Today on Bulldawg Illustrated’s UGA Recruiting Daily we take a look at Georgia’s linebacker recruiting as we close in on the Dec. 20-22 early signign period. Along with four featured linebacker prospects we look at which backers are committed to UGA, whose committed elsewhere and their flip potential, and undeclared prospects at linebacker.

 

WHO IS COMMITTED TO UGA

 
Adam Anderson (OLB)
Aaron Brule (S/LB)

 

As of right now, the only two linebackers that UGA has committed are Adam Aderson and Aaron Brule, with Brule being a hybrid defensive back/linebacker. Anderson just confirmed per Dawgs247’s Rusty Mansell that he will be signing on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. ET, but Brule is not planning on signing during the early signing period and will look to wait to ink his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday, Feb. 7th.
 

FLIP POTENTIAL

 
Michael Harris (ILB) – 0%
Otis Reese (S/LB) – 50/50
Quay Walker (OLB) – 0%

 
Tucker High School’s Michael Harris, Lee County’s Otis Rese, and Crisp County’s Quay Walker all have scholarship offers from UGA. Harris is currently committed to Auburn while Reese is committed to Michigan and Walker to Alabama. Of those three, Otis Reese is likely the only one that Georgia has a chance of flipping, and I think it’s the Dogs have a 50/50 shot of doing so. I feature Otis Reese below.
 

UNDECLARED TARGETS

 
JJ Peterson (LB)
Channing Tindall (LB)
Solomon Tuliaupupu (ILB)

 

There three major targets at linebacker for Georgia left undeclared, and they are Colquitt County’s JJ Peterson, Spring Valley’s (Columbia, SC) Channing Tindall, and Mater Dei High School’s (Santa Ana, CA) Solomon Tuliaupupu. All three prospects are featured below, but Tindall is the most likely to commit to and sign with UGA. Peterson is an Alabama lean and Tuliaupupu looks to be a lean to Southern California.

 

 

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: 12

NEWS & NOTES: JJ Peterson holds an offer from Georgia and he has visited UGA a few times, mainly back over the spring. Former UGA OLB coach Kevin Sherrer visited JJ 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 Peterson, but with an asterisk.
 
I mentioned during the month of November that 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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
As of right now, it looks like Otis Reese is will NOT sign during the early signing period and wait till Wednesday, Feb. 7 on National Signing Day 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 their is still a spot left to flip him too in the 2018 class.
 
2017 SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
 
2016 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
 
 

CHANNING TINDALL

CLASS: 2018

POSITION: LB – No. 5 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 has taken unofficials to Florida, FSU, and South Carolina. 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 and just came off an official visit to UGA over the weekend on Dec. 15th.
 
UGA is also looking to take another couple of linebackers in the 2018 class in addition to Adam Anderson, but the staff like Tindall a lot. I think it is down to Georgia, South Carolina, and Auburn for the talented Spring Valley High senior, and I would say the Bulldogs are a heavy favorite here.
 
As of right now, Tindall is NOT expected to sign during the early signing period and will not be an early enrollee. I am speculating here, but Tindall could wait until the U.S. Army All-American game to announce his decision.
 
2017 SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
 
2016 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
 
2015 SOPHOMORE HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
 
2014 FRESHMAN 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, say that five times fast, made the trip across the country and camped and visited at UGA back on June 15th. 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 and isn’t planning to take an official at UGA. Tuliaupupu is a big lean towards Southern Cal at the moment.
 
He did take an official to Notre dame on Oct. 21st and coaches from the Oklahoma Sooners’ staff have visited him twice in the month of December.
 
2017 SENIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
 
2016 JUNIOR HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
 
2015 SOPHOMORE HIGHLIGHTS – CLICK HERE
 
 

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SIGNING ON WEDNESDAY, DEC. 20

Prospects committed to UGA in bold font
(EE) indicates prospect is an early enrollee
Updated 12/19/2017 03:00 a.m. ET
 
Jake Camarda
James Cook
Jordan Davis
John Fitzpatrick
10:00 AM Jamaree Salyer
10:00 AM Divaad Wilson (EE)
11:00 AM Trey Hill (EE)
11:00 AM Chris Smith
11:00 AM Zamir White (EE)
12:00 PM Justin Fields
12:30 PM Adam Anderson
12:40 PM Owen Condon
02:30 PM Cade Mays (EE)
03:00 PM Brenton Cox (EE)
04:00 PM K.J. Henry (EE)
05:00 PM Kearis Jackson (EE)
07:28 PM Micah Parsons
 

SIGNING DURING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD BETWEEN DEC. 20-22

Day and Time not confirmed as of yet
Prospects committed to UGA in bold font
(EE) indicates prospect is an early enrollee
 
Warren Ericson (EE)

Azeez Ojulari
DeVonte Wyatt (EE)
 

SIGNING ON WEDNESDAY, FEB. 7

Prospects committed to UGA in bold font
 
Adam Anderson
Christian Barmore
Aaron Brule
Tommy Bush
Tyson Campbell
Luke Ford
Caleb Johnson
Elijah Moore
Otis Reese
Rick Sandidge
Isaac Taylor-Stuart
Channing Tindall
Quay Walker
Tramel Walthour
Rachad Wildgoose, Jr.
 

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