Want to attack every day with the latest Georgia football recruiting info? That’s the Intel. This entry details the latest with All-American RB commit Jordan James from the All-American Bowl out in Texas.
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Jordan James took a well-deserved vacation after his senior season.
That’s the reason why the longtime commitment said he didn’t sign with the Bulldogs during the early period last month. There were eight Bulldogs named to the game and one other undecided target in 4-star OL Earnest Greene III.
Greene III will make his college choice known today. The All-American Bowl coverage begins at 1 PM EST on NBC.
James is the only unsigned Georgia commitment at the All-American Bowl this week.
“It was really because I was out of town,” James said. “I was on the water.”
He said he was on an extended trip on a cruise.
“That whole week I was gone,” he said. “I didn’t really have an opportunity to.”
James was one of three committed Bulldogs that did not sign during the early period. Texas 3- wide receiver Dillon Bell was one of those along with 4-star Appling County EDGE Darrius Smith. Smith, as devoted a fan of the program as any commit in recent years, has said that was because he wanted to sign together with his high school teammates in February.
The plan, James said this week, is to still becomes a Bulldog.
“There were a lot of schools that hit me up after that,” James said. “After I didn’t sign, it was Florida, Florida State and Notre Dame. Schools like that hit me up. Oklahoma hit me up. Auburn hit me up. Schools like that.”
What is the status of his UGA commitment at this time? Is that still solid?
“I am solid right now,” James said. “People keep asking me like what I am doing or if I am doing visits in January or whatever. It is up in the air. I don’t really know.”
Does he plan to visit Georgia again in January?
“Yes sir I will,” he said.
What would it take for him not to choose Georgia?
“It would take a lot,” James said. “Georgia is one of the very best programs in the country. It is still an honor to be committed to them.”
He has had a chance to see all of Georgia’s marquee signees in Texas this week. The names of 5-star signees Marvin Jones Jr. and Mykell Williams should be on everybody’s list of the top 10 players at this event. Williams has made a pretty compelling case that he has been the best of all the All-Americans in this class.
“The most impressive player here to me has been Mykell,” James said. “That’s to me. Everybody can see that. To me, he has really been dominating. He’s been dominating the whole week. Dominating everybody. Everything.”
James is one of the five Bulldogs named to the East team on offense. He sounded very prideful that he’s a part of the Georgia guys here this week.
“You can see by all the players here that we are stacked, man,” James said. “We are really going to be a problem. We are all going to be a problem. It means a lot to be a part of this 2022 Georgia class.”
James said that he still hears from Dell McGee. He said that McGee knew what he was planning to do during the early period.
“He was straight with it,” James said. “He knew it and was straight with it.”
James committed to the Bulldogs back on March 29 of last year. He took his official visit to check out UGA this fall and has never seemed to waver in his commitment throughout his senior season.
“Georgia is one of the top programs in the country,” James said. “The way they carry themselves and the on-field success and then their off-field success with their players really means a lot to me to be a part of this class.”
All-American Bowl: How has Jordan James looked this week?
The 4-star RB has looked very sharp in drills this week. He fits the description that his longtime football coach at Oakland High School in Tennessee gave him over a year ago. Kevin Creasy said that James brings to mind NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith with the way he looks very good-to-great in all facets of the game.
While there may not be one exceptional or jaw-dropping skill trait, the nation’s No. 16 RB and No. 188 overall prospect (247Sports Composite) has no tangible weaknesses or minus qualities to his game.
That said, perhaps the two or three home run qualities in any evaluation for James would be his leadership, his production at the high school level and also his underappreciated skillset in catching the ball out of the backfield.
James is a winner. His Oakland High team has won three state titles in his four years as a Patriot.
He’s listed at 5 feet, 10 inches but he might be a tick shorter than that. James finished his prep career at Oakland High in dominating fashion playing 6A football in Tennessee.
According to the Tennesseean, James ran for 1,740 yards with 26 rushing touchdowns in 2020. That was in 13 games. He piled up that rushing tally averaging just 14 carries per game.
He was at his best when it was required. He recorded 865 of those yards and 16 on those TDs on the ground in the playoffs for a perfect 15-0 team.
According to MaxPreps.com, he ran 187 times for 1,653 yards and another 24 scores as a senior. Those attempts went for an average of 8.8 yards per rush. He also caught 10 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield. James had a highlight 90-yard catch-and-run touchdown as a junior.
He had a prediction for the national championship game on Monday.
“Man, we are going to come out on top this time,” he said. “It is just the defense. The defense is stacked. I feel like our offense is going to get it done, too.”
Check out his senior highlight reel below.
SENTELL'S INTEL
(check on the recent reads on DawgNation.com)
- Earnest Greene III: All-American OL previews his Saturday decision reveal
- Cover 4: What’s the biggest Alabama weakness that the Bulldogs must exploit?
- Marvin Jones Jr: The Orange Bowl story you need to read about Georgia’s next great pass rusher
- Shemar Stewart: 5-star DL breaks down why UGA remains in his final three
- Under Armour All-American Game: Five UGA signees will take the field from the 2022 class
- All-American Game week is underway for UGA’s 2022 signees and a key unsigned target
