Georgia Bulldogs hope to sign another No. 1 recruiting class

ATHENS – “Always. Be. Closing.”

That’s the famous line from the high-pressure sales drama “Glengarry Glen Ross.” Georgia’s Kirby Smart uses a similar saying when it comes to describing the cornerstone principle for his ultra-successful football program.

“Always. Be. Recruiting.”

Smart actually used that phrase in the wake of the Bulldogs’ 34-7 win over Florida on Oct. 30.

“There’s no coach out there that can out-coach recruiting; don’t care who you are,” Smart said. “… I believe in recruiting. You better always be recruiting, because if you’re not, somebody else is.”

Smart and the Bulldogs were busy closing on the eve of the early signing period Tuesday. Georgia, which entered the day ranked No. 2 in the national recruiting rankings, according to the 247Sports Composite, moved up to No. 1 by landing a pair of verbal commitments from two high-profile prospects.

Late in the afternoon Tuesday, Georgia got a huge flip from Clemson when 5-star cornerback Daylen Everette informed the Bulldogs’ coaches he would signing with them instead. Everette, who became Georgia’s 27th commitment, was a longtime pledge to the Tigers but reportedly was unsettled by the recent departure of defensive coordinator Brent Venables to Oklahoma. Everette also was considering Alabama.

Earlier Tuesday, the Bulldogs got a pledge from 4-star wide receiver Chandler “CJ” Smith of Orlando. Smith, the Bulldogs’ 26th pledge of the 2022 class, was committed to the Gators for more than a year. With a 10.21 100-meter dash on record, Smith is considered one of the faster receivers in the country.

Meanwhile, Smith was a warmly welcomed addition for a recruiting class that was lacking little but was considered a little light on impactful wideouts. Verbal commitments are non-binding, but if Smith signs with the Bulldogs on Wednesday as expected, he will join De’Nylon Morrissette (4-star, Kennesaw), Dillon Bell (3-star, Houston) and Cole Speer (3-star, Calhoun) as the only receivers in Georgia’s 2022 class.

Georgia also added a late offensive line commitment with a familiar last name on Tuesday. Drew Bobo (6-3, 300) of Auburn, Ala., is the son of former Bulldogs quarterback and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. Drew Bobo had been committed to Auburn since early fall. But Mike Bobo was fired by Tigers coach Bryan Harsin the last week of November.

“If God didn’t want me at Auburn, he made a way … for me to choose another place,” Drew Bobo told DawgNation. “It is all coming around for me. I wanted to go to Georgia during the summer, then I changed my mind, and now it is all coming back around to where I wanted to be.”

Drew Bobo spent the first 12 years of his life in Athens before his father took jobs at Colorado State, South Carolina and Auburn.

Bobo and Smith are nice additions, but Georgia’s No. 1 rating is based largely on the unwavering commitments of eight recruits who have received a 5-star grade from at least one of the five recruiting services. They include consensus 5-stars Malaki Starks (athlete, Jefferson), Jaheim Singletary (cornerback, Jacksonville, Fla.) and Mykel Williams (defensive line, Columbus).

The Bulldogs are hoping to add even more pop to their 2022 class Wednesday as several uncommitted elite-level prospects reveal their final decisions in highly anticipated announcement ceremonies. Georgia continues to recruit cornerback Travis Hunter of Collins Hill, safety Kamari Wilson of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and outside linebacker Marvin Jones of Mobile, Ala. Hunter is the No. 1-rated player overall in the 247Sports Composite.

Defense, and in particular, the defensive backfield, appears to be a strong suit in Georgia’s latest class. The Bulldogs also expect to land linebacker Jalon Walker of Salisbury, N.C., and defensive lineman Bear Alexander of Bradenton, longtime commitments.

On offense, the Bulldogs are expected to sign quarterback Gunner Stockton of Tiger, running back Branson Robinson of Madison, Miss., and tight end Oscar Delp of Cumming.

The Bulldogs reportedly could sign as many as 31 players in the 2022 class. However, Georgia’s coaching staff also is watching the transfer portal closely and could bring in additional talent that way.

If the Bulldogs remain in the top spot in the 247Sports rankings, it will be their third time in the past five years Georgia has signed the nation’s top class. The Bulldogs were No. 4 last year and No. 2 in 2019.

As for this season, the No. 2-ranked Bulldogs (12-1) returned to Woodruff Practice Fields on Saturday. They are preparing for a Dec. 31 matchup against No. 2 Michigan (12-1) in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

Smart’s “always be recruiting statement on Oct. 30 stood in stark contrast to the words of chosen by Gators coach Dan Mullen after that same game. He said: “When it gets to recruiting time, we can talk about recruiting.”

Mullen since has been fired. Not coincidentally, the Bulldogs have snapped up some of Florida’s top commitments and has lifted them back to No. 1 in 247′s team recruiting ranking.

2022 Georgia commitment list

Name, Pos., Ht., Wt., School

Bear Alexander, DL, 6-3, 325, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Allou Bah, OL, 6-5, 325, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Dillon Bell, WR, 6-2, 205, Houston Kincaid School

Drew Bobo, OL, 6-5, 300, Auburn (Ala.)

Oscar Delp, TE, 6-5, 220, West Forsyth

Daylen Everette, CB, 6-1, 185, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Marquis Groves-Killebrew, CB, 6-0, 180, North Cobb

Jacob Hood, OL, 6-8, 342, Nashville (Tenn.) Hillsboro

Julian Humphrey, CB, 6-1, 185, Houston Clear Lake

Jordan James, RB, 5-10, 205, Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Oakland