INSIDER'S REPORT
Rivals100 D-End Would Like to Visit
It still seems like a long shot for Georgia when talking about signing Sam Montgomery, but he appears to still be interested in the Dawgs on some level.
In my opinion, Georgia doesn’t really have a chance as of today, but the number three defensive end in the country says he would like to see what Athens is like.
Montgomery said, “I still have not been to Georgia, but I want to visit them. I have not had a ride yet, but I might get one for the Georgia Tech game.”
South Carolina has made a move on Montgomery and could be the team to beat.
Dawgs Could be Looking North for Big OT
Seantral Henderson is a big junior offensive tackle out of Minnesota that Georgia may be close to offering. Rivals.com National Analyst Barry Every was up in Minnesota recently checking on Henderson and word is Georgia is involved here.
The 6-foot-8, 310 pound tackle is open to schools across the country and is looking at many in the South. Georgia pulled one from Massachusetts this year, so could they pull one from Minnesota in 2010?
It does not seem likely at this time, but lets wait and see if Georgia offers and truly gets involved. He is definitely on the Bulldog radar.
Wooten is a Dawg
Rantavious Wooten is committed to the University of Georgia and I feel very confident in saying that he will sign with the Dawgs come February.
Wooten says he will not take anymore visits and that he is set on Georgia. Talking with his head coach Jesse Hester (former FSU receiver), he feels the same way.
“Rantavious is excited about Georgia and he knows he is going to a great place,” said Coach Hester. “He is looking forward to playing in Athens.”
Coach Hester went on to talk about the new Bulldog’s ability and him playing for his former coach.
“Wooten is an excellent ball player and an excellent receiver. He is different style than what Georgia is used to up there. He has exceptional quickness, great feet, and he can make a lot of guys miss.”
“He will be a great edition in the slot for Georgia and he will catch balls across the middle, underneath, or he can go deep. He is great with the ball in his hands.”
“Coach Eason coached me and I think he will do an excellent job of coaching Rantavious. Eason will really teach him the game, teach him the little things about being a receiver, and he will demand he knows how to block. Coach Eason is a great coach and he will make Rantavious a better receiver at Georgia.”
Wooten brings UGA a change of pace type of receiver and he will be fun to watch in Athens as he lines up inside of A.J. Green in the future.
Multiple UGA Targets Signing Late?
It was reported a few weeks ago that Marlon Brown may actually sign on February 5, one day after National Signing Day and he may not be the only prospect that the Dawgs are involved with to sign late.
It will not be as late as Terrell Pryor a year ago, but Kwame Geathers says he will likely sign after signing day as well.
Both Clifton and Robert signed with UGA out of high school days after the first Wednesday in February. Robert actually officially visited UGA after signing day, so Kwame plans to follow in the footsteps when it comes to signing.
Will he follow them to UGA or SC? Probably so… Look for Geathers to sign with the Bulldogs or Gamecocks. Three years ago, Kwame visited UGA with Clifton and he said that weekend that he wanted to be a Bulldog. We will see if that still stands early in February.
Could UGA Lead for Starling?
When down in Tallahassee recently, I had a chance to talk with a number of coaches, fans, parents, and supporters of Lincoln High School. We talked a lot about Jawanza Starling who is a major UGA target here in 2009.
Starling is one of the top safeties in the country and the Dawgs are going after him hard. The 6-foot-2, 195 ball hawk has over 40 scholarship offers and Georgia will likely get an official visit from him within the next three months.
Starling is still not doing interviews, but others that know him and his family said some good things about Georgia’s chances.
When talking to those that are close to Starling, most felt it was going to be a Georgia/Florida battle in the end, but that FSU and Notre Dame could not be ruled out.
His parents are really high on academics and I was told that his mother really liked the Notre Dame academic program. With that said, all said that Mark Richt has made a BIG impression on the Starlings and that the Dawgs are all but guaranteed an official visit.
Florida is the school Starling grew up following the most, but he has really kept up with UGA since Bryan Evans arrived. Coach Richt, David Perno (Starling wants to play baseball in college as well), his family in Georgia, and the opportunity to compete for early playing time help the Bulldogs.
At this time, it seems that Georgia is in at least his top five, but possibly could be on top. There is no time table for Starling concerning interviews, but he is expected to announce his decision at a press conference on Signing Day.
California 5-Star WR has Family in Georgia
Five-Star wide receiver Randall Carroll will be visiting Georgia officially the weekend of November 29. The playmaker is still considered a “soft” commitment to Southern Cal, but his interest in Georgia appears to be legit.
What has not been revealed yet is the fact that he has family in Atlanta, Georgia. His mother has family here and he visits the Peach State a couple of times a year. He has been following UGA for some time and he really likes the South.
Over the past few weeks, Carroll has been on the phone with Mike Bobo and Bryan McClendon. They have really gotten involved with the west coast athlete and his official visit is officially set for when the Dawgs host Georgia Tech.
In California, not a lot of UGA games are shown on T.V., but he goes online to watch highlights and he did finally get to watch UGA live last week when they defeated LSU. Carroll liked what he saw in the UGA offense and A.J. Green.
Georgia is recruiting him as a receiver and he says his interest in Georgia is high right now.
After Two Visits, One Could be Eliminated...
Two official visits are down for explosive athlete Branden Smith and Florida beats Tennessee. If it was down to two schools and based on official visits, then Smith would sign with Florida today.
He has let it be known that the Gators impressed him a lot more than the Vols. He enjoyed his time on each campus, but Gainesville was better than Knoxville.
Georgia will get the last official visit before Smith decides on January 4 at the Under-Armor All-American game in Orlando and they are still the team to beat overall, but Florida has moved ahead of Tennessee, so I consider Tennessee out of it at this time.
Jones is Feeling the Love from UGA
Georgia has turned it up another notch if possible on Jarvis Jones. The Bulldogs have been on Jones for months and they are calling weekly, emailing him daily, sending coaches to the school, and commitments are recruiting him too.
Jones saw both Coach Jancek and Coach Lilly two weeks ago in the school around lunch time. He then looked up that Friday night to see both coaches back at Carver on the sidelines at his game.
The 6-foot-3, 229 pound Rivals100 backer knows he is a high priority for Georgia and he is starting to show more and more interest in the Dawgs.
He talks about them differently, he talks about them more, and now he has been talking with Chris Burnette quite a bit as well.
He and Burnette talk about playing together at UGA, visiting there at the same time, and things like that on a regular basis. Other commits are in touch with Jones as well.
Just this week Jones eliminated Clemson and is now down to six. Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Texas, and USC are his finalists.
Georgia will likely get a visit the weekend of the GALA or in the middle of January from Jones. Right now, Georgia is very much in the picture and the home state Bulldogs appear to be growing on the talented Peach State athlete.
Oden Claims Offer
Hargrave OL Anthony Oden is claiming an offer from the University of Georgia. I have not been able to confirm the offer yet, but I have coaches at Hargrave checking into it.
Oden is definitely on the UGA radar and he is being recruited by the Dawgs, but is he truly being pursued is still a question.
Oden signed with Arkansas a year ago, he visited there this past weekend, and the Hogs are still the team to beat, but the 6-foot-8, 325 pound tackle says he would like to take a few more visits to make sure of his decision.
Georgia is a school he is interested in, so if UGA shows interest and truly offers him a scholarship, the Dawgs could become a contender for his signature.
Five-Star DT Plans to Visit
Williams Campbell says his coach has talked to Georgia and he plans to visit Georgia in December or January.
To his knowledge, no offer has been extended yet and UGA may not offer him until they get him on campus. Campbell’s coach handles most of his recruiting, so Campbell has yet to talk to a Georgia coach directly.
The 6-foot-5, 317 pound defensive tackle says he likes the way Georgia plays, he likes the SEC, and he has heard a lot of good things about the Bulldogs.
Campbell has visits set to Michigan, LSU, and Miami set at this time and he would like for Georgia to get one of his final two.
He has family in Atlanta and he says he is open to playing offensive or defensive tackle.
Is Charles Favoring UGA?
Could elite athlete Orson Charles be leaning to the University of Georgia? Some down in the Tampa area believe that he is.
Georgia has built a very strong relationship with Charles and the Dawgs are doing an excellent job recruiting the Rivals100 tight end.
Coach Lilly talks to Charles weekly and Georgia is really doing a great job respecting the way Charles is going through the recruiting process. He says he wants to focus on recruiting after the season, so some schools are allowing him to do that while some are still pressuring him now.
UGA is doing what the 6-foot-3, 225 pound athlete requested. When down in Tampa recently, I had the opportunity to talk with many that are close to Charles and each one felt Georgia was the team to beat.
Charles has been to Athens numerous times, he knows Lilly well, his close friend Aaron Murray is committed to the UGA, and he likes the way UGA would use him in Athens.
Miami is still a serious threat as are other schools, but Georgia is in a very good position right now. He would be a great compliment to both Fontaine at tight end and Wooten at wide receiver.
My Answers to YOUR Questions
Q - Going out on a limb, who do you think UGA's next commitment for 09 will be?
A - It seems like the next commitment is a ways away, but looking ahead and going off who will likely make their decision next off what I know at this time, my guess would be Branden Smith. UGA is the team to beat right now based off what I am hearing and I feel he could be the next prospect to commit to UGA as of tonight.
Q - You said recently that you spoke to Jawanza Starling 'off the record' recently before his last update. Any feel on where he's leaning? Any new news that you can divulge. I know he's difficult to contact, but I'd like to get your take on the situation if you don't mind......
A - I touched on Starling in this report and when I said, I talked to him off the record, it had nothing to do with football or recruiting. He is off limits there and I would not go against his or his family’s wishes. What I know at this time is just what others that know Starling say or tell me and that is what is posted above in this edition of Insider’s Report.
Q - With all the injuries to this years squad, what one player left(uncommitted) do you think UGA should put the full court press on?
A - It would be a toss up to be honest, but if I had to say one, I would say Branden Smith. Not that UGA has had a lot of injuries at corner, but just because of the impact he can make in a game. The group that the Dawgs are still after are all stellar recruits, so any of them would be huge, but Smith would be my choice for Georgia because of what he would bring to the team immediately.
Q - Do you think UGA will offer the big OT (Taylor Lewan) from Arizona, or are they just showing interest for now and waiting to see if they miss out with Massie?
A - It is hard to say, but I definitely think UGA has to offer more tackles than just Massie if they want to give themselves a good chance of landing another tackle in this class. I do feel UGA will be in it with Massie until the end, but he says he does not plan to commit until signing day. Lewan is a very good OT and if he gets his test score, then I feel the chances are high of Georgia offering him in a few weeks.
Q - Of the 6-8 prospects UGA is recruiting, who are the 2 or 3 UGA has the best shots at landing this year?
A - If I had to say two, then it would be Branden Smith and Orson Charles at this time, but they are right there for most of the others too.
Q - Will UGA finish strong or fade in recruiting the last few spots..... and why do you think?
A - I feel Georgia will close well this year. They will win some and lose some, but if things do not take a major change for the worse in the coming months, then UGA has a good chance of finishing strong in 2009. They have built excellent relationships with each prospect that is high on their board and they are in the top three or four for each at this time in my opinion.
Q - can you give us anything on Travon Reed? - if you know anything. How good of an athlete is he? and how good of a shot does UGA have?
A - I have yet to see him personally, but the people that have seen him live say he is Rivals100 caliber. He could play corner or receiver on the next level and he is very athletic. Looking at the clips on Rivals, he looks like a top receiver talent to me. I hope to see him live next spring.
Rivals100 D-End Would Like to Visit
It still seems like a long shot for Georgia when talking about signing Sam Montgomery, but he appears to still be interested in the Dawgs on some level.
In my opinion, Georgia doesn’t really have a chance as of today, but the number three defensive end in the country says he would like to see what Athens is like.
Montgomery said, “I still have not been to Georgia, but I want to visit them. I have not had a ride yet, but I might get one for the Georgia Tech game.”
South Carolina has made a move on Montgomery and could be the team to beat.
Dawgs Could be Looking North for Big OT
Seantral Henderson is a big junior offensive tackle out of Minnesota that Georgia may be close to offering. Rivals.com National Analyst Barry Every was up in Minnesota recently checking on Henderson and word is Georgia is involved here.
The 6-foot-8, 310 pound tackle is open to schools across the country and is looking at many in the South. Georgia pulled one from Massachusetts this year, so could they pull one from Minnesota in 2010?
It does not seem likely at this time, but lets wait and see if Georgia offers and truly gets involved. He is definitely on the Bulldog radar.
Wooten is a Dawg
Rantavious Wooten is committed to the University of Georgia and I feel very confident in saying that he will sign with the Dawgs come February.
Wooten says he will not take anymore visits and that he is set on Georgia. Talking with his head coach Jesse Hester (former FSU receiver), he feels the same way.
“Rantavious is excited about Georgia and he knows he is going to a great place,” said Coach Hester. “He is looking forward to playing in Athens.”
Coach Hester went on to talk about the new Bulldog’s ability and him playing for his former coach.
“Wooten is an excellent ball player and an excellent receiver. He is different style than what Georgia is used to up there. He has exceptional quickness, great feet, and he can make a lot of guys miss.”
“He will be a great edition in the slot for Georgia and he will catch balls across the middle, underneath, or he can go deep. He is great with the ball in his hands.”
“Coach Eason coached me and I think he will do an excellent job of coaching Rantavious. Eason will really teach him the game, teach him the little things about being a receiver, and he will demand he knows how to block. Coach Eason is a great coach and he will make Rantavious a better receiver at Georgia.”
Wooten brings UGA a change of pace type of receiver and he will be fun to watch in Athens as he lines up inside of A.J. Green in the future.
Multiple UGA Targets Signing Late?
It was reported a few weeks ago that Marlon Brown may actually sign on February 5, one day after National Signing Day and he may not be the only prospect that the Dawgs are involved with to sign late.
It will not be as late as Terrell Pryor a year ago, but Kwame Geathers says he will likely sign after signing day as well.
Both Clifton and Robert signed with UGA out of high school days after the first Wednesday in February. Robert actually officially visited UGA after signing day, so Kwame plans to follow in the footsteps when it comes to signing.
Will he follow them to UGA or SC? Probably so… Look for Geathers to sign with the Bulldogs or Gamecocks. Three years ago, Kwame visited UGA with Clifton and he said that weekend that he wanted to be a Bulldog. We will see if that still stands early in February.
Could UGA Lead for Starling?
When down in Tallahassee recently, I had a chance to talk with a number of coaches, fans, parents, and supporters of Lincoln High School. We talked a lot about Jawanza Starling who is a major UGA target here in 2009.
Starling is one of the top safeties in the country and the Dawgs are going after him hard. The 6-foot-2, 195 ball hawk has over 40 scholarship offers and Georgia will likely get an official visit from him within the next three months.
Starling is still not doing interviews, but others that know him and his family said some good things about Georgia’s chances.
When talking to those that are close to Starling, most felt it was going to be a Georgia/Florida battle in the end, but that FSU and Notre Dame could not be ruled out.
His parents are really high on academics and I was told that his mother really liked the Notre Dame academic program. With that said, all said that Mark Richt has made a BIG impression on the Starlings and that the Dawgs are all but guaranteed an official visit.
Florida is the school Starling grew up following the most, but he has really kept up with UGA since Bryan Evans arrived. Coach Richt, David Perno (Starling wants to play baseball in college as well), his family in Georgia, and the opportunity to compete for early playing time help the Bulldogs.
At this time, it seems that Georgia is in at least his top five, but possibly could be on top. There is no time table for Starling concerning interviews, but he is expected to announce his decision at a press conference on Signing Day.
California 5-Star WR has Family in Georgia
Five-Star wide receiver Randall Carroll will be visiting Georgia officially the weekend of November 29. The playmaker is still considered a “soft” commitment to Southern Cal, but his interest in Georgia appears to be legit.
What has not been revealed yet is the fact that he has family in Atlanta, Georgia. His mother has family here and he visits the Peach State a couple of times a year. He has been following UGA for some time and he really likes the South.
Over the past few weeks, Carroll has been on the phone with Mike Bobo and Bryan McClendon. They have really gotten involved with the west coast athlete and his official visit is officially set for when the Dawgs host Georgia Tech.
In California, not a lot of UGA games are shown on T.V., but he goes online to watch highlights and he did finally get to watch UGA live last week when they defeated LSU. Carroll liked what he saw in the UGA offense and A.J. Green.
Georgia is recruiting him as a receiver and he says his interest in Georgia is high right now.
After Two Visits, One Could be Eliminated...
Two official visits are down for explosive athlete Branden Smith and Florida beats Tennessee. If it was down to two schools and based on official visits, then Smith would sign with Florida today.
He has let it be known that the Gators impressed him a lot more than the Vols. He enjoyed his time on each campus, but Gainesville was better than Knoxville.
Georgia will get the last official visit before Smith decides on January 4 at the Under-Armor All-American game in Orlando and they are still the team to beat overall, but Florida has moved ahead of Tennessee, so I consider Tennessee out of it at this time.
Jones is Feeling the Love from UGA
Georgia has turned it up another notch if possible on Jarvis Jones. The Bulldogs have been on Jones for months and they are calling weekly, emailing him daily, sending coaches to the school, and commitments are recruiting him too.
Jones saw both Coach Jancek and Coach Lilly two weeks ago in the school around lunch time. He then looked up that Friday night to see both coaches back at Carver on the sidelines at his game.
The 6-foot-3, 229 pound Rivals100 backer knows he is a high priority for Georgia and he is starting to show more and more interest in the Dawgs.
He talks about them differently, he talks about them more, and now he has been talking with Chris Burnette quite a bit as well.
He and Burnette talk about playing together at UGA, visiting there at the same time, and things like that on a regular basis. Other commits are in touch with Jones as well.
Just this week Jones eliminated Clemson and is now down to six. Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Texas, and USC are his finalists.
Georgia will likely get a visit the weekend of the GALA or in the middle of January from Jones. Right now, Georgia is very much in the picture and the home state Bulldogs appear to be growing on the talented Peach State athlete.
Oden Claims Offer
Hargrave OL Anthony Oden is claiming an offer from the University of Georgia. I have not been able to confirm the offer yet, but I have coaches at Hargrave checking into it.
Oden is definitely on the UGA radar and he is being recruited by the Dawgs, but is he truly being pursued is still a question.
Oden signed with Arkansas a year ago, he visited there this past weekend, and the Hogs are still the team to beat, but the 6-foot-8, 325 pound tackle says he would like to take a few more visits to make sure of his decision.
Georgia is a school he is interested in, so if UGA shows interest and truly offers him a scholarship, the Dawgs could become a contender for his signature.
Five-Star DT Plans to Visit
Williams Campbell says his coach has talked to Georgia and he plans to visit Georgia in December or January.
To his knowledge, no offer has been extended yet and UGA may not offer him until they get him on campus. Campbell’s coach handles most of his recruiting, so Campbell has yet to talk to a Georgia coach directly.
The 6-foot-5, 317 pound defensive tackle says he likes the way Georgia plays, he likes the SEC, and he has heard a lot of good things about the Bulldogs.
Campbell has visits set to Michigan, LSU, and Miami set at this time and he would like for Georgia to get one of his final two.
He has family in Atlanta and he says he is open to playing offensive or defensive tackle.
Is Charles Favoring UGA?
Could elite athlete Orson Charles be leaning to the University of Georgia? Some down in the Tampa area believe that he is.
Georgia has built a very strong relationship with Charles and the Dawgs are doing an excellent job recruiting the Rivals100 tight end.
Coach Lilly talks to Charles weekly and Georgia is really doing a great job respecting the way Charles is going through the recruiting process. He says he wants to focus on recruiting after the season, so some schools are allowing him to do that while some are still pressuring him now.
UGA is doing what the 6-foot-3, 225 pound athlete requested. When down in Tampa recently, I had the opportunity to talk with many that are close to Charles and each one felt Georgia was the team to beat.
Charles has been to Athens numerous times, he knows Lilly well, his close friend Aaron Murray is committed to the UGA, and he likes the way UGA would use him in Athens.
Miami is still a serious threat as are other schools, but Georgia is in a very good position right now. He would be a great compliment to both Fontaine at tight end and Wooten at wide receiver.
My Answers to YOUR Questions
Q - Going out on a limb, who do you think UGA's next commitment for 09 will be?
A - It seems like the next commitment is a ways away, but looking ahead and going off who will likely make their decision next off what I know at this time, my guess would be Branden Smith. UGA is the team to beat right now based off what I am hearing and I feel he could be the next prospect to commit to UGA as of tonight.
Q - You said recently that you spoke to Jawanza Starling 'off the record' recently before his last update. Any feel on where he's leaning? Any new news that you can divulge. I know he's difficult to contact, but I'd like to get your take on the situation if you don't mind......
A - I touched on Starling in this report and when I said, I talked to him off the record, it had nothing to do with football or recruiting. He is off limits there and I would not go against his or his family’s wishes. What I know at this time is just what others that know Starling say or tell me and that is what is posted above in this edition of Insider’s Report.
Q - With all the injuries to this years squad, what one player left(uncommitted) do you think UGA should put the full court press on?
A - It would be a toss up to be honest, but if I had to say one, I would say Branden Smith. Not that UGA has had a lot of injuries at corner, but just because of the impact he can make in a game. The group that the Dawgs are still after are all stellar recruits, so any of them would be huge, but Smith would be my choice for Georgia because of what he would bring to the team immediately.
Q - Do you think UGA will offer the big OT (Taylor Lewan) from Arizona, or are they just showing interest for now and waiting to see if they miss out with Massie?
A - It is hard to say, but I definitely think UGA has to offer more tackles than just Massie if they want to give themselves a good chance of landing another tackle in this class. I do feel UGA will be in it with Massie until the end, but he says he does not plan to commit until signing day. Lewan is a very good OT and if he gets his test score, then I feel the chances are high of Georgia offering him in a few weeks.
Q - Of the 6-8 prospects UGA is recruiting, who are the 2 or 3 UGA has the best shots at landing this year?
A - If I had to say two, then it would be Branden Smith and Orson Charles at this time, but they are right there for most of the others too.
Q - Will UGA finish strong or fade in recruiting the last few spots..... and why do you think?
A - I feel Georgia will close well this year. They will win some and lose some, but if things do not take a major change for the worse in the coming months, then UGA has a good chance of finishing strong in 2009. They have built excellent relationships with each prospect that is high on their board and they are in the top three or four for each at this time in my opinion.
Q - can you give us anything on Travon Reed? - if you know anything. How good of an athlete is he? and how good of a shot does UGA have?
A - I have yet to see him personally, but the people that have seen him live say he is Rivals100 caliber. He could play corner or receiver on the next level and he is very athletic. Looking at the clips on Rivals, he looks like a top receiver talent to me. I hope to see him live next spring.
