Editor’s note: This item first appeared on ajc.com on Dec. 19, 2018.
A bounty of 5-star recruits, the nation's top-rated player and a quarterback who was bound for Ohio State until he made a surprise decision to head to Athens.
Those were the highlights of Georgia’s No. 2-ranked class of 20 recruits who signed Wednesday, the first day of this year’s early signing period for football.
The first player to sign with Georgia on Wednesday morning was Nolan Smith. That was fitting given that Smith is the No. 1 player in the 247Sports Composite rating. Georgia finished second in the team ranking of the 247Sports Composite.
Smith, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound outside linebacker from Savannah who played at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., is the first consensus national No. 1 prospect to sign with Georgia since Trenton Thompson in 2015.
A surprise commitment came from Dwan Mathis, a 6-6, 205-pound 4-star quarterback from Michigan who was committed to Ohio State until Wednesday. Mathis chose the Bulldogs over the Buckeyes at a morning ceremony at his high school. The move resembles a trade, with Georgia quarterback Justin Fields planning to transfer and Ohio State reported as the front-runner.
Mathis’ dad, Terrence Mathis, told Mike Griffith of DawgNation: “Georgia has presented a great opportunity for my son, and we’ve been informed that if he does his part as a student-athlete, he’ll have the opportunity to be the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart this fall.
“Dwan understands the program and the role he has been recruited for, to learn from the current quarterback and not be divisive or cause any problems. He respects the head coach (Kirby Smart) and (offensive coordinator Jim) Chaney, and he is ready to come in and put his head down and go to work.”
One of Mathis’ teammates at Oak Park High is Justin Rogers, the No. 1-ranked guard in the Class of 2020. Georgia has been recruiting Rogers for a while.
In addition to Smith, Georgia signed four other 5-star recruits: wide receiver Dominick Blaylock (6-1, 185, Marietta), defensive lineman Travon Walker (6-5, 290, Thomaston), OL Clay Webb (6-3, 290, Oxford, Ala.) and linebacker Nakobe Dean (6-0, 220, Horn Lakes, Miss.).
According to Jeff Sentell of DawgNation, Dean has been described as a “once in a profession” player by Horn Lakes coach Brad Boyette.
“You are talking about a player that has never made a single ‘B’ in high school,” Boyette told Sentell. “Not a single one. The last ‘B’ he made was in the seventh grade. You watch him and work with him and realize that you know you probably won’t get a chance to coach another player quite like him.”
Four of the five 5-stars and Georgia’s top four 4-stars play on defense. Also, the Bulldogs signed two of the top six junior-college players, including the No. 1 player, and they both play on defense.
The Bulldogs signed three members of the AJC's Super 11 for 2018: linebacker Trezmon Marshall, Blaylock and Walker.
Another member of the Super 11, 5-star wide receiver Jadon Haselwood, announced at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio on Jan. 5 that he will attend Oklahoma. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, a 4-star recruit from Miami, chose Georgia over the Miami Hurricanes during the same game.
