said of the visit. "The campus looked great, the dorms looked great, and the coaches were great. It was a normal visit to Georgia. I got to talk to Coach [Tracy] Rocker a lot. Coach [John] Lilly walked around with me and introduced me to the defensive coaches. What I liked most was that the academic center was right by the field house. Everything is a skip and a hop. All I've got to do is get my work done and head on over to practice."
Though he spent time with several coaches, the news of his scholarship offer came straight from top of the program.
"Coach [Mark] Richt let me know," Herring said. "He sees me in their defensive line. He thinks I'd be a great fit for the team, and he was just a great guy. I love the way he acts."
______________________________________________________________________________
Georgia Commits and Targets at Rivals Camp Series[/B]
• Georgia offensive lineman commit Aaron Dowdell had a coming out party in the one-on-one portion of Saturday's Rivals Camp in Atlanta. In fact he was named the camp's No. 4 overall performer. Part of that recognition was earned as he faced some of the nation's best defensive linemen and beat them. But he wasn't the only one trying to earn a ticket to the Rivals 5-Star Challenge in Baltimore, as there were over 100 players with offers in attendance. Many of the offensive linemen and defensive linemen in these clips have offers.
VIDEO FROM CAMP OF DOWDELL
• Georgia defensive end commit Chauncey Manac took a while to get started in the one-on-one portion of Saturday's Rivals Camp in Atlanta. But once he joined in, Manac looked very impressive as you can see in this free video. There were literally tons of top linemen going after MVP honors and a trip to the Rivals 5-Star Challenge in Baltimore at the camp.
VIDEO FROM CAMP OF MANAC
• UGASports was on hand for the Atlanta stop of the Rivals Camp series and got the chance to see some of the best offensive and defensive line matchups in the nation, as a star-studded field went one-on-one.
Multiple prospects with Georgia offers went toe-to-toe, as did a pair of Bulldog commits, and we have their work on display.
OL VS DL CAMP FILM
_______________________________________________________________
Quick Notes from Junior Day[/B]
UGASports Recruiting Analyst Jake Reuse spoke to several prospects following Saturday's activities, though none were as high profile as last go round.
2017 Aquinas WR Justin Gibbs spent time with coaches and really enjoyed the atmosphere. He says he's hoping to pick up an offer and would likely commit if the Bulldogs were to extend. Mississippi State has already done so.
Owen Pappoe may be a 2019 prospect, but, physically, he looks like a young Roquan Smith. He rated the visit a 10 and hopes to be out to see the Bulldogs again soon.
Lanier's Juwuan Jones has picked up interest from Florida, Tennessee, and Nebraska among others, and he said he feels the Bulldogs may be close to offering.
2017 Creekside ATH DJ Brown said he enjoyed the trip, spent time with Pruitt and also with his former coach Olten Downs.
One guy who caught my eye in particular was Jonathan Smith of Laurinburg, North Carolina. The two-star linebacker holds over a dozen offers already, and his build makes it easy to see why. He was decked in Georgia gear, said he believes an offer is close, and plans to return this summer for Dawg Night.
A couple of takeaways from the interviews:Guys spoke very highly of Georgia's work in the weight room. It was described as intense several times, but many of the guys I talked to said it was the standout of the entire day. The Bulldogs even put the guys through their paces, having them do a little workout, as well. Needless to say, the strength and conditioning staff is doing their part to assist in the recruiting process.Smith referred to Georgia's work on defense during the scrimmage as "crisp". He mentioned that the changeover in coaching was noticeable on the offensive side of the ball, causing a few hiccups, but he was impressed with their work on his side of the ball.Another common theme amongst prospects was Georgia's variable defense, which is to say that Pruitt and staff seemed to be hammering home the fact that they are not married to a particular set, whether that be 3-4, 4-3, etc. They said the time spent in the film room and conversations with coaches reinforced their willingness to explore packages that would accommodate a host of various defensive players and sets. Guys seemed to really enjoy that notion, as it gave everyone a glimmer of hope that they could fit in somewhere.
• When he left junior day in Athens in late February, 2016 McEachern defensive tackle Georgia at the top his interest list.
A month later, the Bulldogs are maintaining that position, and others have gone quiet.
"I don't think anyone has taken the spot. I think Georgia scared them off or something," Rochester said. "I really took a break from recruiting. I had gained some weight but really have trimmed it down, went from 300 pounds to 325 pounds of muscle, so I really had to go handle some things, like getting my footwork right and getting my speed up. My main goal this year was to get faster off the ball. I already got the bull-rush down. It's all about that speed work. Speed work is what I've preached this off-season."
Heading into the spring and summer, it looks to be Georgia and Auburn as the two schools up-front for the five-star defender. He will take several other visits over next couple of months.
UGASports Columnist Trent Smallwood's take:[/B]
Coming into his latest visit to Georgia, the Bulldogs were not talked about much among Rochester's favorite schools. That changed when he came to Athens, listing them as number one. Even though Georgia is the leader, this will be a battle to the end for the McEachern prospect. One thing working in Georgia's favorite is the relationship he has with some other high profile commits in the state that are currently leaning towards the Bulldogs. If some of those prospects commit, it could make the University of Georgia that much more enticing.
[/I]
• Class of 2016 defensive back Marlon Character (Atlanta/Grady) has long had a decision on his mind, but his recruiting landscape of late has changed rapidly, save one team.
"Out of the original three of TCU. As for Alabama, I haven't really been talking them either, but I've touched base with recruiters and stuff."
Georgia's Jeremy Pruitt has made the four-star defender a priority, and he's not the only one on the Bulldogs staff reaching out on a consistent basis.
Their message is apparently striking quite the chord.
"I've been talking with Coach Richt and Coach McClendon, as well. I talk to them almost everyday," Character said. "I think they see me fitting in more at cornerback, I'm pretty sure. They've got Coach McClendon, and he's told me I'm one of their biggest prospects they're looking at. They've really been trying to get me to commit, and I was actually thinking about it before this call."
Trent Smallwood's take:[/B]
Character was originally going to announce his decision shortly after New Years, but since then it has changed. He wanted to take some more visits to make sure he was making the right decision before announcing. Georgia is sitting in very good position right now as they have made him a priority in this class. Going into the spring and summer months, the Bulldogs have all the momentum here.
[/I]
• It's not everyday one gets to take in a college practice and see the inner workings of a program, but 2016 Peachtree Ridge defensive back Chad Clay got to do just that last Tuesday, spending the afternoon in Athens.
"I actually got a chance to go up there and see a practice, and it was a good experience," Clay said. "It was my first time going to a college practice. I had a good time and really enjoyed it. It's a lot different from high school practices."
The three-star cornerback, who's been speculated to be a Bulldog lean of late, feels coaches went out of their way to include him in the day.
"They were kind of treating me like I'm already playing there," Clay said. "Watching practice, they were making sure I was close to all the drills and seeing everything that was going on. They treated me like I was already there. They pretty much see me playing cornerback and a little star position, like the nickleback."
Trent Smallwood's take:[/B]
Peachtree Ridge defensive back Chad Clay has had Georgia as his number one school besides a short stint where he listed LSU the favorite. Since then, the Bulldogs have regained the lead and right now it's not close. He told UGASports that he was looking at an April announcement, and if that happens, I expect it to be the Georgia Bulldogs.
[/I]
• Four-star defensive back Nigel Warrior (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) not only has one of the best names in the Class of 2016, he also has close to 30 offers from programs all across the nation. Of course the in-state Bulldogs are among the schools making the Rivals100 recruit a priority.
"I hear from Coach (Mark) Richt, Coach (Jeremy) Pruitt, Coach (Olten) Downs, and Coach (Jonas) Jennings," Warrior said. "It's mostly everybody on the staff."
Georgia is offering a thorough pursuit, and a recent hire has helped create a connection to the 6-foot safety.
"With Georgia, I talk to them probably two or three times a week since they got the new coach from Creekside, Coach Downs. My cousin went to Creekside, so I got to know Coach Downs before he went to Georgia. I talk to him a lot, too."
Trent Smallwood's take:[/B]
Georgia has been a school talked about for Warrior for quiet sometime. Tennessee and Alabama are two schools that are also going to be in the mix until Warrior makes his announcement. Georgia has a chance here and will be in the mix to the end, but it is going to be a tough pull fighting off the legacy school Tennessee and the team with all the momentum Alabama in the end.
[/I]• Stanford Samuels Knows exactly what everyone expects him to do.
The four-star 2017 prospect is aware that most think he'll follow his father's footsteps to Florida State. He's not going out of his way to strongly refute the train of thought, either. His talking point, at least currently, is simply that it isn't as much of a forgone conclusion as most assume.
According to Samuels, Florida State already has company at the top of his recruitment. Georgia joins the Seminoles on his short list of frontrunners.
"I love the family atmosphere of all the coaches and the coaching staff at Georgia," Samuels said. "It's just, you feel at home. Whenever I'm around those guys, I feel like I'm at home. I love that feeling."
Trent Smallwood's take:[/B]
Georgia got on Samuels early and has been in the top two since the start. Pruitt has done a nice job here asserting himself and making the Bulldogs a factor. The longer it goes, the more momentum Florida State will gain. I fully expect him to be a Seminole in the end, but the fact that Georgia is in the top two says a lot about the recruiting efforts by the Bulldogs. [/I]_____________________________________________________________________________
Dawgs Send out New Offers[/B]
• Thursday's practice was about more than getting the team ready for the fall, as the Bulldogs also used the opportunity to extend an offer to 2016 North Gwinnett wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe.
"We got there around 4:30, and they took me out to the practice field," Imatorbhebhe said. "We walked around a little bit, watching the different positions doing their drills and pass skeleton, 7-on-7, and they did 11-on-11 and did whole team. After practice, Coach [Mark] Richt just gave the state of the team and addressed to them on what they needed to work on and everything. Herschel Walker was there and he gave a speech to the team, as well. As soon as practice concluded, Coach Richt himself, in the middle of the field when all the hype had died down and all the reporters had left and all the coaches had left because it was a coaches clinic, he said 'Yeah, just wanted to let you know thank you for coming out here, and I want to let you know you have an offer from us, the Georgia Bulldogs.' I was really happy about that. It was pretty cool. I already knew it was going to come, because they really wanted me to come. They told my coach to come up there, so I had a feeling it was coming. When he offered me I wasn't even surprised, but it just validated my thought."
But did the delay hurt the chances of the Bulldogs landing the four-star receiver?
"I wouldn't say they waited too long," Imatorbhebhe said. "I mean, if it would have come sooner, they would have stood a little bit better chance, but they beat the deadline. It's not like they are all the way out west, and it's hard to communicate with them and hard to see the campus and everything. Yeah, they offered a little late, but I guess they have some grace. They are close, they have close proximity, and my parents want to see more of them. We could go up there, and it's not be a big issue. It's not like they are out of the race completely, but they've got some catching up to do, I would say. They are still a school I would consider, though."
• Thomas Brown just returned to Georgia last month as an assistant coach, and the former Bulldogs star has wasted no time in getting to work on the recruiting trail. Brown spent quite a bit of time recruiting in the mid-Atlantic region during his stint at Wisconsin and hopes to continue to use those relationships to help him get players to Georgia.
On Friday afternoon, Brown put out an offer to outside linebacker Josh Kaindoh (Baltimore, Maryland/Our Lady of Mt. Carmel).
"They called my coach yesterday and left a voicemail, so my coach called them back today," Kaindoh told UGASports. "I talked to Coach Thomas Brown and he just happened to extend an offer to me."
The Bulldogs certainly have the Class of 2017 prospect's attention after today.
"It's a school I'll definitely consider," Kaindoh said. "He tells me that they have a good combination of academics and football. I think they are a pretty good team. That's the first time I talked to them. I don't know a lot about them just yet."
• In the past, Georgia's coaching staff hasn't put a lot of focus on recruiting the state of Texas, but that appears to be changing. The coaches have offered a number of prospects from the Lone Star State recently, including one on Wednesday to freshman defensive end Max Wright (Katy, Texas/Taylor).
Wright's coaches connected with the Georgia staff to make it happen.
"My coaches were at Georgia for a coaching clinic and the coaches asked if they knew of any guys they should be recruiting," Wright said. "My coach gave them some video of me and then it just happened. They communicated with me through my coach. He told me today Georgia offered. He said the defensive coordinator watched my film and liked me. I haven't talked to their coaches yet."
Georgia is the first to offer Wright but the Bulldogs won't be the last as the 6-foot-3, 230-pound defender is already garnering interest from Michigan.
The offer will help but Wright is already somewhat familiar with the Bulldogs.
"They are a strong program from what I have watched," Wright said. "They are always one of the top three or four SEC schools. They always have a strong defense. Their running backs are awesome. I've always kind of liked Georgia. One of my good friends is obsessed with Georgia. He's nudging me to go there."
• Top football recruits have been showing up in Athens every day as of late, and that trend continued on Wednesday afternoon when sophomore offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (Atlanta/Pace Academy) and some teammates made the short trip up to see what Georgia has to offer.
Despite not having the chance to take in a practice, Thomas received some good news while on campus.
"I got to meet with the offensive line coach Mark Richt," Thomas said. "I didn't get to meet the offensive coordinator. Coach Richt and Coach Sale told me I have an offer. They were just telling me to keep working. They like my size and my footwork."
This wasn't the first time the Georgia native has been in Athens.
"This was my second time up there," Thomas said. "I went to a camp there last year. I like Georgia so far. I didn't get to see the dorms or anything, but the football facilities are pretty nice. They have been pretty good there under Coach Richt."
• At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, Mary Persons defensive end Malik Herring looks like anything but a sophomore in high school, and that frame has more than a few schools interested, including the Bulldogs.
Herring picked up his Georgia offer during the late February junior day, and he left Athens impressed.
"It was a great experience," Herring said of the visit. "The campus looked great, the dorms looked great, and the coaches were great. It was a normal visit to Georgia. I got to talk to Coach [Tracy] Rocker a lot. Coach [John] Lilly walked around with me and introduced me to the defensive coaches. What I liked most was that the academic center was right by the field house. Everything is a skip and a hop. All I've got to do is get my work done and head on over to practice."
Though he spent time with several coaches, the news of his scholarship offer came straight from top of the program.
"Coach [Mark] Richt let me know," Herring said. "He sees me in their defensive line. He thinks I'd be a great fit for the team, and he was just a great guy. I love the way he acts."
______________________________________________________________________________
Georgia Commits and Targets at Rivals Camp Series[/B]
• Georgia offensive lineman commit Aaron Dowdell had a coming out party in the one-on-one portion of Saturday's Rivals Camp in Atlanta. In fact he was named the camp's No. 4 overall performer. Part of that recognition was earned as he faced some of the nation's best defensive linemen and beat them. But he wasn't the only one trying to earn a ticket to the Rivals 5-Star Challenge in Baltimore, as there were over 100 players with offers in attendance. Many of the offensive linemen and defensive linemen in these clips have offers.
VIDEO FROM CAMP OF DOWDELL
• Georgia defensive end commit Chauncey Manac took a while to get started in the one-on-one portion of Saturday's Rivals Camp in Atlanta. But once he joined in, Manac looked very impressive as you can see in this free video. There were literally tons of top linemen going after MVP honors and a trip to the Rivals 5-Star Challenge in Baltimore at the camp.
VIDEO FROM CAMP OF MANAC
• UGASports was on hand for the Atlanta stop of the Rivals Camp series and got the chance to see some of the best offensive and defensive line matchups in the nation, as a star-studded field went one-on-one.
Multiple prospects with Georgia offers went toe-to-toe, as did a pair of Bulldog commits, and we have their work on display.
OL VS DL CAMP FILM
_______________________________________________________________
Quick Notes from Junior Day[/B]
UGASports Recruiting Analyst Jake Reuse spoke to several prospects following Saturday's activities, though none were as high profile as last go round.
2017 Aquinas WR Justin Gibbs spent time with coaches and really enjoyed the atmosphere. He says he's hoping to pick up an offer and would likely commit if the Bulldogs were to extend. Mississippi State has already done so.
Owen Pappoe may be a 2019 prospect, but, physically, he looks like a young Roquan Smith. He rated the visit a 10 and hopes to be out to see the Bulldogs again soon.
Lanier's Juwuan Jones has picked up interest from Florida, Tennessee, and Nebraska among others, and he said he feels the Bulldogs may be close to offering.
2017 Creekside ATH DJ Brown said he enjoyed the trip, spent time with Pruitt and also with his former coach Olten Downs.
One guy who caught my eye in particular was Jonathan Smith of Laurinburg, North Carolina. The two-star linebacker holds over a dozen offers already, and his build makes it easy to see why. He was decked in Georgia gear, said he believes an offer is close, and plans to return this summer for Dawg Night.
A couple of takeaways from the interviews:Guys spoke very highly of Georgia's work in the weight room. It was described as intense several times, but many of the guys I talked to said it was the standout of the entire day. The Bulldogs even put the guys through their paces, having them do a little workout, as well. Needless to say, the strength and conditioning staff is doing their part to assist in the recruiting process.Smith referred to Georgia's work on defense during the scrimmage as "crisp". He mentioned that the changeover in coaching was noticeable on the offensive side of the ball, causing a few hiccups, but he was impressed with their work on his side of the ball.Another common theme amongst prospects was Georgia's variable defense, which is to say that Pruitt and staff seemed to be hammering home the fact that they are not married to a particular set, whether that be 3-4, 4-3, etc. They said the time spent in the film room and conversations with coaches reinforced their willingness to explore packages that would accommodate a host of various defensive players and sets. Guys seemed to really enjoy that notion, as it gave everyone a glimmer of hope that they could fit in somewhere.
