As most everything does today, recruiting looks different for Georgia football during the COVID-19 pandemic. The NCAA put a moratorium on on-campus recruitment and in-home coaching visits back in March, and it will stay in place until January of 2021. This is a major hurdle for the potent recruiting machine that the Georgia football program has built underneath Kirby Smart. Smart has led Georgia to having the top-ranked recruiting class in the country either two of the last three years, or three years consecutively, depending on which recruiting rankings are used as the final authority.
Georgia’s staff rolls out the red carpet for prospects that come on visits. Having spoken to north of 100 recruits and their families over the last couple of years, I can attest nobody makes them feel more at home than the Dawg’s coaching and support staff. Time and time again I have recruits tell me in interviews something to the tune of, “Georgia has a family vibe. I can see myself enjoying living there and growing there.” So not being able to provide that genuine, and decision altering, experience has cause Georgia to miss out on some recruits this cycle, no doubt. However, despite the challenges and changes, Georgia already has 15 tremendously talented commitments in the class of 2021 and many major prospects with which they are in good position to fill their remaining seven to eight spots with.
Top 3 Gets
• Brock Vandagriff is a 6-3, 205-pound 5-Star quarterback that literally lives 15 miles from Sanford Stadium. Keeping a talent like the Prince Avenue QB at home was crucial and Vandagriff has proven a great recruiter for UGA in his own right.
• Brock Bowers, a 6-3, 225-pound tight end from Napa, California, was as highly coveted as any recruit by UGA’s staff bar none. Todd Hartley continues to bring in major threats and that position is going to be one of strength going forward.
• De’Jahn Warren is a 4-Star junior college cornerback. Warren is a top get because of what Georgia will have to replace on the back end of their defense after the 2020 season. He is a plug and play type of prospect with tremendous man coverage skills.
Top 3 Wants
• There is no bigger desired prospect, literally and figuratively, than 6-8, 320-pound offensive tackle Amarius Mims. The Bleckley County 5-Star is set to make his commitment on October 14 with Georgia and Tennessee being the front runners.
• Donovan Edwards is a 4-Star running back out of West Bloomfield, Michigan. UGA Running Back Coach Dell McGee is in contact with Edwards daily. It seems to be an uphill battle at the moment to pry Edward away from Michigan.
• Xavian Sorey attends IMG Academy and at 6-3, 215-pound, he is versatile and can run. Also, Sorey has made it known he intends to team up with fellow 2021 4-Star Terrion Arnold at the next level. UGA could score a package deal here.
Top 3 Misses
• Tony Grimes is now a cornerback for the North Carolina Tarheels. The Virginia Beach native was so talented, he decided to reclassify, foregoing his senior season and began his college career early under Mack Brown.
• Mario Williams is a 4-Star wide receiver out the state of Florida. He was at the very top of the board for Georgia, but the high-flying offense of Lincoln Riley drew the Plant City standout to Oklahoma.
• Terrence Ferguson, a 6-4, 300-pound offensive guard appeared to be trending to UGA for quite a while. The Peach County Trojan had a strong rapport with Matt Luke, but ultimately ended up going to the Crimson Tide.
2021 Georgia Football Commitments
OFFENSE
• Brock Vandagriff (6’3” 205)
Bogart, GA
Prince Avenue Christian School
Dual Threat QB
• Lovasea Carroll (6’1” 195)
Warrenton, GA
IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
Running Back
• Brock Bowers (6’3” 225)
Napa, CA
Napa High School
Tight End
• Adonai Mitchell (6’3” 190)
Antioch, TN
Cane Ridge High School
Wide Receiver
• Jackson Meeks (6’3” 205)
Phenix City, AL
Central Phenix High School
Wide Receiver
• Micah Morris (6’4” 320)
Kingsland, GA
Camden County High School
Offensive Tackle
• Dylan Fairchild (6’5” 300)
Cumming, GA
West Forsyth High School
Offensive Guard
• Jared Wilson (6’4” 325)
Clemmons, NC
West Forsyth High School
Offensive Guard
DEFENSE
• David Daniel (6’1” 185)
Woodstock, GA
Woodstock High School
Safety
• Jonathan Jefferson (6’4” 255)
Douglasville, GA
Douglas County High School
Defensive End
• Jamon Dumas-Johnson (6’1” 235)
Baltimore, MD
St. Frances Academy
Inside Linebacker
• De’Jahn Warren (6’0” 180)
Hyattsville, MD
Lackawanna Community College
Cornerback
• Chaz Chambliss (6’2” 240)
Carrollton, GA
Carrollton High School
Outside Linebacker
• Marlin Dean (6’6” 270)
Elberton, GA
IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
Defensive Tackle
• Javon Bullard (6’0” 185)
Milledgeville, GA
Baldwin High School
Cornerback