The Georgia Bulldogs, who started the recruiting season with a blitz before going months without a new commitment, got back in the game two weeks ago, picking up a verbal from Glen Allen, Va., cornerback Jordan Love. Love chose a career in Athens over offers from Louisville, Florida, Penn State, South Carolina and Tennessee, among others.
In the end, it really became a three-team race for Love’s services between the Dawgs, Florida and Penn State. According to his interview with UGASports.com, Love’s visit to Athens made the difference: “When I went down to Georgia for the visit, I did not really know a lot about them, but I just fell in love with them during the visit. The campus was nice, the people were nice, the academics were great, and me and my family felt really good about everything after the visit.”
At 6-foot, 185 pounds, Love is an extremely physical corner who displays exceptional quickness and great body control. He is a three-star recruit according to Rivals.com.
Not to be outdone by their in-state rivals, Georgia Tech did some big-time recruiting of their own, earning a commitment last weekend from Knoxville, Tenn, guard Will Jackson. The three-star recruit chose Tech over offers from Kentucky, Mississippi, N.C. State, Stanford and West Virginia, among others.
On film, the 6-foot-4, 280-pound Jackson displays impressive power to go along with quick feet and good agility. Right now, he is better in the run game than he is as a pass blocker.
PEACHES GROWING ELSEWHERE
A whole hoard of Georgia recruits have recently decided to move their games across state lines, beginning on July 21, when three recruits alone committed to out-of-state schools. First, LaGrange outside linebacker Qua Huzzie dropped off the market, deciding to commit to the Wildcats of Kentucky. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound athlete chose the ‘Cats over offers from Memphis, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Oklahoma State. On the field, Huzzie displays amazing closing speed and is highly aggressive for a player of his stature.
The next recruit to fall was Norcross athlete Prince Kent, who gave the Miami Hurricanes his verbal commitment. Kent, a big 6-foot-3, 195-pound cornerback, chose the ‘Canes over an endless list of schools, including Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Alabama. On the field, the four-star recruit can line up anywhere in the secondary, as he utilizes his great size and good speed to make plays. Most noticeably, Kent loves to hit and has exceptional recognition skills, closing on the ball like a missile.
The last recruit to fall on the 21st was yet another Norcross athlete, this time running back D.J. Adams. Adams, 5-foot-10, 210-pound running back chose the Terps over prestigious schools such as Notre Dame, Oregon, Arkansas, and Clemson. According to Rivals.com, Adams is a three-star recruit and the 32nd-ranked running back in the country. On the field, Adams is a downfield runner with good toughness and vision. Most importantly, he hits the hole with uncanny explosion and power, a skill that, combined with his ability to break tackles, makes him nearly impossible to contain.
KNIGHTS AND CARDINALS
Two days after the aforementioned Georgia trio decided to leave the state, Cedar Grove offensive tackle Samuel Johnson committed to UCF. Johnson also had offers from Marshall, South Florida, Mississippi and East Carolina, but chose the Knights because he liked what he “heard about UCF’s campus and the team,” according to UCFSports.com. Though Johnson is not rated by either Rivals or Scout.com, UCF sees the 6-foot-5, 245-pound tackle as more of a project, though one with great upside. He will certainly need to gain some weight before contributing at the next level.
Finally, to conclude what became a flurry of commitments in the last week, Riverdale standout Hakeem Smith took his name off the list of uncommitted Georgia football players. Smith, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound safety, chose to accept an offer from Louisville, becoming the third defensive player to commit to the Cardinals in this recruiting cycle. In addition to the coaches, Smith was most impressed by the luxuries offered at Louisville: “[I liked] the facilities, the weight room, the stadium – I love the stadium,” Smith told CardinalSports.com. Former Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English was in charge of Smith’s recruitment for Louisville.
Janovitz can be reached at sjanovitz@scoreatl.com.
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