Revisionist history: Re-ranking UGA’s 2006 class

UGASports is looking at previous Georgia recruiting classes and re-ranking the individual signees based on how their Bulldog careers transpired. Links to our previous revisionist histories, including last week’s 2005 class review, are located at the bottom of the page.

Following the mere 17 recruits signed by Georgia the previous year, we analyze the 28 signees inked by the Bulldogs in 2006. The 28 signees, including eight offensive linemen, were the most for the program since Georgia landed 30 recruits in its No. 3-ranked class from four years before in 2002.

THE CLASS

Georgia’s 2006 signing class ranked No. 4 in the nation—the Bulldogs’ highest in team recruiting since, as mentioned, ranking No. 3 in 2002. Georgia’s No. 4 position trailed only 1) Southern California; 2) Florida; and 3) Florida State, and was just ahead of 5) Texas.

For the first time in three years, Georgia signed multiple five-star prospects: quarterback Matthew Stafford and defensive back Reshad Jones. Stafford, ranked as the nation’s No. 6 overall prospect, would be the Bulldogs’ highest-ranked recruit for the first 18 years (2000-2017) of the Rivals prospect rankings until Justin Fields (No. 2 overall prospect) signed in 2018.

Georgia’s eight offensive line signees came on the heels of signing just one recruit along the offensive front the year before, in 2005. Prior to 2006, the Bulldogs hadn’t signed as many offensive linemen in a single year since luring a staggering nine in 1997. Yet, of Georgia’s eight incoming offensive linemen, only three were rated above three stars: four-star prospects Justin Anderson, Kiante Tripp, and Clifton Geathers.

On Signing Day, the Georgia staff admitted it wished it had signed an additional running back and another wide receiver or two. Although the Bulldogs landed running back Knowshon Moreno of Middletown, New Jersey, they just missed out on Los Angeles tailback Stafon Johnson, who decided to stay home and attend Southern California. Reportedly, Georgia also finishedas the runner-up for receivers Tim Hawthorne (Auburn) and Brent Brewer (Florida State).

Still, Georgia’s 2006 incoming class was considered one of the program’s best recruiting hauls in the previous 30 years or so. Headed by Stafford and Jones, the Bulldogs signed a whopping 13 Rivals250 prospects, including six Rivals100 recruits (tied for the most by Georgia in the first 15 years, 2000-2014, of the annual Rivals100 rankings).

Notably, after the Bulldogs did not sign any of the state’s top six prospects in 2005, in 2006 they lured four of the top six in-state recruits: Jones (Atlanta), Anderson (Ocilla), Brandon Wood (Buchanan), and Asher Allen (Tucker). Notwithstanding, four of Georgia's top five signees were out-of-state prospects.

Below is the original ranking of Georgia’s 2006 class (player listed with position according to Rivals). Note: To rank those signees with identical Rivals ratings, the recruits’ rankings (overall, position, and state), along with the opinions of our recruiting writers, were considered.