MORE: UGA is getting a "once in a lifetime" type of player in Webb

It was one of the toughest recruitments to follow. Clay Webb is very quiet, so he kept his feelings about the schools recruiting him to himself for the most part. When he did speak on schools, his answers were usually very short, and not very telling. He did not like the attention that came with being an elite recruit. He has been a national recruit for over two years, and the five-star center out of Oxford (Ala.) could have gone to just about any school across the country.

The major players in this race were Alabama, Auburn, Clemson and Georgia. He took numerous visits to each school over the past 18 months and developed strong relationships with each staff. In recent weeks, the race got a little tighter, and went from four schools to three schools to two. Auburn looked to be the first out, then it was Clemson. It came down to Alabama and Georgia. It was Nick Saban vs. Kirby Smart — again.

There will be more of these battles, but in this one, Smart beat his former boss for the top prospect in Saban’s state. This is a huge win for the Bulldogs. Sam Pittman made this his fight, and the offensive line coach in Athens is saying that famous “yes sir” today.

Webb is an elite offensive lineman. You win big games in the trenches. That is a fact. One of the first things Smart said when he took over at Georgia was that he wanted to get bigger and more physical up front. Webb is very physical. He has actually dropped about 25 pounds since last year, but he is still 6-feet, 3-inces tall and 295 pounds. He looks like a defensive lineman with very little loose weight on him. He is a state champion wrestler, he has a strong core and he is dominant between the lines.

In high school, he has played mostly tackle before sliding into guard this season. He could truly line up anywhere across the line of scrimmage, but he looks to be an ideal center on the next level. He is smart, he is a very strong run blocker and he is tough to move. At the point of attack, there are not many better on the offensive line. He has great punch, he works his hands well and he looks to finish every block. He can get to the second level, he can pull and he is a real competitor.

Webb really checks every box when grading interior offensive linemen. He has played in a very run-heavy offense, so he can still improve in pass sets, but it is something he will pick up quickly. Physically and mentally, Webb has what it takes to make an early impact. Regardless of competition in front of him, it is hard not seeing Webb make an impact early in his collegiate career. Pittman has changed that offensive line room around and adding this five-star makes it that much stronger.

Alabama is the one hurt the most in this race. Webb is the No. 2 prospect in their state, so it is a big blow. The Crimson Tide was viewed as the clear favorite earlier this year, and they at one time had a lot of momentum, so this is a tough loss. Webb was a top target for Alabama, he is an in-state talent, and Georgia, the team that has really closed the gap over the last couple of years, beat them for him.

Clemson would be second on this list. The Tigers have a strong connection, and some Tiger insiders felt Clemson was the team to beat up until last week. Webb made numerous visits to Clemson and had a strong connection with Todd Bates, Robbie Caldwell and Dabo Swinney.