Georgia football recruiting: What you need to know ahead of signing day

In the final 24 hours before the December signing period arrives on Wednesday, there wasn’t much still on the table for Georgia football as it related to the 2024 class.

Unless Kirby Smart has some surprises up his sleeve to add to a 27-player class.

About the biggest question was will Buford safety KJ Bolden flip to the Bulldogs, stick with Florida State or maybe sign with Auburn?

More: Georgia football quarterback Carson Beck announces his stay-or-go decision for 2024

More: Ryan Puglisi had 'deep-rooted faith' in Georgia football despite Dylan Raiola recruitment

Here are five other things to know about Georgia football during a head-spinning time what with signing day, the transfer portal at full throttle and Orange Bowl preparations.

Defensive stars headline this Georgia football recruiting class

Georgia fans had a week long wait to brace for five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola’s flip to Nebraska that came Monday.

The Bulldogs still are in position to land with the No. 1 class.

“I still love it,” ESPN national recruiting analyst Craig Haubert said. “Listen, everything they’ve done, they’ve hung their hat on defense.”

Georgia’s top five players starting the day on the 247Sports Composite are on defense beginning with 6-foot-1, 185-pound IMG cornerback Ellis Robinson, the No. 1 overall player by ESPN.com. He committed to Georgia on the signing day last February.

“Corners like him aren’t easily out there,” Haubert said. “He’s long, he can run. We’ve been around him a lot.”

Another top 10 prospect is linebacker Justin Williams, ranked No. 8 out Conroe, Texas.

“If Raylen Wilson was fast, Justin Williams may be faster,” Haubert said referring to a Bulldog freshman linebacker

Top 35 overall prospect, defensive lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, may need a little time to develop but will be a “difference-maker.” Haubert saw him in camp in Houston.

“He was one of those guys you stopped what you’re doing and you watched,” Haubert said. “He just moves so well and he’s one of these guys where everything that was being asked of him, he quickly processed it. He was just a natural.”

Next wave of inside linebacker for Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia lost three inside linebackers to the transfer portal headlined by two-year starter Jamon Dumas-Johnson, but there is plenty of young talent at the position including from members of the 2024 class.

The Bulldogs brought in three top 10 linebackers led by Williams and including Chris Cole, ranked the No. 3 overall at the position and Kristopher Jones, No. 10.

Cole expected to arrive in Athens early on Tuesday after finishing up a government final exam at Salem (Va.) High. He said he would get in three bowl practices on campus with the Bulldogs.

“Considering the way the room is now, I’ll have a ton of opportunity to compete and work toward early playing time,” Cole said. “I’m ready to put that work in. Our class has a lot of speed and physicality.”

The 6-foot-4, 222-pound Cole racked up 116 tackles and recorded 4 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 3 quarterback hurries, 2 passes defended, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and three touchdowns at Salem High.

“He’s long, he’s rangy, he’s extremely athletic,” Salem coach Don Holter said. “He’s physically strong. He’s a very physical young man that embraces the violence of the game. He’s a kid that loves to practice and get better.”

Georgia will return starter Samel Mondon and CJ Allen and Wilsonwere already getting meaningful snaps before Dumas-Johnson went out with an injury.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Jones from Fairfax, Va., who had surgery midseason but is expected to be ready for spring ball, fits the mold of what Georgia looks for at the position.

“If they’re not getting the absolute stud, they’re getting guys with great measurables who have tons of room for development,” said Brian Dohn, national recruiting analyst for 247Sports. “He’s a guy that we’ve loved at 247 for a long time.”

Large and in charge on Georgia football offensive line

Georgia is the only team with four ESPN 300 O-linemen: No. 98 Michael Uini from Copperas Cove, Texas; No. 108 Daniel Calhoun from Walton High; No. 151 Nyier Daniels from Oradell, N.J. and No. 264 Marques Easley from Kankakee, Ill.

That doesn’t include Marcus Harrison, a 6-8, 338-pound four-star left tackle from St, Francis High in Athol Springs, N.Y., who according to his high school coach never gave up a sack in more than 700 snaps against a schedule that included three back-to-back state championship teams.

Georgia’s sixth offensive line commitment is Malachi Toliver from Cartersville.

They range from 6-5 1/2 to 6-8 and average 341 pounds.

“You talk to some people in Athens and Kirby wants to hoard all the mass he can,” said Andrew Ivins, director of scouting for 247Sports. “He’d rather have that guy on the bench than at one of these other SEC schools utilizing them. I think they’ve done an excellent job in the trenches on both sides.”

The 6-foot-6, 360-pound Calhoun was the anchor of an offensive line that included a pair of 1,000-yard rusher and a 4,000 yard passer.

Daniels, at 6-8 and 360 pounds out of Bergen Catholic, “is just a big body, can move his feet. He still has to continue to develop from a physical standpoint,”said Brian Dohn, 247Sports national recruiting analyst. “There’s big upside there.”

As the transfer portal turns for Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia fans had been in a holding pattern for expected commitments out of the transfer portal.

The first finally came on Tuesday afternoon from Vanderbilt wide receiver London Humphreys.

Florida running back Trevor Ettiene is another to watch. Ettiene rushed for 753 yards and 8 touchdowns this past season.

Other names worth watching:

--East Mississippi Community College defensive back Brylan Lanier who has played for Alabama and Indiana. He visited Georgia over the weekend and reportedly has also visited Arkansas.

--Other wider receivers in play include Miami’s Colbie Young, Michigan State’s Jaron Glover and Southern Cal’s Michael Jackson III

--South Carolina defensive tackle Xzavier McCleod, a 6-foot-5, 284-pound freshman from Camden.

--Southern Cal cornerback Domani Jackson. Georgia could be in the mix with his former position coach, Donte Williams, just hired as the Bulldogs’ defensive backs coach.

The lowdown at wide receiver for Georgia football

Georgia looks to be making wide receiver a priority in the transfer portal, but there are two in this class.

Four-star NiTareon “Nitro” Tuggle from Indiana and three-star Sacovie White from Cass High School.

White is already practicing with the Bulldogs.

He’s one of 21 early enrollees of which 12 are already on campus, according to Dawgs247.

We’ve confirmed the following are also already on campus: Cole, Williams, Jonah-Ajonye, Calhoun, Easley, quarterback Ryan Puglisi and tight end Jaden Reddell. Jones and defensive lineman Jordan Thomas will arrive in January.

White is a 5-foot-9, 182 pounder who can bench 300 pounds, power clean 300 and squat 450.

“He’s extremely strong for his size and he’s extremely fast,” Cass coach Steve Gates said. “He played with a broken wrist at one point in time but never missed a practice or a game in four years.”

White had 91 catches for 1,409 yards and 15 touchdowns this season.

Georgia sees him as a slot receiver who can go in motion and run jet sweeps. He also will be in the mix as a punt and kickoff returner.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia football recruiting: What to know ahead of signing day