Three Recruits, Three Targets, 14 Stars
The stars were out at G-Day this year, as the spring game played host to a long list of the nation’s top football recruits for 2018 and beyond. But two five-star recruits and one four-star recruit have captured Kirby Smart’s full attention. Who are they? Keep reading to find out.
The first is Zamir White, a five-star running back from North Carolina. His highlight video is over three minutes long, but it only takes a few seconds before realizing why Georgia–and every school in the country–wants him so bad. And with a nickname like “Zeus,” who wouldn’t flex their muscles every opportunity they get?
Video courtesy of MaxPreps YouTube channel.
White is arguably Georgia’s most important target for the 2018 recruiting cycle, and he made a lot of Bulldog fans happy when he announced he’d be attending G-Day with the below tweet (for a story on G-Day as a whole, click here). He’s the nation’s #1 running back for 2018 and is currently the fifth best player overall for his class, according to 247 Sports. Smart and his staff have placed a premium on running backs as Nick Chubb and Sony Michel will both enter the NFL after this upcoming season.
One way to Athens🐶
— Zeus34 (@zeus1_34) April 21, 2017
If White isn’t UGA’s most important recruit for 2018, then five-star Jamaree Salyer is. Hailing from Atlanta, Salyer is the nation’s best offensive guard for 2018 and is the seventh best player in this year’s recruiting class. Ever since stepping on campus, Smart has been extremely vocal about the lack of talent and size on Georgia’s offensive line. Salyer checks both of those boxes.
And with Georgia’s offensive line giving up a total of seven sacks on the day, Salyer’s talents are needed in Athens to help protect UGA’s two prize quarterbacks. Salyer is talented, local and plays a position of need for Georgia; not signing him would be a significant blow to Smart and this Georgia Football team. Below, Salyer (left) is seen on the sidelines talking to offensive line coach Sam Pittman.
#UGA hosting the No. 1 and No. 2 guards in the nation. Sam Pittman with 5-star Jamaree Salyer and Rivals100 Trey Hill pic.twitter.com/IFTYblSSOk
— Radi Nabulsi (@RadiNabulsi) April 22, 2017
Lastly, and not to be overshadowed by White and Salyer, Brenton Cox is an extremely important recruit for Smart and Co. to sign. A four-star defensive end out of Stockbridge, Georgia, Cox is exactly the type of player Smart is looking for to play on his defensive line. At 6’4 and 250 pounds, he’s got prototypical SEC size and he is immensely powerful too–start the below video at 0:14 to see that power in action. Not fair.
Video courtesy of #supportthejuice YouTube channel.
Cox is also considering to play at Ohio State, and so it would be a major loss if Smart can’t keep him at home.
Georgia’s 2018 recruiting class is currently off to a slow start and only ranks 64th nationally, but signing White, Salyer and Cox will catapult UGA up the recruiting rankings and serve as a huge victory on the recruiting trail for Smart.