What a change: looking at Georgia’s all-time recruiting rankings

Georgia closed another signing day with the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class—the fourth time the Bulldogs have signed the top incoming class in the last seven years. Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has now landed eight consecutive top-five signing classes.

Yet, we are reminded of a time in the not-so-distant past when Georgia signing a top-five class occurred only occasionally—and certainly wasn’t the norm.

UGASports gathered recruiting data from nearly the last 50 years, beginning in 1978, or around the time team recruiting rankings first started being publicized (full data in table towards the bottom). We then charted Georgia’s team recruiting ranking according to year through the latest 2024 class. Prior to Rivals.com’s team rankings, which began in 2000, we used the Bulldogs’ recruiting rankings according to the following then-distinguished recruiting services: Joe Terranova (1978-1988), Super Prep/Allen Wallace (1989-1996), and the National Recruiting Advisor/Bobby Burton (1997-1999). Only top-25 team rankings were considered; any others were regarded as not ranked (NR).

It’s probably an apples/oranges comparison. Still, as consistent as Georgia has been lately in signing top-notch classes, the Bulldogs were inconsistent in doing so beforehand. Consider that Georgia for 11 consecutive years (2014-2024) has signed a top-10 class, whereas, before 2004, the Bulldogs only once strung together more than two consecutive top-10 classes (1989-1990-1991).

It’s been almost a quarter-century since Georgia didn’t even produce a top-25 recruiting class (No. 29 in 2000). In fact, during the 20-year period from 1981 through 2000, the Bulldogs’ class failed to rank in the top 25 on five occasions (1981, 1986, 1993, 1997, and 2000).

On the contrary, beginning in 2001 and through the 2024 class, Georgia’s annual team recruiting has averaged a No. 6 ranking (rounded from a 6.125 average) and hasn’t once been slotted lower than No. 15. Specifically, the Bulldogs averaged a respectful No. 8 ranking (8.07) during the Mark Richt era (2001-2015), followed by an even better, impressive No. 3 average ranking (2.89) under Smart.

Notably, Georgia’s No. 1 finish in recruiting for 2024 gives the Bulldogs a total of five top-ranked classes beginning in 1978 (1982, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2024). Only Alabama (11), Southern California (7), and Notre Dame (6) have claimed more No. 1 classes than Georgia during that time.

For the table below, each year is listed with UGA’s team recruiting ranking, the appropriate recruiting service, the Bulldogs’ head coach at the time, who was considered/rated the Bulldogs’ top signee according to the service, and which team had the No. 1 class according to the service: