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 this 4-star or 5-star like Zamir White or Chris Smith might lean plus add some perspective to help fans figure out what it all means.
_______________________________________________________
Zamir White has no doubt reached the smothering stage of his college recruiting.
That’s to be expected given the North Carolina product’s status as the nation’s No. 1 RB for 2018. White has been a priority for college football’s elite since his sophomore season in 2015.
At that time, Georgia’s running backs coach (Thomas Brown) told the Scotland County coaching staff that White rated higher than any back the Bulldogs liked in 2016 or 2017.
He took a visit to Columbus last weekend for Ohio State’s spring game. Yet by now the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect is at a point where everything just snowballs. The Ohio State writers want to know about the visit. That’s the writers for all the major recruiting services. There are at least 3-4 major services there.
The Ohio State writers want to know about the visit. That’s the 3-4 writers for all the major recruiting services.
Folks have jobs to do. Stories to write.
The demands get multiplied. Clemson’s writers want an update for those fans. The same goes for Alabama, Georgia and even his home state Tar Heels.
Did any seismic changes occur? Where do things stand?
Think “Groundhog Day” every week for a high school kid. Don’t expect many extended interview sessions with White going forward.
Everyone wants this week’s answer. But his decision isn’t set to come until late June. That decision date will honor his mother’s birthday.
White is a nice and a shy kid. He’s a pleaser. But this has to be daunting. Especially when one visit and any statements he makes creates a deluge of at least 20-25 interview requests.
This is the time of year when those that know and care about him do not ask him about schools. That’s something to bear in mind when wishing there was more information regarding his current mindset.
Reporters could trek up to Laurinburg and stake out the fieldhouse. That’s one way to find out what he’s thinking right now.
But that’s no way to go about covering a prospect of White’s stature long-term. That’s also a great way to poison an interview before the first question gets asked.
Here’s what DawgNation does know about White:
- When he went up to Columbus last week, a well-placed source told me Georgia appeared to be in the lead. The not-quite 6-foot-1 junior tipped the scales at 220 pounds in Columbus.
- He still has not made a decision about whether or not to attend the Alabama or Georgia spring game this Saturday.
- Ohio State had work to do to with White. The Buckeyes did make a move, but it remains to be seen just how big of an impact that visit had on White and his entire family. It is no stretch to think the Buckeyes might now be right behind UGA.
- This decision has not been finalized.
- Georgia has recruited and continues to recruit White harder than any other school.
Chris Smith sets up his Super 6
I consider Hapeville Charter cornerback Chris Smith to be as good as any cornerback in the state this year.
Michigan commit Myles Sims might have a slight edge because of size, but there’s no difference between Smith and what 4-star Christian Tutt can do for any big-time SEC secondary.
Smith rates as a 3-star prospect and as the state’s No. 46 overall prospect but he’s in my Georgia Top 20 for sure. He’s also gotten closer to his decision.
The not-quite 5-foot-11 prospect shared his Top 6 via Twitter yesterday. It reflected progress. Smith was only looking at cutting his 30-plus offers down to a Top 12 a few weeks ago.
https://twitter.com/cpsmithdb/status/854063305115262976
What’s the read here? I think Georgia has made up some ground but there’s no clear leader. Or even a behind-the-scenes one.
Smith has also just made a substantial tour of schools over the last few weeks and camped, too. Alabama, Michigan and South Carolina all have very good shots here.
The Hapeville Charter standout will be at G-Day this Saturday. That will give the Bulldogs a chance to continue climbing.
RELATED: Check out DawgNation’s early G-Day list as the RSVPs roll in.
The latest on 4-star TK Chimedza
TK Chimedza, a 4-star defensive tackle at IMG Academy, updated DawgNation with where his recruiting stood on Monday. The Georgia native will not be at G-Day this weekend.
He said he still feels like the Bulldogs are making him a priority, but that both Duke and Mississippi State were recruiting him the hardest at this time.
Chimedza rates as the nation’s No. 20 DT in the Class of 2018. He said to look for his decision to still likely come sometime this summer.
Mississippi State would be the one school that has come on strong of late regarding his decision.
Does he need to see substantial improvement from Georgia this year?
“Yes, most definitely,” he said. “The 2017 class was a really good class. Very good at all the positions overall. You get that much talent and all those top-tier athletes and you expect them to do something with them. You put out what you put in. Georgia put in all that great hard work in recruiting and it should show out on the field. If it doesn’t, then something might be wrong with that. I’m going to be looking to see how all that turns out for Georgia this year.”
But he plans to make his decision before Georgia’s season unfolds this fall.
“Record wise I would say no that the record won’t matter as much to me,” he said. “I will pay attention to what they are doing with their players. For me, I will look at their D-linemen to see how they all are doing. That’s what I will focus on. How the players at my position are performing. I want to see guys make improvements and get better.”
Duke, Florida State, Georgia and Mississippi State are the team to watch going forward here.
Something substantial about Kirby Smart’s style
DawgNation had a good update with Tennessee RB Master W. Teague III on Monday. It included a lot of interesting thoughts, but there was something else that didn’t need to stay on the cutting room floor.
It had to do with how Kirby Smart views a successful career at UGA.
Teague said he believes what Smart told him about growing young men into their adult lives while they play for him.
“He said some things and I really took that to heart,” Teague said. “He said he really believes in growing these players into men and he said he would much rather see a player become a better man while he’s at Georgia than making it to the NFL and not be a good person. He’d rather help them grow into a man and be a great husband to his wife and a great family man than just get them to the NFL. When he said that, it was a big thing to hear from the head coach at Georgia.”
Smart even expanded on that.
“He said that football will eventually come to an end but how you live and how you are perceived as a man will live on after football,” Teague said. “He talked about living your lives and being a benefit to society and to the world rather than just making the NFL out of your time playing at Georgia.”