College football recruiting has been ground to a halt by sweeping bans at the individual, conference, and national levels due to fears surrounding the spread of COVID-19.
In-person recruiting in the SEC was brought to a halt on Thursday afternoon following a decree from commissioner Greg Sankey. The ban on visits and the like will carry through until at least March 30.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR GEORGIA FROM A RECRUITING PERSPECTIVE?
There are two key elements at play.
1) The Bulldogs were slated to host visitors from across the country over the next couple of weekends for “junior days”, weekend events designed to create familiarity with coaches and campuses. Events in the past have played host from anywhere from a handful to hundreds of potential student-athletes.
2) Additionally, in a popular period for in-person coaching visits and travel to high schools, football staff from all schools in the Southeastern Conference will be kept off of the road.
What this ban doesn’t seem to prohibit is contact between coaches and athletes in the Class of 2021. Georgia's staff will text and direct message these prospects on a near-daily basis as they were doing before the ban. The coaches just won't be able to visit with them in person. The players can still call the coaches at any time to talk.
Staff members, at this time, are still prohibited from contact with underclassmen, which is the standard procedure of years past. There has been some speculation on social media that this policy may be reviewed in the interim, as “junior day” events extend well beyond the rising senior class. At this time, however, the normal restrictions are in place.
WHO DOES THIS EFFECT?
This is where the Bulldogs will feel the sting from the ban, as several high profile prospects were slated to visit Athens during the time that’s been crossed off the calendar.
Among them:
Easily the biggest name on the list, Smith has struggled to get to Georgia in the past due to trips that fell through. He was slated to be on campus next weekend, but now, he'll have to reschedule once again.
Turner was set to visit Athens on March 21 from his home in Texas.
A bit closer to home, Ingram-Dawkins was slated to see Georgia again on March 21.
Warren was emotional after picking up his Georgia offer recently and was set to visit on March 21 for the first time.
Mitchell and his mother were on the schedule for March 21.
Stellato did not have a firm date locked in when we spoke with him but did plan to visit in March.
Look for Robinson to make a trip to Athens at some point, though this will delay those plans.
Hilton was looking for a "spring trip" but had no date firmly set.
Another recent offer, Fairchild was slated to see Georgia's scrimmage on March 21.
Burley is young but projects to be one of the top recruited players in 2023. He was also set for March 21.
