Fact or Fiction: J.T. Daniels will win QB job at Georgia
National recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney tackle three topics daily and determine whether they believe the statements or not.
TRANSFER PORTAL: Ranking the QBs
1. J.T. Daniels will beat out Jamie Newman for the QB job at Georgia.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. Jamie Newman has some competition now with former five-star J.T. Daniels now declared immediately eligible. But I still feel that Newman will be the quarterback if we have a season because he was targeted for this specific offense and role and he’s more mobile. New offensive coordinator Todd Monken likes to throw the ball downfield and that may seem like an advantage for Daniels, who throws one of the best long balls you’ll see. However, Newman also throws a nice ball downfield and Kirby Smart will still want this to be a run-first offense. Newman is mobile and hard to bring down. His ability to keep defenses off balance with his running prowess will allow him to win the job. Newman rushed for over 500 yards last season and that gives him an edge.
Gorney's take: FACT. The Georgia quarterback battle just got way more interesting. Daniels did not transfer to Georgia to sit on the sidelines and he's way too talented to be the backup quarterback anywhere, so my bet is that the former five-star quarterback really challenges Newman for the starting job.
Smart has proven over and over that he's not hesitant to switch quarterbacks if necessary - the move to Jake Fromm from Jacob Eason is one example. Daniels will be in the thick of this race. The fact is Daniels is a better quarterback, even if he's not as mobile, so he will have a shot at winning the job.
2. Rocco Spindler is a lock for Notre Dame.
Farrell’s take: FICTION. Many have the talented offensive lineman from Michigan heading out of state to Notre Dame and he announces his decision in early August. However, this is not a done deal and Michigan has a great chance here. The Wolverines continue to recruit hard and Jim Harbaugh is very invested in this one I am told. Right now I’m leaning towards Notre Dame, but I haven’t put my FutureCast in because this is a tight, tight battle between the Irish and Wolverines.
Gorney's take: FICTION. This is definitely a battle between Notre Dame and Michigan and I'm not even sure Spindler is absolutely certain of his choice at this time. That's the feeling around his recruitment and so it's going to be interesting heading into the final weeks before he makes a decision. The Wolverines are doing everything possible to keep one of the state's best players home, but Notre Dame has a lot of pull in this one as well. I know Spindler released a final five of LSU, Penn State, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan but this looks like a two-team battle to the end.
3. The Gamecocks are hurting UNC more than any in-state rival.
Farrell’s take: FACT. You’d think NC State would be giving UNC the best run for their money in recruiting this year at least from a local perspective , but it’s South Carolina. The Gamecocks have pulled upsets now for LB Bryce Steele and DE George Wilson, both of who were heavy UNC leans and big losses for Mack Brown.
Gorney's take: FACT. NC State has landed some quality players, but North Carolina has absolutely dominated the state in recruiting this cycle and it's a huge credit to Brown and his staff. But South Carolina has made a dent and if Steele, Wilson and possibly some others ended up in Chapel Hill, then this recruiting class for the Tar Heels could go down in the history books. There is still time to flip those players, but here's the thing: North Carolina is doing a fantastic job keeping players home and building that program back up to national relevance. In-state teams are not making a mark there, but the Gamecocks have over the last few months.