2023 Recruiting Starts with LT Overton and Arch Manning
The Georgia coaching staff has put together some elite recruiting classes in recent memory. They have the chance to do that again in the 2023 cycle, but at this point, there are two names atop every perrenial powerhouse's big board:
Lebbeus "LT" Overton and Arch Manning.
Overton and Manning are the biggest names in the class. Both have been labeled superstars and can change the fortune of the programs they attend.
Georgia has a chance to land both of them, and if they do, the Bulldogs could extend their championship window by multiple seasons.
Overton attends Milton High School in Georgia. He has started at edge rusher since his freshman season dating back to his days playing in Alabama and has every major school pushing for his commitment.
Overton has been described as a generational recruit. There aren't many high-school juniors that are elite athletes while being 6-foot-3 and weighing 270 pounds.
He had 19 sacks as a freshman and followed that impressive campaign with 21.5 in his sophomore season.
Overton is also a force on the basketball court. His high-school team won the Geico national championship this season and he holds several dual-sport offers.
Simply put, he checks every box that a scout looks for. He has an advanced pass-rushing arsenal and has a variety of tools he can use to get after the quarterback.
Special-teams coordinator Scott Cochran is taking the lead in Overton's recruitment. According to Overton, Cochran is on him, "like white on rice."
Overton will be taking an unofficial visit to Georgia on June 2. It is believed he will be taking part in the workouts that the Bulldogs are planning to hold for the class of 2022 and 2023 recruits.
The perceived leaders in his recruitment are Clemson, Alabama, Texas A&M and Ohio State. At this point, Georgia is on the outside looking in, but they can get into the mix for Overton's services.
Manning's recruitment is also going to be important for the Bulldogs. And yes, Arch is the nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning.
Manning attends Isidore Newman High School in Louisiana. He has started since his freshman season and has turned the school into a powerhouse in Louisiana football. This recruitment will be much quieter. Manning sticks to himself and rarely talks to the media.
That doesn't change the fact that Manning is an uber-talented quarterback. He has been working with his grandfather, New Orleans Saints legend Archie Manning, since he was a kid and it shows on the field.
Arch Manning can hit throws from a variety of angles. He moves well in the pocket and doesn't need to set his feet in order to deliver an accurate ball. This isn't the Manning style of quarterback play that most fans of professional football have grown accustomed to. This is a much more dynamic athlete when it comes to extending plays with his legs and making plays outside the pocket.
He will be the biggest domino in this recruiting cycle. While Overton is the best player in the class, other players are waiting for Manning to commit so they can begin their process.
Schools are waiting for Manning to commit before they go all-in on another quarterback in the cycle.
Sources close to the situation believe that the Mannings love head coach Kirby Smart and offensive coordinator Todd Monken. They have placed a priority on attending a school with a consistent defense along with a dynamic offensive coordinator. Georgia certainly checks those boxes.
