In Part 2 of our series taking a closer look at Georgia's early enrollees, we turn our attention to cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.
Stevenson kept Georgia fans in suspense, originally putting off his commitment he had planned in August. He settled on Georgia and Miami before announcing the Bulldogs as his choice during the Army All-American Bowl in January.
The former Southridge High standout finished as the sixth-ranked player at his position and 35th-best player in the country.
What is Georgia getting in Stevenson?
Kirby Smart preferably wants his cornerbacks to have the ability to play on an island, and Stevenson is just what the doctor ordered.
At 6-foot-1 and listed at 180 pounds (he's probably a big bigger than that now), Stevenson appears to be the perfect combination: a physical cornerback, but one who's also athletic and fast enough to take on any wide receiver, no matter what their abilities might be.
Stevenson also brings a little edge to his game as he takes getting beaten personal.
Rivals analyst Rob Cassidy on Stevenson: "Stevenson is an incredible, physical defensive back. That's kind of his calling card when people talk about him. They talk about his ability to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and to play physically with even bigger wideouts."
You can see more of what Rivals analysts think of Stevenson here.
What to expect
Stevenson will receive a quick indoctrination once spring practice gets underway. He'll have a chance to make an early impression with new position coach Charlton Warren, who figures to put everyone on equal footing before coming up with any sort of pecking order.
Although you can expect to see Stevenson get his initial looks at cornerback, don't be shocked to see him get a look or two at Star.
Playing time prediction
With the graduation of Deandre Baker, along with Tyson Campbell's inconsistent play toward the end of the year, it's very conceivable that Stevenson will earn himself a role relatively quickly for the Bulldogs.
Georgia made it a top priority to replenish its secondary, and the Bulldogs appear to have accomplished that goal, signing Stevenson, along with fellow early enrollees like Lewis Cine and junior college transfer D.J. Daniels.
It's going to be fun to watch, as these do not appear to be your typical cornerbacks. We're talking some serious talent, certain to keep the Bulldogs' secondary in very good and very capable hands.
