Want a daily lap through Georgia football recruiting? That’s what the Intel will bring at least five days a week. We’ll cover the news and which way a coveted recruit like Gerry Bohanon Jr. or Quindarious Monday or Marquez Ezzard might lean plus add some perspective to help fans figure out what it all means.
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Georgia caught Gerry Bohanon Jr. by surprise when he visited last weekend.
“To be honest it was a lot better than what I expected,” Bohannon told DawgNation. “From the first time of meeting those coaches, it felt real. It felt like I already knew all those guys already. I was almost instantly very comfortable there. It felt like a place I could possibly be in the future.”
DawgNation checked in with Bohanon earlier this month. At that time, it didn’t appear that the Bulldogs were trying very hard to entice him. Georgia had offered but had not done much to enhance the opportunity.
The West Memphis (Ark.) resident feels that has changed.
“They showed me so much attention when I was there,” Bohannon said. “I was just there this weekend and I’ve already been in contact with coaches from Georgia twice this week.”
Bohanon rates as a 3-star prospect and the nation’s No. 13 dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2018. Georgia offensive coordinator Jim Chaney also quickly earned his respect.
He did so by doing something he will never forget.
“Coach Chaney was the first coach to really sit down with me and talk to me about the ways he could help me improve my game,” Bohanon said. “He showed me a few things he saw on my film that could make me better.”
They discussed a few tweaks to this release, aligning his body to his target and finishing his throws.
Bohanon said Auburn, Mississippi State and Ole Miss were the only other first visits he’s taken to a school that compared to his first trip to UGA.
“Those are the best visits I have been on by far,” Bohanon said.
He said it seemed like only his Auburn and Mississippi State trips were organized in the same efficient manner.
“It felt like they planned the whole day around me,” he said.
Look for him to return to Georgia sometime this summer. Possibly for a camp.
“After that first visit they are one of my top schools,” he said. “If they continue to recruit me hard, then Georgia will for sure be one of my top schools. For sure.”
Bohanon said he spoke with UGA coach Kirby Smart for about 25-30 minutes. They discussed academics, character, and personality but also how they program is looking to add a dual-threat QB like him to the roster.
When Bohannon tried on the red jersey, he said “it felt real good.”
He said he also hears from Tennessee every day. His first trip to Knoxville was rushed and he didn’t have the time he would’ve liked, but that was also a very good visit.
How Gerry Bohanon Jr. sees the UGA program
The 6-foot-3, 214-pounder said that talk with Chaney was perhaps the best part of his visit. The only other aspect of the trip that compared was watching Georgia practice.
The Bulldogs impressed him.
“I saw Georgia scrimmage,” he said. “It was live. I can really say that Georgia has a lot of exciting players on their roster and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed watching Georgia’s passing game and how competitive Georgia’s defense was with the offense and then how competitive the offense was right back with the defense. They all competed as if they were already playing another opponent.”
He said that UGA was the best team he’s seen so far this spring.
“That offense they have is something,” he said. “Then with the receivers, they have and then the freshman core that’s coming? I really think Georgia is going to be really good this year. They are very fun to watch and will be hard to stop.”
When he left Athens he said he wondered when he would be able to return. He also hoped that the Bulldogs would continue to recruit him the way they did when he was on campus.
He likes what he’s seen from the program so far this week.
Checking on an in-state player trending from UGA
There is a lot of chatter right now about what’s not happening with the 2018 class. The Bulldogs (two commits) currently rank 53rd nationally by the 247Sports Team Composite rankings.
That’s last in the SEC. Northern Illinois, SMU and Western Michigan are a few of the notables that have fared better so far for this cycle.
This isn’t a fantastic year for top-to-bottom talent in the state, but there are several misses that stand out. Pick any of the quarterbacks that are committed elsewhere: That’s 5-stars Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Emory Jones.
There are two other non-quarterback notables that stand out to me that already seem like they won’t land in Athens. These two guys are also in the non-quarterback category.
Brookwood 4-star receiver Matthew Hill is all but uncheckable in space and he’s never received a UGA offer. That’s an example of priority and perspective. The Bulldogs, to their credit, seem like they valued in-state slot receivers Marquez Ezzard, Kearis Jackson and Josh Vann ahead of Hill.
That’s a logical position. Georgia can never sign them all.
The real head-scratcher to me is Carver-Atlanta stalwart Quindarious Monday. Monday rates as the nation’s No. 12 athlete for 2018. He’s a certified ball-hawk at safety.
Monday’s length in the back end seems like it maybe could stretch from Friday to Monday. The 6-feet and 2.5-inch junior has an ideal wingspan. Monday was one of my Top 5 players at the Rising Seniors event last December.
Georgia has offered. Yet Auburn has seemed the team to beat for quite some time.
What about the in-state Bulldogs?
“They are trying,” Monday said. “They come around sometimes. But when they need me to come visit, I will be busy. I have a track meet or something. Then I have Cam Newton 7-on-7 stuff. It is just hard for me to have time to get up there. .. It is hard for me to make them a priority because I have visited Georgia, but I need to visit more so I can get the feeling of it.”
He hasn’t been to Georgia since a summer camp in 2016.
“They have a shot,” Monday said. “I really haven’t made my decision yet. I am still just going through it right now.”
Monday aims to make a decision by the end of his senior season.
“I believe Auburn fits me and I love the coaching staff,” Monday said. “Those coaches there at Auburn are just really great.”
If he had to pick one program, he said that FSU takes a backseat to no other school in terms of how well they recruit.
“Florida State got one of the best recruiting games,” Monday said. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t get a text from Florida State. They interact with you every single day.
Monday’s pecking order sounds like Auburn, FSU and Florida at this time. Tennessee would be next and then UGA.
“Georgia could show more love and show interest,” Monday said. “They could show me they need me and how much they need me.”
Monday’s pick at WR in the 2018 class
DawgNation asked Monday who he felt was the best receiver in Georgia for 2018. He’s seen them all from shadowing them at The Rising Seniors game to the 7-on-7 showcases to Nike’s Atlanta “The Opening” regional.
Monday has made several game-changing plays for Cam Newton’s 7-on-7 squad so far this spring.
Who does he think is the best?
“Marquez Ezzard,” he said. “Because that boy is raw.”
Ezzard told me this morning that he’s not sure if he will be at G-Day or not this weekend. He will have to figure that one out.
There’s a conflict with his high school prom that he has to work out at this time.
He also said he is not anywhere close to making his college decision at this time.
Monday’s not making a reach there. Ezzard was a big-play performer last fall for his Tigers. He had a monster game against Rome
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound prospect rates as the nation’s No. 16 athlete and the No. 247 player overall by the 247Sports Composite.
The big-play receiver finished the 2016 season with 50 catches for 1,015 yards and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 20 yards per reception and added another three rushing scores to his junior stat line.
Ezzard had nine catches for 212 yards against a future state champion team that night against Rome. He was at his best when it was required.
The effort was one of five 100-yard nights he posted last year on a strong team that won six games by more than 16 or more points.
Where is UGA with Lyn-J Dixon?
Lyn-J Dixon was offered by two different staffs at UGA. The 3-star RB ranks as the nation’s No. 25 prospect at his position.
The 5-foot, 10.5-inch prospect weighed in at 178 pounds at the Atlanta Opening regional. He also tested well with a 4.61 laser time in the 40 and a 4.16 clocking in the short shuttle. Dixon threw the power ball 35 feet and elevated 35.6 feet for his vertical.
Georgia has prioritized other targets. Dixon could be another slot receiver, but the Bulldogs are going after big backs like 5-star Zamir White and Master W. Teague III.
The Taylor County star would like to be at G-Day but sees little reason.
“There haven’t been any coaches from Georgia who communicate with me,” Dixon told DawgNation. “I don’t feel like they are interested in me.”
Dixon’s story reflects the big picture for UGA in 2018. It shows another reason why UGA doesn’t have more commitments at this time.
The program looks like it is trusting in their personnel evaluations.
UGA is not reaching just to add a commitment to 2018. The overall firepower from the 2017 class affords them a degree of patience to reel in 2018 pledges.
Dixon currently feels like Clemson, Florida, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennesee and Texas are showing the strongest interest right now.
He has no top schools at this time.