Not Another National Signing Day Open Thread

It seems like less than two months ago we were celebrating the Georgia Bulldogs signing a consensus top three recruiting class. That’s because it was.

Early Signing Day of course steals most of the headlines these days, because it’s when major programs like the Red and Black do most of their recruiting damage. But this, the traditional National Signing Day, remains a major event for fans, schools, and the student athletes making their college decisions. Let’s talk about where things stand, and what to expect today.

Maybe it’s not so lonely at the top.

Georgia finds itself atop the 247Sports rankings with the top recruiting class in the country coming into today. The Bulldogs have 23 commits while second place Alabama has 26. Neither school has a while lot more room, though the Crimson Tide are expected to try to make room for a couple of more players. Clemson is in 3rd with a stellar class of their own, which like Georgia’s consists of 23 players.

There’s a chance that the Tide or Tigers jump the Bulldogs. There’s even a slight chance that fourth place LSU could jump all of them if Ed Orgeron can convince five star South Carolina defensive end Jordan Burch to flip from the hometown Gamecocks to the Bayou Bengals. Even if that happens, I wouldn’t get bent out of shape. The ‘Dawgs have stacked talent on top of talent and filled the few holes in their roster going forward.

The word of the day is: B-o-r-i-n-g.

Optimally Kirby Smart won’t be dealing with a lot of surprises today. Five star offensive tackle Broderick Jones had flirted with Auburn but recently cancelled his official visit to the Plains and appears set to sign with the Athenians.

New Orleans lineman Sedrick Van Pran likewise fielded overtures from a host of SEC suitors down the stretch, but the general consensus among recruiting analysts is that he too will stick with his verbal pledge to the Bulldogs. If those two do what’s expected it will be hard to view today as anything but a success.

Georgia likewise expects to receive letters of intent from Colquitt County tailback Daijun Edwards and North Murray receiver Ladd McConkey. Edwards fills a critical need and McConkey brings a particular set of skills at the slot so, again, a last minute change of heart from either would be a blow.

Sensing a theme here? For the most part Kirby Smart has his guys for this class. It would be a fine day to just hold onto those guys and move on to the class of 2021 (which looks phenomenal in Georgia, but that’s another post for another day). The scheduled announcement times for Georgia’s expected commits are:

10:00 am- Broderick Jones

11:00 am-- Sedrick Van Pran, Ladd McConkey

1:00 pm- Daijun Edwards

I said boring, not catatonic.

That’s not to say Georgia is absolutely done. Each of the past three years Georgia has finished National Signing Day with a seemingly out-of-nowhere commit. Last year it was five star wide receiver George Pickens, who went from a longtime Auburn pledge to the Bulldogs’ leading receiver in under ten months. Life, Pickens on a skinny post, and Kirby Smart on the recruiting trail all come at you fast.

So while the current commits put Georgia at 87 scholarship players for 2020 already, don’t be surprised if a surprise name pops up. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Georgia go after either a defensive back or a defensive lineman to round things out, as those are positions where the ‘Dawgs dont have immediate needs but will in 2021. The last spot in the class is a good place to look ahead like that. There’s also a decent chance that if Georgia does add a surprise pledge that player is already committed somewhere else but hasn’t actually signed an LOI. So head in a swivel. Things could get interesting.

We’ll be here all day as news breaks (or doesn’t), and we’re glad you can join us.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!