JUCO Linebacker Amaechi Commits To The 'Dawgs.

It wasn't all bad news this weekend as one of a number of visitors in town for the Tech game decided he'll be back in Athens on a permanent basis. JUCO linebacker Chuks Amaechi of Arizona Western Community College decided to end his recruitment by committing to the Red and Black.

Amaechi also claimed offers from North Texas and Southern Miss. That's not exactly a murderer's row of teams clamoring for his signature. But Amaechi does have a couple of things going for him. One is that he'll be an early enrollee, arriving in Athens in January and participating in spring practice. The other is that at 6'3, 220 pounds he looks able to come in and play immediately. With a linebacking corps that could lose every one of its current starters in 2015, that's a huge bonus.

Amaechi is pretty well-traveled already. After coming out of Westview High in Yuma, Arizona he spent the 2013 season at JUCO Phoenix College before shifting to fellow Arizona community college Arizona Western for 2014. I don't have any film I can point you to from that 2014 season, but I can direct you to his Hudl account, which has video of his Phoenix College season right here.

I like Amaechi's athleticism. It's nice that in Jeremy Pruitt's quest to form a more mobile defense he's found some guys who'll come in fitting that mold. Several of the linebackers most likely to step into key roles in 2015 (Tim Kimbrough, Johnny O'Neal) really fit more of a 3-4 linebacker mold. They're thicker guys, and not nearly as quick as Amaechi. In the JUCO ranks he played some at defensive end, but I don't see him in that role at Georgia.

Amaechi will have three years to play two, and I think could see the field immediately, especially on passing downs where his speed getting to the quarterback is something Georgia will need going forward.Amaechi joins Randolph-Clay's Gary McCrae and Hallandale Beach, Florida product Juwan Taylor in the linebacking haul for this class. Mays standout Natrez Patrick could end up at linebacker but I expect he's more likely to grow into a defensive end. And of course Macon County linebacker Roquan Smith is yet to make a decision, though the consensus top 50 player appears to be leaning toward the 'Dawgs.