Georgia Bulldogs

ATLANTA -- For the last three years, the Rising Seniors staff has invited the state of Georgia’s most talented juniors to participate in a week-long educational program and camp in late December designed to showcase their talents. Attendees learn academic and social development while preparing for the Georgia Junior Bowl, which is played on the last day of the camp. The roster list for the game reads like a Who’s Who of the top players from the Peach State. Some might be unheralded going in, but emerge after the camp atop many colleges' wish lists.

Knowing that the game has so many of Georgia’s best players in it, we decided to take advantage of having them all in one place and ask them some questions. The answers were anonymous, and represent only one part of the sometimes years-long recruiting experience. We thought it would be interesting to see where Georgia’s juniors stood on a variety of topics. Of course these questions were asked at the conclusion of their junior seasons and the answers will have changed as the spring evaluation period unfolds and more trips are taken, but this shows where they are at the time.

Q. Which, if any, school were you a fan of growing up?

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

ATHENS, Ga. -- Viewers who tuned into last year’s SEC championship game were treated to an epic battle between Alabama and Georgia that was not decided until the last play of the game. It was the latest in a series of battles between schools that clash again and again on the recruiting trail, year after year. Both have targeted a sophomore defensive tackle from North Carolina. In fact, both programs offered Shy Tuttle (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson) on the same day.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Defensive end Arden Key (Lithonia, Ga./Martin Luther King) took in the University of Georgia junior day on Saturday and met with Bulldogs defensive line coach Chris Wilson. The new coach made quite the impression on the young sophomore, as by the time Key left, he was tweeting that he wished he could commit to Georgia.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

It has been a whirlwind two weeks for George Adeosun (Alpharetta, Ga./Alpharetta), with the 6-foot-5, 300 pound offensive lineman picking up offers from Virginia, Purdue, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Arizona and Georgia Tech after his film went out at the coaches’ convention over the winter break.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (Duluth, Ga./Peachtree Ridge) is used to getting a lot of stares. He knows his 6-foot-8, 370-pound frame is going to draw a lot of slack-jawed, wide-eyed gawkers. The gentle giant just rolls with the looks, even going so far as to make jokes about the rubber-neckers. He recently tweeted, “People look at me like snow in the south!! Surprise!!”

Brown, who appropriately enough is nicknamed "Zeus", explained his tweet this way.

“I walk around school land people look at me like that,” Brown said. “I get a lot of attention. Everywhere I go people think I am some famous athlete or something. They are used to seeing country boys but they don’t see anyone with my style -- from the way I dress to my height. It is kind of weird, but it’s also pretty fun, pretty cool.”

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

In what is now widely considered to be the fourth-best state as far as FBS football talent is concerned, the 2013 class in Georgia could be the deepest group of talent to come out of the Peach State. More than 200 prospects are claiming offers at the moment, which would easily surpass the 170-180 FBS signees the state has averaged over the last three years. In this feature, RecruitingNation takes a look at the top five remaining uncommitted prospects in Georgia.

Montravius Adams, DL, Vienna (Ga.) Dooly County, 6-foot-3, 300 pounds
No. 3 prospect in Georgia
Front-runner: Auburn

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

The University of Alabama already has commitments from O.J. Howard and Josh McNeil, two of the top five tight ends in the country, but that hasn’t stopped the Crimson Tide from going after one more in this class.

On Monday, ESPN 150 tight end Greg Taboada visited Tuscaloosa for the second time this summer. He toured the campus, talked with people in the business department and met with the coaching staff.

“Coach [Chris] Rumph is my main recruiter, and after the first time I was there, he had been getting on me to just come back one more time, so he could set up the whole tour,” Taboada said. “They just wanted me to come back one more time and get a better idea of what they’re about and all that.”

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Although he was born in Atlanta, Greg Taboada (Atlanta/Marist) grew up in a household heavily influenced by Spanish culture, thanks to both his parents being natives of Spain. Soccer was the game of choice, although his brother Ignacio would go on to play tennis at the University of Georgia. Greg also enjoyed playing both sports, and seemed headed for a similar future before his arrival at Marist.

That's when a new sport took over.

“Soccer and tennis helped my agility and footwork, but I have been blessed with size and athleticism, so I started playing football at Marist, and it has worked out well,” Taboada said.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- While defensive end Carl Lawson (Alpharetta, Ga./Milton) left little doubt Sunday at the Nike Football Training Camp that he was among the elite prospects in the country, he was not the only participant to have an outstanding performance. Throughout the day, linebacker Larenz Bryant (Charlotte, N.C./Vance) led his group from drill to drill, dominated the 1-on-1’s, and showcased the athleticism needed to excel at the next level en route to earning linebacker MVP honors and a trip to The Opening, a four-day competition at Nike Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.

College coaches are well aware of the 6-foot-2, 210-pound prospect, as 21 schools have offered Bryant so far. After last weekend's competition, Bryant said five schools stood out for him because of location, defensive coaching staff, and having a solid program in the his desired major, communications.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Defensive lineman Jay Woods (Jackson, Ga./Jackson) already had 19 offers from schools all over the country, so why would another offer be any different? Well, when offer No. 20 comes from the team that he grew up following, it is deemed a special one. Woods was offered Thursday by the Georgia Bulldogs, and he couldn’t be happier.

“Mark Richt just offered me,” Woods told DawgNation. “My coach called me to his office and I called Coach [Bryan] McClendon and he said, 'I have good news for you but I am going to let Coach Richt tell you.' Coach Richt said I was a good football player and he was trying to put together a Dream Team for 2013 and I could be a big part of it. He said, 'I would like to offer you a full scholarship to the University of Georgia.' ”

Woods says this offer means more because it is one he dreamed of as a child.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

The Peach State has firmly entrenched itself in producing the fourth most FBS talent in the country, and while Georgia has some growing to do before it catches California in overall talent, it trails only Florida in FBS signees per player. Over 100 prospects from Georgia in the 2013 class are already claiming offers, with close to 10 in the 2014 class. In today's Peach State Quick Hitters, one glance at the number of schools mentioned by the prospects and it becomes evident that colleges from coast to coast are hoping to sign players from Georgia. Get the latest on several of the top recruits in Georgia right here:

• Defensive lineman Marcus Adams (East Point, Ga./Tri-Cities) says Ole Miss has offered.
• Running back Peyton Barber (Alpharetta, Ga./Milton) says Ole Miss, Purdue, Clemson, UNC, Vanderbilt, UCF, Kentucky and Louisville have offered.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider

Defensive back Nick Glass (Atlanta/St. Pius X) grew up a fan of the Georgia Bulldogs. When he left Athens on Saturday after visiting for a junior day, he received an offer from head coach Mark Richt.

“I just got it a few minutes ago,” Glass told DawgNation after he left the practice facility. “I am very excited.”

Although the plans were for Richt to give Glass the news, a few assistant coaches could not resist giving the student-athlete a head's up.

To continue reading this article you must be an Insider