– 2019 DE –
IMG Academy, Bradenton, FL
Today on Bulldawg Illustrated’s UGA Recruiting Daily we look at where Georgia stands with their 2018 pass rushers and then feature several 2019 defensive end prospects.
For the class of 2018, the University of Georgia has signed Stockbridge SDE Brenton Cox and Marietta WDE/OLB Azeez Ojulari, and the Bulldogs also have signed Rome OLB Adam Anderson. Out of those three, Cox is expected to be an early enrollee.
So will Georgia add any other pass rushers for this recruiting cycle?
I don’t think so and that mainly has to do with the fact that there are so few spots left as the Bulldogs have 20 signees and three commits. If a spot is available come NSD Feb. 7th, keep your eye on Northside High School WDE Caleb Johnson, featured below. That means the attention at DE now turns to the 2019 recruiting class.
The Dogs currently have a commitment from IMG Academy WDE Nolan Smith, who is considered to be one of the top three rush ends for 2019, and are looking good for DT/SDE Travon Walker out of Upson-Lee High School. Cedar Grove High School’s Rashad Chaney is also currently committed to UGA and even though he is listed as a DT and he can also slide to the outside at play at SDE like Walker. Tucker High School WDE/OLB Derrick McClendon and Archer High School SDE/OLB Colby Wooden are both also leaning towards Georgia at the moment. The Bulldogs are also giving the Volunteers a run for their money in the recruitment of Christian Brothers High School, 6 foot 6 and 270 lbs OT/SDE William Norton; although, he could very well end up playing on the offensive line at the collegiate level.
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TODAY’S FEATURED PROSPECTS
If position ranking is noted, unless otherwise stated, it is 247 Sports latest composite ranking of the player.
CALEB JOHNSON
CLASS: 2018
POSITION: DE/ILB/OLB – No. 37 WDE
HT, WT: 6 foot 3.5, and 248 lbs
SCHOOL: Northside High School
CITY, STATE: Columbus, GA
STATUS: Undeclared
UGA OFFER: Yes.
# OFFERS: 14
NEWS & NOTES: Northside High School’s Caleb Johnson has an official offer from the University of Georgia, and after visiting the Dogs back over the summer in July, Johnson was back in Athens during the fall, visiting on Nov. 4th. He has also taking an official visit to Tennessee on Sept. 30th and visited Auburn on Nov. 11th. Johnson has a big, athletic frame and the question is will he play at ILB, OLB, or WDE at the next level. CLASS: 2019 POSITION: DE/OLB – No. 37 WDE HT, WT: 6 foot 5, and 235 lbs SCHOOL: Putnam City High School CITY, STATE: Oklahoma City, OK STATUS: Undeclared UGA OFFER: Yes, Offered on 12/15/2017. # OFFERS: 7 NEWS & NOTES: Collin Clay was offered by the Georgia coaching staff on Dec. 15th right before Christmas. The WDE prospect out of Putnam City High School has a big frame and long wingspan that makes him the perfect edge defender and his athleticism and speed shows when he takes off to rush the passer. He has 7 scholarship offers so far, but I expect that number to grow as more teams have a chance to evaluate this promising Oklahoma City talent. CLASS: 2019 POSITION: DE/OLB – No. 17 WDE HT, WT: 6 foot 3.5, and 225 lbs SCHOOL: Tucker High School CITY, STATE: Tucker, GA STATUS: Undeclared UGA OFFER: Yes, offered on 02/11/2017 # OFFERS: 17 NEWS & NOTES: The talented Tucker High School football player has already started to rack up the scholarship offers with at least 17, and the Georgia coaching staff put their name in the hat, offering Derrick McLendon last February. While it is still early in the 2019 recruiting cycle, McLendon did name Alabama his leader back during the summer in July, and he took a visit to the Tide on Oct. 16th. Good news, though, he got to take a visit to Georgia for the South Carolina game on Nov. 4th, and it looks like this may be a Bama-Bulldogs recruiting battle. CLASS: 2019 POSITION: DE/OLB – No. 3 WDE HT, WT: 6 foot 3, and 223 lbs SCHOOL: IMG Academy, Bradenton, FL CITY, STATE: from Savannah, GA STATUS: COMMITTED TO UGA 01/29/2017 UGA OFFER: Yes, offered on 04/16/2016. # OFFERS: 9 NEWS & NOTES: Nolan Smith was offered by UGA over a year ago in April 2016. He visited Georgia for Georgia’s 2017 G-Day game on, and this past summer, Smith took part in Nike’s 2017 The Opening Finals and stood out as one of the best defensive ends out of the class of 2019. The Savannah, GA native was back in Athens in the fall for UGA’s homecoming game versus Missouri on Oct. 14th. While he is strongly committed to the Bulldogs, the Georgia coaching staff are going to have their work cut out to hold to the talented athlete who is currently enrolled at, attending, and playing football at IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. CLASS: 2019 POSITION: DE/OLB – No. 1 WDE HT, WT: 6 foot 5, and 235 lbs SCHOOL: Oaks Christian School CITY, STATE: Westlake Village, CA STATUS: Undeclared UGA OFFER: No. # OFFERS: 26 NEWS & NOTES: Kayvon Thibodeaux already has 26 scholarship offers to his name, but not one from UGA as of yet. In a recent interview with the AJC DawgNation’s Jeff Sentell, he hopes to get one from the Bulldogs’ coaching staff soon. So why hasn’t UGA offered one of the top defensive ends in the 2019 recruiting class yet? CLASS: 2019 POSITION: DE – No. 28 SDE HT, WT: 6 foot 3.5, and 230 lbs SCHOOL: Archer High School CITY, STATE: Lawrenceville, GA STATUS: Undeclared UGA OFFER: Yes, offered on 07/15/2017. # OFFERS: 15 NEWS & NOTES: Colby Wooden was offered by the Bulldogs on the same day he visited UGA back during the summer in July on the 15th. He’s listed as a SDE prospect but will need to put on some more muscle and weight to play that position in the SEC at the next level; so, it is likely he will start out as an WDE/OLB. CLICK HERE TO SEE GEORGIA’S 2018 FOOTBALL COMMITS CLICK HERE TO SEE GEORGIA’S 2019 FOOTBALL COMMITS 2018 U.S. ARMY ALL-AMERICA BOWL Here is a list University of Georgia commits, signees, and targets that are participating: TEAM EAST TEAM WEST INJURED, WILL NOT PLAY CLICK HERE for a complete 2018 U.S Army All-American Bowl rosters of both Team East and Team West.
It looks like it may be a Georgia-Tennessee recruiting battle for the Columbus, GA prospect, but where the Bulldogs are concerned, it may come down to a numbers game and how many spots are left with 20 signed headed into the final 5 weeks of the 2018 recruiting cycle.
2017 SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2015 SOPHOMORE HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2017 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 SOPHOMORE HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
DERRICK MCLENDON
2017 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2015 FRESHMAN HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
NOLAN SMITH
And did Smith’s 2017 junior season at IMG Academy go? While I don’t have his complete stats, in 7 games, Smith had 41 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, and 4 sacks including 11 QB hurries. He also has an interception and has been credited with 2 forced fumbles and recoveries as well as a blocked punt.
RIVAL’S BREAKDOWN – CLICK HERE
NIKE’s 2017 THE OPENING FINALS – CLICK HERE
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
KAYVON THIBODEAUX
There could be any number of reasons from they are waiting to get an in-person evaluation, they are limited spots at the DE position for 2019 that the coaching staff are going to take, or they are happy with the targets they have currently. Regardless of the reason, we could very well see Kirby and company offer the Oaks Christian big man, but one thing I’ve learned over the last two years at Georgia as well his time at Alabama, when it comes to recruiting, Kirby Smart knows what he is doing.
2017 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 SOPHOMORE HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2015 FRESHMAN HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
COLBY WOODEN
2017 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2016 SOPHOMORE HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
2015 FRESHMAN HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
When: Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018
Kickoff Time: 1:00 p.m. ET (12 Noon CT)
Where: Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Channel: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports App
Social Media: @ArmyAllAmerican
Social Media: #ArmyBowl
Name | Position | Jersey # | Height, Weight | Status
Adam Anderson | LB | No. 18 | 6 foot 4, 214 lbs | UGA signee
Tyson Campbell | DB | No. 8 | 6 foot 2.5, 180 lbs | undeclared
James Cook | RB | No. 4 | 5 foot 11.5, 182 lbs | UGA signee
Trey Hill | OL | No. 55 | 6 foot 3.5, 346 lbs | UGA signee
Cade Mays | OL | No. 68 | 6 foot 6, 318 lbs | UGA signee
Jamaree Salyer | OL | No. 69 | 6 foot 4, 342 lbs | UGA signee
Patrick Surtain, Jr. | DB | No. 2 | 6 foot 2, 181 lbs | undeclared
Channing Tindall | LB | No. 41 | 6 foot 2, 213 lbs | UGA signee
Name | Position | Jersey # | Height, Weight | Status
Luke Ford | TE | No. 45 | 6 foot 6, 248 lbs | UGA signee
Jalen Hall | WR | No. 81 | 6 foot 4, 192 lbs | undeclared
Leon O’Neal Jr. | DB | No. 9 | 6 foot 1, 190 lbs | undeclared
Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | No. 8 | 5 foot 11.5, 191 lbs | undeclared
Isaac Taylor-Stuart | DB | No. 6 | 6 toot 2, 187 lbs | undeclared
Michael Thompson | DL | No. 92 | 6 foot 2.5, 291 lbs WR | undeclared
Name | Position | Jersey # | Height, Weight | Status
Azeez Ojulari | DE | No. 5 | 6 foot 4, 224 lbs | UGA signee
Zamir White | RB | No. 34 | 6 foot 1, 220 lbs | UGA signee