Georgia recruiting reset: No. 1 on the field, can Bulldogs finish on top in 2023 class?

ATHENS, Ga. — The Georgia football team has yet to lose a game since 2022 began, but there have been some losses on the recruiting front: Cornerback Daniel Harris decommitted this month; tailback Justin Haynes opted for Alabama last summer instead of the program his dad, Verron, played at; and around the same time, receiver Anthony Evans pulled a surprise by picking Oklahoma.

But in recruiting, unlike in games, teams do get do-overs. Georgia hasn’t stopped recruiting any of the three players or others it might have missed out on. As the wins pile up, the Bulldogs’ coaches essentially are circling back with players they lost to say: Are you sure you don’t want to be a part of this?

“What do you want to be a part of? Do you want to be a part of something winning, something special?” Kirby Smart said this week, speaking generally about recruiting. “And that’s what we sell. And it’s not for everybody, but it’s what we sell.”

Georgia has the second-ranked class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings, behind only Alabama. The early signing period — which has taken over as the de facto main signing period — begins Dec. 21. So the next month will be a now-familiar frantic chase: prepare for and play in the SEC championship game, then hit the road to nail down committed recruits while trying to reel in a few new ones.

Here’s a look at where things stand on that front:

Who’s left

Georgia is in the mix for several five-star players, including a trio of outside linebackers: Damon Wilson (Venice, Fla.), Samuel M’Pemba (Bradenton, Fla.) and Qua Russaw (Montgomery, Ala.). The latter is teammates with five-star defensive lineman James Smith, another target. Tight ends coach Todd Hartley is seeking to reel in another superstar in five-star prospect Duce Robinson (Phoenix).

There are also the three aforementioned ones who got away. Haynes might be a long shot because Alabama is Alabama. But with Evans, who committed in the summer, how the season has played out might help, with Oklahoma struggling and Georgia passing more than its preceding reputation. Harris’ decommitment might have had a lot to do with seeing how many young cornerbacks Georgia was using, but Will Muschamp and Fran Brown will keep making the case.

Defensive linemen Jordan Hall (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Daevin Hobbs (Concord, N.C.) are four-star prospects Tray Scott is trying to finish on.

And there might be a few others, as Georgia aims to sign around 25 high school prospects. But, of course, that’s not the only option for immediate help anymore.

Transfer portal needs

Smart has reveled in his program being the only Power 5 team not to sign anyone out of the portal this past offseason. That doesn’t mean he’ll stand pat again.

Much will depend on what the roster looks like in early January: who leaves for the NFL, who transfers, how does the recruiting class look?

For example: If Kenny McIntosh leaves (he’s a senior with an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 year), Georgia would be more likely to take a transfer there. Junior Kendall Milton, despite his injury-marred season, also could test the waters. But if Georgia can add one more recruit in addition to Robinson and doesn’t lose anyone besides McIntosh, it won’t be as motivated to look in the portal.

In general, Georgia will follow the strategy it had last year: If there’s a player the coaches like enough, they’ll pursue him, and if they have an immediate need that can be filled, they’ll try to fill it. But the nature of stacking great recruiting classes on top of each other is having the luxury of not having to seek out transfers.

What happens at quarterback?

What we know: Stetson Bennett’s eligibility is up, three scholarship quarterbacks are due to return, and Georgia doesn’t have any quarterback commitments for the 2023 class.

What we don’t know: Whether any of the three remaining quarterbacks will leave and whether Georgia will take a flyer on someone, either via the portal or a high school recruit, is unknown. The answer to the latter probably depends on the former.

Carson Beck has been the top backup all season and seems to be the heir apparent. Gunner Stockton is just a freshman with two years separating him from Beck, so there’s no apparent rush for Stockton. Brock Vandagriff, who arrived as a five-star recruit a year after Beck, is the one to watch: Is he antsy for playing time or willing to stay and compete with Beck? Vandagriff seems happy, based on the way he celebrates on the sidelines. But business is business, and everyone wants to play.

The educated guess here, and it’s purely that, is the coaches emphasize it’s an open competition in the spring, hoping to keep all three around. But those offseason reps with the No. 1 quarterback and his receivers are valuable, so if there is separation, a decision is best announced sooner rather than later, after spring ball at the latest.

What about receiver?

Recall, if you will, how Smart said after the Oregon game that Georgia’s passing in that game should encourage elite players who want to play in that kind of offense. And though it might not seem like it, Georgia has kept throwing; it has 381 pass attempts, third most in the SEC despite hardly passing it in the latter part of some games, especially Tennessee and Kentucky.

So is it having a tangible impact on the recruiting trail? The hope is it sways Evans, and Georgia already likes what it has in Tyler Williams and Raymond Cottrell. But if a speedy receiver enters the portal and attracts Georgia’s interest, it will pounce.

Bryan McClendon, in his second stint as Georgia’s receivers coach, might still have his work cut out for him because opponents will point to the tight ends being bigger beneficiaries of the more pass-heavy approach. This is another case where AD Mitchell, and George Pickens before him, being hurt doesn’t help on the recruiting trail. But McClendon was able to sign top-flight receivers at Oregon, and it might take another cycle to see if his hire and Georgia’s passing offense are winning over recruits.

(Photo of Kirby Smart: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images)