Georgia flips four star LB/S Otis Reese from Michigan

This is flipping fantastic.

Georgia picked up a commitment this morning from Lee County linebacker/safety Otis Reese, who had been nominally pledged to the Michigan Wolverines for over a year.

Reese had taken at least six visits to Athens during his commitment to the Ann Arborians, so the decision was not a huge shock. That being said, both schools had put on the full-court press in recent weeks, while Reese remained amazingly closed-lipped about his preference. Honestly, if you’d asked me this morning what the odds were I would have said this one was a true 50/50 toss up. But in this recruiting cycle, Kirby Smart is winning more than his fair share of jump balls.

Reese is the embodiment of that adage that in recruiting you get athletic football players on campus first then figure out where to play them later. At 6’4, 206 pounds I think his ultimate destination is outside linebacker. But Reese is rangy enough now to play safety if the need arises. It’s not out of the question for him to play inside linebacker given his excellent ball instincts and willingness to come up and thump ball carriers. He’ll never be big enough to be an every down defensive end in Georgia’s system, but he could certainly wind up a 6’4, 230 pound third down rush end in passing situations. Think a slightly more compact Davin Bellamy.

Reese is rated the #5 outside linebacker in the nation and the #12 player in the state of Georgia by 247. Georgia has signed six of the top dozen players in the Peach State, and has a shot at another (Crisp County’s Quay Walker). Three more were quarterbacks from a loaded class who were not named Justin Fields, and therefore just didn’t fit in the class. That’s locking down the borders.

Reese also becomes the eleventh national top 100 player to commit to the G for 2018, a truly astounding number. Until later . . .

Go ‘Dawgs!!!