Georgia lost one member of its top-ranked 2018 class on Christmas Day.

Aaron Brule, a 3-star safety/outside linebacker from Louisiana, announced he was de-committing from the Bulldogs, whose class is down to 23 players.

The move wasn’t surprising as he was expected to sign during the early signing period before that changed over the past two weeks.

Brule made his decision known Monday morning, pointing out “circumstances beyond my control.”

https://twitter.com/_alloutaaron_/status/945335189386952705

While Brule will re-open his recruitment, the Bulldogs — still boasting the No. 1 class in the country — will do the same and pursue a number of priority targets to fill out their class.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Brule, who hails from Archbishop Rummel in Metairie, La., had been the fifth-lowest-rated signee or commit in Georgia’s class at the end of the early signing period.

Brule committed to Georgia on Sept. 24 over offers from SEC schools Arkansas, Mississippi State and Tennessee, along with other notable offers from Oklahoma State, Texas and TCU.