Georgia's recruiting gets focused for 2012

The Bulldogs do pursue the big names, and if there’s any consensus on this class it’s that it’s good on big names. Georgia has garnered promises from the top players in Florida (offensive lineman John Theus) and North Carolina (running back Keith Marshall) but has, as of this writing, only 16 commitments. Which could, suggested Chad Simmons of Scout, be the reason for the disparity in the Bulldogs’ ranking.

Both Scout and Rivals.com have Georgia 21st nationally. ESPN tabs the Bulldogs fifth. “I’m not exactly sure how ESPN goes about it,” said Simmons, “but one thing that could put Georgia down is that they have only 16 commitments. Miami has 32, Alabama has 27, South Carolina has 25. It’s strictly a numbers game on the top end.”

According to Tom Luginbill, the former Tech quarterback who is ESPN’s national recruiting director, numbers are the least of it. “The difference between us and everybody else is that we don’t look at it as a mathematical equation,” Luginbill said. “We dissect the current rosters of the teams — where they’re devoid of talent, what they need to do to address needs and have they done it? … Our way doesn’t allow us to fall back on a numerical head count.”

In ESPN’s considered opinion, Georgia has filled needs nicely. Luginbill mentioned defensive tackles John Atkins of Thomson and Jonathan Taylor of Millen as fits “in the zero technique [meaning nose tackle]” for Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defense. And the addition of Marshall and Todd Gurley should offer depth at tailback, a position at which Georgia ran thin in 2011.