Decommitment of five-star Emery has domino effect

Broken commitment season is well under way as we creep down the stretch toward college football’s early signing period. On Thursday, five-star running back John Emery Jr. got in on the act, by backing off his pledge to Georgia. Below, rivals has a look at how the former UGA commit’s decision to open things back up affects a number of other schools, both regionally and nationally.

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The Bulldogs are likely to take a hard look at Florida-based running back Kenny McIntosh, who had older brothers play at both Notre Dame and Miami. The four-star tailback has long been thought of as a future Hurricane, but that line of thinking will now be challenged. Whether or not this changes his recruitment much remains to be seen, but Georgia certainly packs plenty of appeal. Kirby Smart has obviously been a force on the recruiting trail since arriving in Athens, so this is a situation to monitor. If the Bulldogs get the running back on campus for an official visit, anything can happen.

Miami remains the favorite here with Auburn also involved. It’ll be interesting to see how quickly and extensively Smart and company insert themselves. Georgia will also take a look at players such as four-star Nay'Quan Wright and NC State commit Jamious Griffin.

Emery was seen as a heavy LSU lean before surprising many by committing to Georgia this offseason. It’s why the Tigers now have to be seen as the favorites to sign the five-star. A Louisiana native, Emery will have the option of visiting Baton Rouge often in the run up to Signing Day. It seems unlikely that he lands anywhere by the in-state school, which may well shake up the recruitment of fellow Louisiana native Noah Cain, who LSU had targeted after Emery committed to Georgia.

Each of these schools are affected if Emery chooses LSU as expected, as it opens up the recruitment of Cain. Cain is considering the Longhorns, Tigers and Nittany Lions and has either visited or will visit each campus. Penn State has inserted itself in the thick of the chase before LSU vaulted to the top of Cain’s list in the wake of Emery’s commitment to Georgia. The Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy star will visit Penn State and Texas in the coming months, and the direction of his recruitment will likely hinge on those trips.

NC State commit Jamious Griffin. is a Georgia-based back having a nice season, which has caught the attention of the Bulldogs. Smart’s staff had been in contact well before Emery decided to back off his pledge, so things could get more serious from here. There’s no telling how far down the road UGA wants to go with Griffin at this juncture, but there could be some tense moments in store for Wolfpack fans in the month ahead.

Miami now has another foe on its hands when it comes to the recruitment of McIntosh, who is considered to be a UM lean. It’s too early to tell exactly how dangerous UGA is when it comes to McIntosh, but Hurricanes fans should keep an eye on the situation. That much is clear.

Florida will only be affected should Georgia land Miami-based back Wright, who is considered by all to be a UF lean. That battle coming to fruition is certainly a possibility, but there are other directions in which the Bulldogs could turn. It’s far from time to panic in Gainesville.