The Dawg Walk: Weekly Notes on Georgia Recruiting
June has almost pasted us by and it was a rather uneventful month for Georgia football in terms of recruiting. Carrollton, Georgia native Chaz Chambliss is the last prospect in the 2021 class to publicly announce a commitment to Georgia and that occurred on May 26th. The following day Georgia got a commitment from another in-state stud in Marquise Groves-Killebrew from Brookwood, but MGK is in the class of 2022.
The end of June and the months of July and August figure to have much more action for Georgia. In today's Dawg Walk, we at Dawgs Daily on SI.com update you on the projected outcomes of a few scheduled commitments and some surprise commitments that could be on the way. Also, in this edition of the Dawg Walk, we will debut a section called STOCK UP in which we will highlight Georgia targets that are gaining momentum.
COMMITMENT WATCH 2021 & 2022
2021
Tony Grimes is set to make his announcement tomorrow. Every indication from our sources, and also by simply following the interesting Twitter machine that is Grimes' Father, is that North Carolina is the the landing spot here. In the end, it's believed that Dre Bly's coaching style and his 757 background connection to Grimes' family will be too much for the Dawgs to overcome. Grimes can go to UNC and be a program changing type player from day one, where as at Georgia he'd likely be competing with an experience player for a starting spot in 2021. Expect the Virginia Beach native to pick the Tar Heels tomorrow.
Amarius Mims moved his commitment date for October 14th to sometime in August, according to internet recruiting sensation Hayes Fawcett. Georgia and Alabama are the only two that are really in contention here. We, and many people we have talked to with direct knowledge of the situation, feel that Georgia is the team to beat. Georgia has focused on a very talented group of in-state lineman in 2021. They've already landed Dylan Farchild (West Forsyth - Cumming, GA) and Mims and Peach County Guard Terrence Ferguson both appear to be Bulldogs through and through.
However, there is the element that Mims has always seen Alabama as somewhat of a dream school type scenario. He's said so himself on social media. Also, in an interview with Dawgs Daily earlier this year, Mims stated that the tries to emulate his game after former Crimson Tide great Cam Robinson, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, we know for a fact that nobody is recruiting Mims harder and is more connected to the people around him than Georgia is.
Brock Bowers and his family are making a trip out to Athens from Napa, California on their own dime and they are not allowed any interaction with the program. If the fact that he and his family are willing to do this, especially during a pandemic, is not a good sign for Georgia, then I just don't know what could be.
In the last conversation that we had with Bowers, he mentioned Oregon and Washington specifically as the other schools recruiting hard like Georgia. Since then, Oregon has taken two 4-Star Tight Ends in Moliki Matavao and Terrence Ferguson (of Colorado not to be confused with the Terrence Ferguson from Georgia mentioned earlier). The Huskies also took a Junior College Tight End toward the end of May. We've heard virtually nothing about any other schools in Bowers' original Top 8 and unless he stays in California with UCLA or Cal for purely proximity purposes, then it's just a matter of when Bowers lands with Georgia, and not if.
Dallas Turner and Jamon Dumas-Johnson are both defensive targets that Georgia is and will be pursuing intently all the way up until their respective July 1st and July 8th commitment dates. For Georgia the main competition for Turner is Alabama and admittedly we at Dawgs Daily have considered him signed, sealed, and delivered with the Crimson Tide for a while. Information we've obtained recently however suggests that the Dawgs are not out of this fight and there is a glimmer of hope and some reason optimism.
Dumas-Johnson plays for St. Frances Academy in Baltimore and the resurgent Maryland Terrapins are doing everything they can to keep him in the DMV. Florida is also a major player here, but sources tell us that Georgia feels really good about their relationship with the 4-Star linebacker and also we know current Dawg players and commits have been doing their part in trying to lure Dumas-Johnson to Athens. Also, Georgia desperately needs to add two quality inside linebackers.
2022
Tyre West and C.J. Washington are both names that Dawg fans need to be aware of. West and Washington are both Peach State products that project to be absolute terrors on the defensive side of the ball at the next level. Both are enamored with the culture at Georgia, the coaching staff, and they indicate that Georgia feels like home. West has been up to Georgia multiple times and has been recruited with purpose since his freshman year at Tift County. Playing and dominating at such a young age in one of the toughest football regions in the entire country lets you know just what time of prospect West is.
C.J. Washington is a physical freak as well. At 6'2" 220 pounds, Washington stars on both sides of the ball for Cedartown at running back and defensive end. Look for Georgia to utilize him on the defensive side of the ball in some way should he decide to spent his college career in Athens. Cedartown is also the home of current Cleveland Brown and former UGA great Nick Chubb. Washington appears to be cut from the same cloth as Chubb. Tireless workers that let their game do the talking. Rest assured that Kirby Smart and company will do everything possible to keep the Cedartown to Athens pipeline flowing.
Wouldn't be surprised if either, or both, pull the trigger soon.
STOCK UP
Long time 2021 Georgia Bulldog commitment David Daniel finally received a well-deserved invite to a nationally renowned All-Star Game. Daniel attended the Elite Underclassmen Showcase in Atlanta this weekend and impressed enough to be invited to the Under-Armour All-American game.
Marlin Klein is a class of 2022 Tight End from Germany. Klein plays his high school ball at a private boarding school in northern Georgia called Rabun Gap. Dawgs Daily will publish a full story on the 6'6" 205-pound prospect soon but just know in the meantime that despite not having an offer from UGA yet, there is building and mutual interest.
Finally, stock has risen with the Dawgs with a pair of 2021 wide receivers, Malik Nabers and Adonai Mitchell. Malik Nabers placed Georgia in his Top 2, along with Mississippi State, this weekend. Indications are that there has been regular communication with Nabers and UGA, but at this point, it would seem that the Pirate himself Mike Leach is likely to land Nabers in Starkville. However, any time you're publicly in the final two for a prospect, anything can happen.
Adonai Mitchell is an Antioch, Tennessee native and originally had Georgia in his Top 5 before committing to Ole Miss back in April.
Reports have been published that Mitchell is intending to back off of his commitment from the Rebels and that it could be sooner rather than later. Indications are that Auburn and Georgia are both in the fight here. We've received word that Georgia is pursuing Mitchell intently and from multiple angles. If the skilled wideout does officially announce a decommitment from Ole Miss, then expect the Dawgs to be all-in on trying to land him.
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