– 2019 LB –
Clinch County HS
Today on Bulldawg Illustrated’s UGA Recruiting Daily we take a look at Georgia’s linebacker recruiting.
Currently, Georgia has one inside linebacker, Spring Valley High School’s Channing Tindall, committed and signed for 2018 along with one outside linebacker, Rome High School’s Adam Anderson. Marietta’s Azeez Ojulari could be also considered a hybrid OLB/WDE at 6 foot 4 and 235 lbs. On the 2018 table are undeclared prospects JJ Peterson out of Colquitt County High School and Solomon Tuliaupupu out of Mater Dei High School in California. Columbus, GA’s Caleb Johnson is more of a DE prospect but could play at ILB or OLB. Then, there is the potential to flip OLB Quay Walker from Alabama or OLB Otis Reese from Michigan.
If the Georgia coaching staff doesn’t sign another linebacker in the 2018 recruiting class, they could always look to the 2019 class. The Bulldogs have Blessed Trinity High School linebacker J.D. Bertrand already committed and are in a good position with Grayson phenom Owen Pappoe, who looks like he could be the next Roquan Smith. Clinch County 6 foot 1 and 236 lbs athlete Trezmen Marshall just released his top three schools which included Georgia along with Alabama and Clemson. Marshall plays at RB and MLB in high school and likely will play at ILB at the collegiate level. Also, keep your eye on Pappoe’s teammate at Grayson, linebacker Kevin Harris.
TODAY’S FEATURED PROSPECTS
If position ranking is noted, unless otherwise stated, it is 247 Sports latest composite ranking of the player.
JJ PETERSON
CLASS: 2018
POSITION: LB – No. 2 OLB
HT, WT: 6 foot 1.5, and 210 lbs
SCHOOL: Colquitt County High School
CITY, STATE: Moultrie, GA
STATUS: Undeclared
UGA OFFER: Yes.
# OFFERS: 13
NEWS & NOTES: JJ Peterson holds an offer from Georgia and he has visited UGA a few times. Alabama was a leader for Peterson for a long while, but as I mentioned during the month of November, one of the things that could greatly affect Peterson’s recruitment is if defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt chooses to leave Alabama for one of the vacant head coaching gigs, then it is very likely that Peterson would strongly consider other programs. Fast forward a month and Pruitt has chosen to take the head coaching job at Tennessee and will be hiring Kevin Sherrer from UGA as his DC. Sherrer recruited Peterson while he was(is) at UGA.
Now, the big question is whether or not UGA will get much consideration. At this point, we just don’t know. A lot will depend on who Bama hires to replace Pruitt and who Kirby hires to replace Sherrer as OLB coach. Of the higher rated defensive prospects, Peterson doesn’t talk a lot nor does he do that many interviews; so, figuring out what he might do is a guessing game at this point in my opinion. But don’t be surprised if he follows Pruitt and Sherrer to Tennessee.
Peterson is a very athletic linebacker with very good speed, which shows when he also lines up on offense for Colquitt County at WR or RB, not unlike current UGA ILB phenom Roquan Smith who played some receiver during his high school days. Peterson could play OLB or ILB at the next level.
2017 SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2015 SOPHOMORE HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
OTIS REESE
CLASS: 2018
POSITION: S/LB – No. 6 OLB
HT, WT: 6 foot 4, and 206 lbs
SCHOOL: Lee County High School
CITY, STATE: Leesburg, GA
STATUS: Committed to Michigan
UGA OFFER: Yes, offered on 12/07/2016
# OFFERS: 17
NEWS & NOTES: Otis Reese was offered back at the end of last year in December by UGA. He visited Georgia in the spring in March and was back in Athens for the Bulldogs’ season opener vs. Appalachian State on Sept. 2nd. Reese has been committed to Michigan for over a year, since 06/18/2016, but I’ve put him on flip watch along with every other recruiting analyst.
He would be a big-time flip for Georgia, too, as the talented Lee County football player is very much in the mold of current UGA linebacker Roquan Smith and former backers/safeties, Thomas Davis and Alec Ogletree. And if you are following the visits, Reese was back in Athens again for Georgia’s homecoming game versus Missouri on Oct. 14th, and he also made a third trip back to The Classic City during the fall on Nov. 4th for UGA’s game versus South Carolina.
Otis Reese did not sign during the early signing period and will likely wait till Wednesday, Feb. 7 to put his name on the dotted line of his LOI. Reese will be a normal enrollee; so, this is not a surprise. Until he signs his LOI or enrolls, UGA has a shot of flipping Reese as long as there is still a spot left to flip him too in the 2018 class.
2017 SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
SOLOMON TULIAUPUPU
CLASS: 2018
POSITION: LB – No. 3 ILB
HT, WT: 6 foot 2.5, and 230 lbs
SCHOOL: Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana, CA
CITY, STATE: Santa Ana, CA
STATUS: Undeclared
UGA OFFER: Yes, offered on April 26th.
# OFFERS: 32
NEWS & NOTES: Solomon Tuliaupupu didn’t commit or sign during the early signing period; so, it looks like he will be a Feb. 7th decision or he could announced his decision during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 6th. This would be a big recruiting coup for the Georgia coaching staff, but can they pull him across the country to Athens? My ole’ magic 8-ball says unlikely as he hasn’t been back to Athens since June this past summer and isn’t planning to take an official to UGA. Tuliaupupu is a big lean towards Southern Cal at the moment, but keep your eye on Oklahoma as the coaching staff made a couple of inhome visits with Tuliaupupu in December. He also took an official to Notre dame on Oct. 21st
2017 SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2015 SOPHOMORE HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
QUAY WALKER
CLASS: 2018
POSITION: LB – No. 3 OLB
HT, WT: 6 foot 3.5, and 224 lbs
SCHOOL: Crisp County High School
CITY, STATE: Cordele, GA
STATUS: Committed to Alabama
UGA OFFER: Yes.
# OFFERS: 17
NEWS & NOTES: Quay Walker has been committed to Alabama since June 8th, and he has been a solid verbal to the Crimson Side since announcing his decision. However, with defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt leaving Bama to take over as head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, there is a good chance Walker will likely reopen up his recruitment. If that happens, would Georgia be in a position to have a shot at taking Walker?
Yes. The Georgia coaching staff have stayed in communication with Walker, and he took an unofficial visit to UGA on Nov. 18th. But Auburn and South Carolina could also be likely candidates for Walker to flip his commitment to, and he has also taken unofficial visits to both programs this fall. He’ll finalize his decision and sign his National Letter of Intent on Feb. 7th.
2017 SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
TREZMEN MARSHALL
CLASS: 2019
POSITION: No. 4 Athlete – MLB, RB
HT, WT: 6 foot 1, and 236 lbs
SCHOOL: Clinch County High School
CITY, STATE: Homerville, GA
STATUS: Undeclared
UGA OFFER: Yes, offered on 06/11/2016.
# OFFERS: 12
NEWS & NOTES: Georgia offered Trezmen Marshall last June. The talented Clinch County athlete visited the Bulldogs during the fall for Georgia’s homecoming game versus Missouri. Marshall just released a top-three on Saturday, Dec. 30 that included Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia. The Bulldogs are considered a leader at the moment; although, it is a long way off until NSD 2019.
So what position will Trezmen play in college? While he is a talented running back, he looks to be a playmaker on defense at linebacker and seems to be a natural fit in the middle of the defense at ILB or MLB.
2017 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 SOPHOMORE HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2015 FRESHMAN HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
OWEN PAPPOE
strong>CLASS: 2019
POSITION: LB – No. 1 OLB
HT, WT: 6 foot 1, and 207 lbs
SCHOOL: Grayson High School
CITY, STATE: Loganville, GA
STATUS: Undeclared
UGA OFFER: Yes, offered on 06/05/2015.
# OFFERS: 41
NEWS & NOTES: Owen Pappoe has held an offer from UGA for a couple of years. The Peach State 2019 OLB phenom has also visited Athens a number of times and n May 4th, he released a top 10 that included UGA, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, FSU, LSU, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Tennessee. Most recently, Pappoe has been back to Athens to visit for Georgia’s Sept. 23rd game against Mississippi State and their Oct. 14th homecoming game against Missouri. Georgia has impressed Pappoe this year and should be considered to be the front-runner here.
2017 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 SOPHOMORE HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE