2017 Class: Signing Day Player Comparisons

The class Kirby Smart put together in his first full recruiting cycle was nothing short of amazing. Realistically, not all of these prospects will hit and be significant starters/contributors. Hell, I thought the 2013 class would be a good class so it is not a perfect science. Some will be busts, some will be stars and this is where evaluations are key. While player comparisons are nowhere near perfect, it gives you an idea of what a finished product may look like in a high school athlete you are unfamiliar with. Here is my take on each Georgia signee from the 2017 class along with their possible ceiling and floor player comparison. On to RareBreed18!

QB

Jake Fromm: Coming in to Compete

Strengths: Leadership, offensive understanding, poise, solid body and elusiveness

Weaknesses: Arm strength? Should have more than enough to get it done. 1 year less experience than Eason

Player Comp Ceiling: Aaron Murray. Complete understanding of the offense, tactical and can make a play with his legs. Potential for better leadership than Murray

Player Comp Floor: Hutson Mason. What I am basically saying is there is no way Fromm will not have a hold on the offense. He should have a much better arm than Mason

RB

D’Andre Swift: Deep on the depth chart, but will see significant time early

Strengths: Speed, compact size, elite pass catching ability

Weaknesses: overall size vs beating in the SEC

Player Comp Ceiling: Knowshon Moreno. Swift could be special. Electric runner with great pass catching ability

Player Comp Floor: Sony Michel. No slight to Michel, I think Swift is that good. Now please stop playing in all-star games (Army, USA vs Canada) and save some for the Dawgs

Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images

WR

Jeremiah Holloman: The athletic WR that has to overcome his hands

Strengths: Size, Athleticism, Jumping ability, Speed

Weaknesses: Hands. I will be honest with you, they aren’t good

Player Comp Ceiling: Chris Conley. If they hands improve, the athleticism and raw speed is there

Player Comp Floor: Justin Scott Wesley. Signs of greatness but never consistent

Mark Webb: Solid all the way around with the best chance to see snaps early

Strengths: Route running, solid body, Hands, Body Control

Weaknesses: Raw Speed

Player Comp Ceiling: Mohammed Massaquoi

Player Comp Floor: Michael Chigbu. With less drops

Trey Blount: Sneaky athletic but physically limited

Strengths: Route Running, Body Control, Ball Skills

Weaknesses: Raw Speed

Player Comp Ceiling: Tavarres King. Slender bodies with deceptive speed

Player Comp Floor: Blake Tibbs. Long ball tracker but too slim

Matt Landers: Slim and Long

Strengths: Deep ball tracking, Length, Speed

Weaknesses: Route Running, Strength

Player Comp Ceiling: Throwing it way back to Fred Gibson. Excellent length and long ball tracking

Player Comp Floor: Jonathon Rumph

OL

Andrew Thomas: 2017 right tackle

Strengths- arm length is 36.5”. That is unreal. The NFL OL with the longest arms is Ryan Clady at 36.75”. Amazing potential for size, pass blocking

Weakness: Does he have an aggressive mean streak?

Player Comp Ceiling: Cordy Glenn. 6’5 345 35.75 arm. Solid left tackle

Player Comp Floor: Kenarious Gates. I don’t see any scenario barring injury where Thomas is not a significant contributor throughout his Georgia career

D’Marcus Hayes: A possible immediate plug in with experience

Strengths: Pass Blocking, Experience against JUCO competition

Weakness: Raw strength

Player Comp Ceiling: John Theus. Always be cautious with JUCOs. They have experience but sometimes ceiling can be limited

Player Comp Floor: Mark Beard. JUCO with not enough time to get established

Isaiah Wilson: The Freak of the Class

Strengths: Size, Physicality, Run Blocking, Pure Intimidation

Weaknesses: Pass Blocking, Mobility, Competition

Player Comp Ceiling: Dan Inman. Smaller than Wilson but comparative giants don’t grow on trees

Player Comp Floor: Dennis Roland

Netori Johnson: The dude with the red hair that can do backflips and straight up maul you

Strengths: Size, Run Blocking, Mobility, Athleticism, Aggressive

Weaknesses: Pass Blocking, Quickness

Player Comp Ceiling: Max Jean Gilles. Big nasty dude that is a pro at moving humans

Player Comp Floor: Clint Boling. Pretty good floor when you comp floor is still an NFL starter

D’Antne Demery: Raw Raw Raw

Strengths: Size, Footwork

Weaknesses: Competition, consistency, bad weight

Player Comp Ceiling: Vince Vance

Player Comp Floor: Pat Allen

Justin Shaffer: The least heralded of the best OL class ever

Strengths: Run Blocking, Mauling, Size

Weaknesses: Athleticism, Pass Blocking, Mobility

Player Comp Ceiling: Nick Jones. Smart mauler

Player Comp Floor: Dyson Sims

DL/DE

Malik Herring: The longtime silent that needs to add some SEC weight

Strengths: Pass Rush, Athleticism, Off ball quickness, Motor

Weaknesses: Strength

Player Comp Ceiling: Cornelius Washington. Solid end bodies that can get the QB

Player Comp Floor: Abry Jones. Herring is more athletic than Jones

Devonte Wyatt: Big body who can move in a slim DL class

Strengths: Motor, Athleticism, Production

Weaknesses: Gap filling

Player Comp Ceiling: Jeff Owens. Active DL making plays in the backfield often

Player Comp Floor: Michael Barnett. Easy to move inside

ILB/OLB

Monty Rice: The huge last minute flip that pays dividends

Strengths: production, play making ability, instincts

Weaknesses: size, athleticism potential (what you see is what you get)

Player Comp Ceiling: Rennie Curran. Much better size than Rennie but expect similar production, instincts for the ball

Player Comp Floor: Reggie Carter. Production with limited physical tools

Nate McBride: The highly touted player with huge expectations to fill

Strengths: Raw speed, Athleticism

Weaknesses: Production, Instincts, Awareness

Player Comp Ceiling: Ramik Wilson. I don’t think McBride ever matches Wilson’s production but his physical tools could prove me wrong

Player Comp Floor: Juwan Taylor. Athletic but no feel for the position or production

Walter Grant: The quiet commit

Strengths: Potential, Size, Range

Weaknesses: Consistency, Aggressiveness, Twitch

Player Comp Ceiling: Natrez Patrick. ILB with tremendous size and range

Player Comp Floor: Johhny O’Neal. Big hitter with size that could never put it together

Robert Beal: Athletic pass rusher who still needs to put it all together

Strengths: Pass rush speed, length, twitch, ankle bend

Weaknesses: Consistency

Player Comp Ceiling: Lorenzo Carter. Very similar players

Player Comp Floor: Josh Dawson. Slightly different body type/position but similar style of play

Jaden Hunter: Slim Playmaker

Strengths: Mobility, game speed, physicality, pedigree

Weaknesses: Size

Player Comp Ceiling: Roquan Smith. Athletic and instinctual

Player Comp Floor: Christian Robinson. Rangy hybrid that can play in space. Hunter is probably more of an outside guy but play style reminds me of these former players

Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images

DBs

Richard Lecounte: Glue of the Class with production numbers

Strengths: Confidence, Physicality, Ball Skills, Loves to Play

Weaknesses: Man to man coverage, Raw speed (both minimal issues)

Player Comp Ceiling: Bacarri Rambo. Nose for the ball, Ball skills to go get it. Physical

Player Comp Floor: Dom Sanders. Hopefully he won’t be as out of position as Dom can be sometimes

Deangelo Gibbs: Production + Potential

Strengths: Speed, Size at Safety, ball skills. Closing Speed is better than anyone I have watched tape on. Gibbs was the best player on the best team in the state and looked like it against top competition

Weaknesses: Still looking

Player Comp Ceiling: Alec Ogeltree if he played safety

Player Comp Floor: Shawn Williams. Violent with speed

Tray Bishop: Sign his athleticism, figure out his position later

Strengths: Size, range, length, ball skills

Weaknesses: Techinical skills at any position

Player Comp Ceiling: Malcolm Mitchell

Player Comp Floor: Shaquery Wilson. Settle into a position and learn quickly to avoid Wilson’s fate

William Poole: Consistent DB

Strengths: Technique, Ball Skills, Consistency

Weaknesses: Physical ability

Player Comp Ceiling: Maurice Smith

Player Comp Floor: Kirby Choates

Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images

Latavious Brini: Wavering recommit with size

Strengths: Size, length, arm length, thickness

Weaknesses: Foot quickness, Man to man coverage

Player Comp Ceiling: Damian Swann. Not as athletic but bigger

Player Comp Floor: Shaq Jones. What happens when size cant move

Ameer Speed: Tall glass of water

Strengths: Length, Physical, Technique

Weaknesses: Ball Skills

Player Comp Ceiling: Paul Oliver. We should be so lucky. Lock down corner with size

Player Comp Floor: Jarvis Wilson

Eric Stokes: Speedster

Strengths: 10.3 100M speed

Weaknesses: Coverage, Technique, Very Slim in the arms and waist

Player Comp Ceiling: Branden Smith. Speed kills when you can learn the basics of the position

Player Comp Floor: Sheldon Dawson. Fast but can’t cover