Georgia Football pulled in another top-three recruiting class filled with elite players. Who are the guys who will make the instant impact for the Bulldogs?
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Kirby Smart has pulled in another elite recruiting class for Georgia Football.
Georgia has become one of the top recruiting powers in college football under Smart and that is the main reason they are going to be in the college football playoff this season. Alongside Alabama and Ohio State, Georgia has stacked talent with top classes and that is why the Bulldogs remain in the hunt for SEC Championships each season.
Georgia is not a team that has a lot of holes on the roster, so it is going to be tough for any of these recruits to crack the field for the Bulldogs.
However, this team does have a lot of seniors on it, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Guys like Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, Derion Kendrick, and Nolan Smith are all going to be playing in the NFL next season. While Georgia has recruited well over the years, that is still a lot of experience to be losing to the next level.
The Bulldogs hit nearly every position well, but one area that they added talent to was defensive back. Smart was able to bring in three DB’s ranked in the top 100 players in the country and that is going to add exceptional depth to the defense. Linebacker and edge rusher are two other positions that were recruited well and some of those guys should get looks next fall.
Here are the three early signees who will have an instant impact at Georgia.
3. Gunner Stockton (Quarterback)
One of the headlines to watch in the upcoming offseason will be Georgia’s quarterback decision and pending battle.
With Stetson Bennett IV graduating and moving on, it is likely going to be a three-way battle between JT Daniels, former five-star QB Brock Vandagriff, and Gunner Stockton, a four-star QB from this years class.
Daniels could decide to transfer or go pro, meaning it could be a decision between the last two high-profile QB recruits that Smart has signed.
Stockton had a prolific career at Rabun County high school and broke nearly every Georgia passing record that was set by Trevor Lawrence before he left for Clemson.
While only 6-1, Stockton is a polished passer and should translate well to the collegiate level. Smart has played true freshman at quarterback before, with Jacob Eason in 2016 and then Jake Fromm in 2017, but he has not had to do it often.
Keep an eye on Stockton’s name for the starting QB job for the Bulldogs.
2. Marvin Jones Jr (Edge Rusher)
One of the best signing day commits was Georgia football getting five-star edge rusher Marvin Jones Jr to commit to the Bulldogs over Alabama and Florida State.
Jones Jr is one of the best overall prospects in the nation and it is always nice for Georgia to pull one of the top talents from out of state. Jones Jr is explosive off the edge and has the strength to convert speed to power and win battles at the line of scrimmage.
With Nolan Smith off to the NFL, someone is going to have to step up and replace the Bulldog’s top pass rusher.
Jones Jr has all of the athletic traits that make up a top pass rusher and he is going to see the field early and often at Georgia. He might start as just a situational pass rusher, but Jones Jr is going to turn into an every-down player sooner rather than later for UGA.
1. Malaki Starks (Athlete)
One of the top players in the nation is going to be in Athens next fall and can play a variety of positions. Malaki Starks, a five-star player from Jefferson, Ga, can play both running back and linebacker, but most recruiting analysts seem to think that Starks is going to play linebacker in college.
Starks has incredible speed for a linebacker and he is going to be able to make plays all over the field at Georgia.
It is rare to see a linebacker so athletically gifted and it is because of that that Starks is going to be able to see the field next season.
With Nakobe Dean off to the NFL, there is not a better potential replacement for him than Starks. This is a name that Georgia fans are going to want to keep an eye on for spring football and into next season to be a difference-maker.