Keys for Georgia on Signing Day

The Georgia Bulldogs will welcome more than 20 new football players to the program on Wednesday. Unless there are surprises on national signing day, Georgia should take its place among the top 10 recruiting classes in the country.

Here’s the rundown:

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Cliff McBride/Tampa Tribune

Georgia is among the finalists of top tight end prospect Orson Charles of Tampa.

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Q. How strong is Georgia’s class?

A Georgia is a lock to finish with a top-10 recruiting class. Heading into the weekend, the Bulldogs are ranked No. 7 by Scout and No. 9 by Rivals. But it appears that Georgia’s fast recruiting start slowed dramatically down the stretch. Georgia had 13 of its 17 commitments by August. The Bulldogs will need to grab a couple of the high-prolile recruits in the final days to feel satisfied.

Q. Are there players still deciding who could make the class stronger?

A. Signing day is either going to be a major victory or disappointment. After the fast start, the Bulldogs gained the confidence to take chances on some of the nation’s best players. Georgia is listed among the finalists for wide receiver Marlon Brown of Memphis, offensive tackle Bobby Massie of Hargrave, Va., safety Jawanza Starling of Tallahassee, Fla., and tight end Orson Charles of Tampa. They also are in the running for the state’s top two uncommitted prospects — Lowndes defensive back Greg Reid and Carver-Columbus linebacker Jarvis Jones. Georgia would be thrilled to get at least two of the six.

Q. What has been the worst news so far?

A. Georgia waited too late to offer two wide receivers, Miller Grove’s Stephen Hill (Georgia Tech) and Dacula native Cameron Kenney (Oklahoma), who both had early interest in the Bulldogs. Walton fullback David Paulsen is a self-described Georgia fan who committed to Oklahoma State in October. Like Hill, he would not switch at the last minute, when the Bulldogs finally offered. Defensive end Toby Jackson, who signed with Georgia in 2008, has transferred from prep school to junior college, delaying his arrival by two years. Georgia also has at least six commitments who continue to try to qualify academically.

Q. What has been the best news so far?

A. Georgia secured early commitments from quarterback Aaron Murray of Tampa and Northside-Warner Robins defensive tackle Abry Jones, arguably the nation’s top prospects at their positions. The only highlight since the summer has been winning over Booker T. Washington defensive back Branden Smith, who is considered the state’s top prospect.

Q. Any surprises left?

A. Yes, quite a few. Georgia originally expected to sign no more than 20 players, but additional scholarships opened up because of transfers and players leaving early for the NFL. So Georgia is scrambling in the final weeks, especially for wide receivers. It appears that Georgia may try to steal some in-state players committed to other schools, especially if things go bad with some of the top national targets.