Dawgs Daily

Football Is Back - What I Learned About Prospects for Georgia

Brooks Austin|
Jerry Beard, Prince Avenue
Jerry Beard, Prince Avenue | Brooks Austin

High School football is officially underway here in the Peach State. We saw several big time games this week… here’s what we learned about Georgia prospects and commits. 

The Georgia Bulldogs haven’t finished outside of the Top-3 in the consensus recruiting rankings since head coach Kirby Smart has been in Athens. It’s been a decade straight of elite-level recruiting. Granted, Smart is blessed with arguably the greatest state in the country for high school football per capita here in the state of Georgia. 

With a plethora of talented prospects on Friday Nights here in the state, we here at Bulldogs on SI do our best to see as many as possible. Here’s what we learned about the Georgia prospect this week. 

Wednesday Night - Jerry Beard, RB 

There’s no mistaking the running back lineage at UGA. So, when you have kinfolk like the nephew of Garrison Hearst running around in your backyard, you tend to notice. That’s the case with Prince Avenue’s junior RB, Jerry Beard. This was my first time seeing him live on a Friday night, and there are few more polished running backs than that. He’s got tremendous vision and contact-balance. He’s as advertised. As just a 2027 prospect, there’s still time here. 

Thursday Night - Buford Boys 

I wasn’t at the game on Thursday night at Buford, but like most of you, I watched it. I have a hard time not wanting Georgia to let Tyriq Green play running back instead of safety when he gets to Athens. He’s such an elite ball carrier, and he makes such defining plays as a back that it’s tantalizing. 

Friday Night - Jae Lamar vs LaDamion Guyton 

Georgia running back commit Jae Lamar only had a kickoff return and three carries before racking up nearly 70 all-purpose yards and, unfortunately, tweaking his groin on Friday night. However, when he was on the field, it’s obvious how electric he’s going to be even on the college level. There’s true speed and twitch with Lamar. As for Guyton, I’ve always known he was a great athlete; you can see that on tape ever since he was a true freshman alongside Elijah Griffin at Savannah Christian. However, as he gets older, he’s becoming a much more physical football player. When he strikes… it’s palpable. I knew he was twitchy and could rush the passer. What I wanted to know was, is he violent when he plays the game? And the answer is a resounding yes. 

Saturday Takeaways - Casey Barner in 2028 

There were too many names to talk about after watching three straight games in Mercedes-Benz on Saturday. However, one name is clear and far above the rest, in my opinion, and that’s McEachern’s Casey Barner. As just a sophomore, he was the best player on the field Saturday and he’s only going to get better. He impacts the game, moves, and plays a lot like a young Caleb Downs.

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Brooks Austin
BROOKS AUSTIN

Brooks Austin is a former college football player turned journalist and broadcaster. Follow him on Twitter @BrooksAustinBA

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