Dawgs Daily History: The Hidden Recruiting Gems of the 2010s

Year after year, Georgia football signs recruiting classes packed with elite talent. However, some of the best Bulldogs of the last decade have been the overlooked prospects.

2019: Stetson Bennett IV

When Bennett returned to Athens after a year at Jones College, no one gave it a second thought. Then came Georgia's quarterback roulette of 2020. Jake Fromm left for the NFL, Jamie Newman opted out, JT Daniels wasn't healthy enough and D'Wan Mathis couldn't lead the offense at Arkansas.

Bennett took over against the Razorbacks and led a dominant second half for the Bulldogs. He started the next five games, and though he struggled during his last few starts, he looked like a star early. Where would Georgia have been in 2020 without Bennett? Not 4-1 entering Jacksonville for the game against Florida, that's for sure.

2018: Jordan Davis

Georgia signed its first No. 1 class in school history in 2018, so it's ironic that one of the class's best players was one of its lowest-ranked prospects. Davis was only a three-star recruit in the 2018 class, and he's gone on to exceed expectations.

Davis was arguably the best defensive lineman in the SEC this past season, earning second-team All-American honors despite missing three games. He projected as a first- or second-round pick in this year's NFL Draft, but Davis instead chose to stay in school for his senior year.

2017: Eric Stokes

Georgia signed seven defensive backs in 2017 and most of them didn't live up to expectations. Of those seven, the lowest-ranked prospect was Stokes. Now, he's a potential first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Stokes catapulted up the depth chart after redshirting in 2017. He was a special-teams star early in 2018 before claiming a starting spot in the middle of the season. He was a shutdown corner in every sense of the word, rarely allowing catches and making quarterbacks pay for throwing his way.

2016: Solomon Kindley

Sometimes the recruiting sites get it wrong. Kindley was an unranked recruit in 2016. Then-offensive line coach Sam Pittman liked what he saw in the 6-foot-5, 330-pound prospect and brought him to Athens.

Kindley developed into a solid player on Georgia's dominant offensive line. He started 32 games between 2017-19, earning Freshman All-SEC honors in 2017. Kindley left Athens after his redshirt junior year and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

2015: Tae Crowder

Crowder wasn't only a hidden gem in recruiting, he was also one in the 2020 NFL Draft. Crowder came to Georgia as a low-ranked wide receiver. He initially moved to running back in 2015 before settling at linebacker in 2016.

His first full season at linebacker was quiet until the Rose Bowl. Before halftime, Crowder stopped a squib kick to give the offense good field position. You know the rest of the story. Crowder parlayed that one play into two successful seasons at linebacker. He was one of 12 finalists for the Butkus Award in 2019.

2014: Dominick Sanders

Sanders is one of the best ballhawks in school history. His 16 career interceptions put him in a three-way tie for first, and his 205 return yards in 2015 is a school record.

Despite being a three-star prospect, Sanders earned a starting safety job as a freshman. For four years, Sanders shut down the middle of the field, making quarterbacks think twice before throwing his way.

2013: Davin Bellamy

Unlike other players on this list, Bellamy wasn't a negligible prospect. He was actually a low four-star prospect. But 2013 was an unusually bad year for Georgia recruiting. Compared to almost everyone else in the class, Bellamy was a five-star.

Bellamy earned a starting job as a redshirt junior in 2018 and impressed with 51 tackles and five sacks. He again totaled five sacks in 2017, helping lead the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship and a spot in the national championship game.

2012: James DeLoach

DeLoach almost wasn't a hidden gem for Georgia. After two quiet seasons, DeLoach got into some trouble. He and three teammates were arrested before the 2014 season when they were caught double-cashing scholarship checks.

The three teammates eventually left the team, but DeLoach stayed and played an important role on Georgia's defense in 2015 starting four games. As a recruit, DeLoach was only a three-star. His troubles nearly made him another forgotten prospect. Instead, DeLoach had a pretty good career at UGA.

2011: David Andrews

Like Crowder, Andrews was a hidden gem as a college and professional prospect. He was ranked as a mid-tier three-star coming out of high school. Andrews was far from the biggest lineman in his class at 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds.

However, Andrews exceeded expectations by becoming one of the best centers in school history. He started 40 games from 2012-14, and was a major catalyst for Georgia's dominance in the run game at the time.

Somehow, Andrews didn't impress enough pro scouts, and he went undrafted in 2015. He again proved doubters wrong by being an opening-day starter for the New England Patriots as a rookie. He's been the man at center in New England since then, helping the Patriots win two Super Bowls.

2010: Michael Bennett

When Georgia signed wide receiver Bennett in 2010, it didn't have to fend off many elite teams to get him. He became one of the program's best all-time receivers. Bennett ended his college career with 1,607 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.

He was well on his way to a historic season as a redshirt sophomore in 2012. But he suffered a season-ending injury five games into the season. Bennett bounced back to remain an integral part of Georgia's passing game in 2013 and 2014. He led the team in receiving yards as a senior.