Here is the March 23 edition of The Daily Recap presented by JFQ Lending.
Buzz from Atlanta
There was plenty of star talent present at the Under Armour All-America camp series event in Atlanta this past Sunday. Along with the UGASports.com staff, Chad Simmons and Sam Spiegelman were in attendance talking to numerous prospects, including those with Georgia ties.
Ten of the 18 players Simmons observed and spoke with had Georgia on their short list.
Four-star offensive tackle Tyler Booker (IMG Academy/Bradenton, Fla.) was among those at the camp.
“Booker is a top 100 player in the country, and the offensive tackle plans to cut his list to five schools April 12,” Simmons wrote. “One we expect to make it is in-state school Florida, the school Booker said recruits him the hardest. He said he talks to the Gators daily, and that head coach Dan Mullen is very involved. He mentioned strong bonds with coaches at Georgia and Penn State as well, then spoke very highly of Ohio State. He is a coveted prospect at his position, and is a national name to follow.”
‘It’s going to be hard’ to lose Alexander
UGASports.com caught up with Tony Jones, the guardian of five-star prospect Keithian "Bear" Alexander (Ryan/Denton, Texas). Jones said the Bulldogs are in good shape at the present time with the big defensive tackle.
“Well, I don't know if it's going to be very hard to (keep him),” Jones said. “Like I said, with Covid and everything the way it is, it's got to be pretty impossible. I know things are supposed to open up, what, June 1? We've been able to get around and be around for years, compared to someone we may meet or see in the next three or four months. So right now, I'm just telling you, it's going to be pretty hard not to get him.”
Nolen dishes on top teams
Five-star defensive tackle Walter Nolen spoke with Spiegelman about the teams he’s considering the most. Among those, of course, is Georgia.
"I'm trying to get through there hopefully,” Nolen said. “They're, for sure, gonna be one of my official visits. I mess with Georgia. I like everything -- from the way they carry themselves inside and out. On the outside, they may look serious but they're trying to have fun also. It's always good to have fun on and off the field. Coach (Tray) Scott and Coach (Kirby) Smart are cool dudes. I respect them a lot and I like how they run their defense. They've got dogs on the defensive line I like."
Spiegelman wrote that Georgia is among three teams that appear to be surging with Nolen at the moment.
“Michigan, Ohio State and Georgia have seemingly grabbed some momentum as the five-star defensive tackle is already plotting official visits to those three schools,” Spiegelman wrote. “He's also expected to be at Michigan, unofficially, at the end of the month while he's in town visiting his grandparents.
“Nolen is also having a lot of dialogue with the head coaches at LSU, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, which is not lost on the nation's No. 3 player. Expect these upcoming visits and officials to help distinguish contenders and pretenders for the elite interior lineman.”
Cleveland on the UGA offensive line
Now that he’s on his way to the NFL draft, Ben Cleveland took some time to reflect on what he sees with who is returning on Georgia’s offensive line.
“I expect Jamaree (Salyer), Justin (Shaffer), and some of those other guys who have been here a while to step up with that leadership role, just like they’ve done in the last couple of years,” Cleveland said. “I don’t think they’re going to miss a beat or take a step back with that. Those guys are going to handle it just fine.”
Hoops: Fagan enters the portal
Georgia junior Tye Fagan announced he has entered the transfer portal. Fagan joined Mikal Starks and Christian Brown as Bulldogs who have decided to leave the basketball program.
Fagan started 25 of 26 games this season and averaged 9.2 points per game.
Missing Stricklin
Georgia will enter this week without head coach Scott Stricklin once again as he continues to recover from Covid-19. Assistant coach Scott Daeley, who is filling in for Stricklin in the meantime, said Stricklin showed symptoms, although it took a few days before he returned a positive test result.
“He got a negative test, he got another negative test, so we were like maybe it’s just a bug or something. But for how he was feeling, we always knew it was a possibility, although we were still surprised when we got the news on Friday,” Daeley said. “I don’t think any of us were shocked because we knew how bad he was feeling.”
Second baseman Josh McAllister described Stricklin's absence from the team as “weird.”
Daeley has remained in consistent contact with Stricklin while he’s been at home quarantining.
“I’ve been talking to him a lot after the games and before the games, just kind of setting the game plan together,” Bulldog assistant and interim head coach Scott Daeley said. “He’s involved as much as he’s able to be involved, but obviously he was missed in the dugout for sure.”
Second week of spring ball
Another offer
Who are the steals at quarterback in this year’s NFL draft?
Five Big Ten programs that are off to a hot recruiting start for 2022.
Will N.C. State be looking for a new coach after this season?
Maybe the Big Ten wasn’t that good at basketball this year after all.
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