Rivals100 OL Tate Ratledge picks Georgia
Tate Ratledge likes to keep to himself. He did not spend a lot of time on social media discussing or hyping up his recruitment, but he was still a big name in the recruiting world. For a Rivals100 prospect, Ratledge did very few interviews, but even though he liked to lay low, he’s had a lot of eyes on him in recent months. Most expected a commitment over the summer, but he pushed the decision up a couple of months.
Ultimately, his recruitment came down to Georgia and Tennessee, and on Monday, the Bulldogs won out.
WHY IT'S BIG FOR GEORGIA
Georgia is going to lose at least one offensive tackle at the end of the season, and the Bulldogs could lose two if Isaiah Wilson opts to forgo his eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. It is time for Georgia to put together another class of elite offensive tackles, and Ratledge has been a top target for Kirby Smart and Sam Pittman for almost two years.
Ratledge is an athletic lineman who came up playing tight end, so not only does he have a great frame, but he is athletic, light on his feet and he has that edge to him between the lines. Ratledge may come from a private school, but he works hard, he is self-driven and he will be a force early between the hedges.
WHY IT HURTS TENNESSEE
Sure, Alabama wanted Ratledge. Auburn, Florida, South Carolina and others did as well, but this really hurts Tennessee. Ratledge grew up a huge Vols fan. He is originally from Tennessee and most of his family bleed orange. There was pressure to choose Tennessee, but Ratledge established a better connection with Georgia.
Jeremy Pruitt and his staff really made a push, and closed the gap on Georgia in recent months, so this one got close, but the Vols could not finish here. The longer Ratledge's recruitment went, the better it was for Tennessee, but the Bulldogs got it done. Despite all the Tennessee fanatics in the family, the major need for the Vols up front and Ratledge growing up thinking about the checkerboard end zone, this one really hurts Tennessee.