MORE: How worried should UGA fans be? | UGA 2019 commitment list
Last week was an odd one for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs. We are used to seeing Smart and his staff reel in top recruit after top recruit, but last week, in a five-day span, they lost three commitments.
Five-star wide receiver Jadon Haselwood got it started with a decommitment late Tuesday night, Oct. 2. The fact that he decommitted is not a shocker, but the timing surprised some. Since committing to the Bulldogs well over a year ago, Haselwood has been taking visits to other schools and looking at many of his options. He was at Miami for an official visit over the weekend and he has visited there three times since the summer. The Hurricanes are viewed as the favorite with Auburn, Georgia and Oklahoma still in contention.
A couple of days later, Jalen Perry, then JD Bertrand, announced they were no longer Bulldogs. Perry is a four-star defensive back that could play anywhere in the secondary on the next level and Bertrand is a four-star linebacker who could also project as an H-back in college.
Both took visits over the weekend. Perry was at South Carolina and Bertrand was at Florida. If they end up at those schools, they would face Georgia every year.
With those spots opening up, here are some names to keep an eye on.
Size matters ...
Lets be clear first — Georgia wants Haselwood. It will continue to recruit him, and is expected to get him back on campus and will fight for him until he signs in December. He is a top target for the Bulldogs.
Others to watch are Ramel Keyton and George Pickens. Keyton is committed to Tennessee, but has visited Athens at least once this season. Georgia has gotten a little more active here the last few weeks. He is a long receiver with size that has had a strong senior season.
Pickens is another five-star receiver this cycle. He is an Auburn commit, and some see Alabama as the biggest threat here, but Georgia is, and has been in this one too. The key for Georgia is to get him on campus. There has been some chatter about Pickens visiting Georgia when it plays host to Auburn next month.
Do not be surprised if a new name or two emerge at this position. Georgia would like to sign three wide receivers this cycle. The Dawgs want size, someone who can win jump-balls and someone who can make plays in the red zone.
A clear target at inside linebacker ...
Georgia is looking to sign three inside linebackers in this class and it now has two on its commitment list. Trezman Marshall looked a little shaky with his commitment at one time a few months ago with Auburn and Florida State getting him on campus, but Georgia looks to have weathered that storm. Rian Davis is planning to enroll early at Georgia after tearing his ACL recently. He is a linebacker out of Florida that has been high on the Bulldogs' list for some time.
Who will fill that third spot? A name most Georgia fans are familiar with is one they really want. Nakobe Dean, the No. 1 prospect in Mississippi, is a major target for the Bulldogs. Alabama, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and others want him too. This is going to be a battle until he signs in December, but this is the name to watch.
Dean has visited Athens numerous times and Glenn Schumann, Dan Lanning and Smart are all actively in pursuit of Dean. They have built strong relationships with him and his family.
Looking south for defensive backs ...
With Perry out, who could be in? Lets start in Florida. Georgia’s starting cornerbacks right now are Deandre Baker and Tyson Campbell — both are from South Florida. The Bulldogs are hoping to land not one, but two more from that area in this cycle.
Cortez Hankton was on the road Friday to see Kaiir Elam play. He is a major cornerback target. Tyrique Stevenson has been at Miami a lot recently, so Georgia is going head-to-head with the hometown team in this one. Stevenson visited Athens numerous times over the spring/summer and he and Elam are expected back later this fall.
The news could get better for the Dawgs this week. On Wednesday, Texas safety Lewis Cine plans to announce his commitment. He showed a lot of love to Florida on social media during his official visit there this weekend, but Georgia is considered a strong favorite. Cine was in Athens a week ago for his official visit to Georgia.
A wrap ...
Georgia lost three big-time commitments last week, but it likely has a plan in place. Recruiting is a marathon, not a sprint, and while Georgia no longer sits atop the team rankings, you can bet it will make another run at a top class.
The Dawgs fell from No. 1 to No. 9 after Haselwood, Perry and Bertrand removed their names from the commitment list, but with around 10 spots remaining, expect Smart to once again close strong. Will Georgia finish with the top recruiting class for the second year in a row? There are some big names trending their way right now, so it is something to watch.
