– Class of 2018 LB –
(photo from Channing Tindall Twitter)
Today on Bulldawg Illustrated’s UGA Recruiting Daily we look at linebacker recruiting and four potential 2018 prospects including JJ Peterson, Otis Reese, Channing Tindall, and Quay Walker.
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: 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: 12
NEWS & NOTES: J.J. Peterson holds an offer from Georgia and he has visited UGA a few times, mainly back over the spring. UGA OLB coach Kevin Sherrer has visited J.J. a few times, but despite their efforts, the Dogs have had to make up some ground in the recruitment of Peterson versus programs like Alabama or Auburn. Of the two state of Alabama programs, the Crimson Tide should be considered the favorite here to land Petterson, but with an asterisk.
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. The big question is whether or not UGA would get much consideration. If anything, Auburn could then step in as the favorite, but you never know. 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.
Peterson is a very athletic linebacker with some speed, which shows when he also lines up on offense for Colquitt County at WR or RB. Could play OLB or ILB at the next level.
2017 SENIOR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 JUNIOR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2015 SOPHOMORE SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
OTIS REESE
CLASS: 2018
POSITION: LB – No. 8 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 a number of other recruiting analysts.
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 in back Athens again for Georgia’s homecoming game versus Missouri on Oct. 14th, and he also made a third trip back to The Classic City this fall on Nov. 4th for UGA’s game versus South Carolina.
2017 SENIOR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 JUNIOR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
CHANNING TINDALL
CLASS: 2018
POSITION: LB – No. 4 OLB
HT, WT: 6 foot 2, and 213 lbs
SCHOOL: Spring Valley High School
CITY, STATE: Columbia, SC
STATUS: Undeclared
UGA OFFER: Yes, offered on 02/11/2017.
# OFFERS: 20
NEWS & NOTES: Channing Tindall was offered back in February by the Georgia coaching staff. He visited UGA for G-Day on April 22nd and then returned to Athens on the weekend of July 15th for “Kirby-Que.” Like Colquitt County’s JJ Peterson, Tindall could play either outside or inside linebacker. So what are Tindall’s top schools?
He hasn’t released a list, but if you follow the visits, in addition to UGA, he took unofficials to Florida, FSU, and South Carolina during the latter part of July. A number of analysts believe it is an FSU-USCe battle for Tindall, but I think his recruiting is more wide open than just those two programs, especially with the likely hood that Jimbo Fisher is headed to Texas A&M and the resulting upheaval to the Seminole coaching staff that will occur. If anything, I would say this is a Georiga-South Carolina battle. UGA is also looking to take another couple of linebackers in the 2018 class in addition to Adam Anderson, and the staff like Tindall a lot.
He was in Athens for Georgia’s game versus Mississippi State on Sept. 23rd, and Tindall was back at UGA on Nov. 4th for the Bulldogs’ game versus South Carolina. Tindall also took an official visit to Auburn on Nov. 25th.
2017 SENIOR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 JUNIOR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2015 SOPHOMORE SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2014 FRESHMAN SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
QUAY WALKER
CLASS: 2018
POSITION: LB – No. 6 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, if defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt ends up leaving Bama to take one of the head coaching vacancies, Walker has stated he would 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.
2017 SENIOR MID-SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 JUNIOR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE