Georgia vs Clemson 2021, Recruiting Gets Even Stronger
In each of the last three recruiting cycles, the Georgia Bulldogs under Kirby Smart have staked claim to the number one recruiting class. Arguably, there is no program that is more relentless and more skilled in bringing in the best collection of talent from around the country.
Clemson and Alabama can be mentioned in the same breath in terms of the elites of recruiting. And, to the chagrin of Dawg faithful everywhere, they both have something that Georgia covets in recent National Championships. However, there is no doubt that Coach Smart, his staff, and the Georgia players over the past four years have placed UGA in rarified air.
In 2018, 2019, and 2020 Georgia was able to bring in the number one class amidst losing coordinators, coming off ugly ordeals with the transferring of 5-Stars like Justin Fields and Cade Mays, and periodic offensive struggles, especially in the passing game. Imagine how things will be heightened in 2021 with a returning Dan Lanning, an added Todd Monken and his "Air Raid" principled offense, an $80 million facility expansion and renovation, and now a looming marquee matchup versus one of the game's standard-bearers to open the 2021 season.
Brock Vandagriff is already committed to Georgia. It can only sweeten the pot that it is now a very real possibility that he could make his first start, in his first game as a Bulldog, as a true freshman against a program like Clemson. There is no doubt that Carson Beck, Dwan Mathis, and Stetson Bennett will have something to say about this to be fair. However, having gotten a glimpse of the competitive nature of Vandagriff, it goes doesn't take too much thought to believe there wasn't anyone that could have been more excited to hear of the news of the neutral site showdown in Charlotte than the young man from Bogart, Georgia.
Kirby Smart mentioned in his press conference on National Signing Day earlier this month that linebacker will be a position of need in the next cycle. How much of an added incentive is the prospect of playing in a National Championship like atmosphere right off the get-go for key linebacker targets like Smael Mondon, Barrett Carter and Chaz Chambliss?
Clemson and Georgia both found their way into the Top 3 of 2021's top-ranked safety in the country, James Williams. The same goes for the top offensive tackle in 2021 Amarius Mims. Both programs made his Top 12 list and the Bleckley County native acknowledged in an interview recently with Bulldog Maven that he and Kirby Smart talk about opportunity and earning early playing time frequently.
Recruitments such as these 5-Stars' in which the Dawgs and Tigers are fighting tooth and nail, combined with already scheduled matchups with Clemson in 2024, 2029, 2030, 2032 and 2033, and mix in the sheer proximity of the schools, and you have yourself a budding, and reclaimed, rivalry folks.
There is no disputing that Kirby Smart and Georgia have led the way into the no-cupcakes era with tremendously aggressive future out-of-conference scheduling. The advantages of this type of scheduling are plentiful for both the programs involved in these titanic games and college football overall.
I expect the branding and marketing of this event to be in full force and make no mistake about it, the class of 2021 paid attention and is keenly aware of the significance of the announcement of this game and the exposure that comes with it.
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