The Bulldogs are involved in a number of top prospects who plan to announce their intentions on Wednesday.
Who do Georgia fans need to be watching?
Here are your storylines to follow.
1. Securing Burch isn’t a must for Georgia, as the Bulldogs have a talented room at his hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end, but a five-star prospect is always welcomed in Athens with open arms. Perhaps the biggest aspect of Burch’s addition would be stealing him away from some competing national powerhouses or rivals, namely Clemson, LSU and South Carolina. The Bulldogs seem to be sitting in a strong position ahead of Wednesday's announcement, having landed his final official visit before his decision. Credit the work of Dan Lanning and Kirby Smart here if Georgia pulls this off. Burch will announce on Wednesday at 2:30 PM.
The need for more wideouts is obvious in Athens, and Smith, who put in his official visit to Georgia this past weekend, would go a long way toward easing some of the concerns at that position. While he won’t have the benefit of enrolling early, his world-class track speed (he was part of the PanAM 4x100 team, along with UGA track commit Matthew Boling) should translate into the wide receiver room in a major way. Smith also just put together a strong senior season at Lakeland against a tough schedule. He definitely answered some of the questions about whether he was a natural receiver or just an athlete moonlighting on the gridiron. Smith will announce his decision at 1:00 PM on Wednesday.
Flipping top prospects has been a hallmark of the Smart era, and Jermaine Burton would be no different in that respect. He's a longtime LSU commit but is originally from Georgia, and his home state ties seem to have put the Bulldogs back into a strong position. A couple of late visits have helped to reinforce Georgia's appeals. Like Smith, Burton would help to answer concerns in the wide receiver room, and he’s time and time again proven himself against some of the nation’s best. Cortez Hankton will have his fingers crossed, but we think he’ll be pleased with how this shakes out. Burton's decision timeline is unclear as of now.
Defensive backs haven’t been a major focus this cycle for the Bulldogs, but a prospect as good as Eric Reed certainly merits an offer, a spot, and your attention come Wednesday. The former Ole Miss commit just wrapped up a weekend in Athens, and we’ve been told there are plenty of reasons to keep your eyes on the Louisiana-based defender. That the Bulldogs have hosted him consistently and taken the opportunity to see him play in person only speaks to the high opinion the staff has of him. Keeping the relationship alive looks like a key, and Matt Luke’s addition to the staff may have put the Dawgs over the top. Reed plans to announce at Calvary Academy at 3 PM.
Georgia has been fervent in its search for a second quarterback in the Class of 2020, and Stroud has been a consistent name we've been watching. While the Bulldogs would love to add him to the fold, Ohio State has been and continues to be the leader heading into Wednesday. Swaying him from the Buckeyes would be considered a major win, but right now, we think Ryan Day and company will win out here.