Georgia Bulldogs

Editor's note: This week we continue to empty our notebook from Georgia's spring practices to tell the stories we didn't get to tell before the Bulldogs' G-Day game. Previously we featured fullback Quayvon Hicks, tight end Jay Rome, defensive end Ray Drew, safety Connor Norman, cornerback Damian Swann and receiver Rantavious Wooten. Today we recap a conversation with senior defensive lineman Garrison Smith.

ATHENS, Ga. -- Even Garrison Smith, Georgia’s lone returning defensive lineman with any significant experience, had difficulty adapting to a new coach’s methods early in spring practice. So he knew that a new coach and a complex defensive scheme would become major learning obstacles for his less experienced teammates.

“I’m starting over, but I’m just trying as hard as I can and just bringing these young guys up because we’ve got a sophisticated defense and young guys like Jonathan Taylor, Chris Mayes, John Atkins, right now our defense is calculus for them,” Smith said midway through spring practice. “It’s like basic addition and subtraction for me. But for them right now, it’s like they’re doing rocket science. If y’all were to watch some of the film, it would be a funny sight. It would be like they’re creating some type of new defense.”

And it wasn’t just the new defensive linemen who had a lot to learn. Multiple players across the board used the spring as a jumping-off point for their playing careers at Georgia, but the group made rapid progress during that valuable instructional time.

“You can ask [freshman inside linebackers] Reggie Carter and Ryne Rankin about the defense. Like I say, it’s rocket science for them, too,” Smith chuckled. “But that’s just a part of the game when you’re just a young freshman. They don’t expect you to know everything like a senior would, but at the same time, the coaches hold you to a higher standard and they get on you, but that’s just to make you better. They don’t want you to get complacent with not knowing enough. They want to push you as fast as you can so you can learn it.”

Having spent his first three seasons working under defensive line coach Rodney Garner -- who in December returned to his alma mater, Auburn -- Smith had to unlearn some old habits to satisfy new position coach Chris Wilson. It wasn’t like learning an entire defensive scheme, but it required some adjustments nonetheless.

“Even though I’m a veteran, I’m kind of like a freshman all over again because I’m learning new techniques of how to play different things because I’ve got another coach that wants me to play a different way, so I’m having to adapt every day,” Smith said.

That process will continue well into preseason practice, as Wilson continues evaluating and instructing the players who were available in the 15 spring workouts and adds to the mix others such as junior college transfer Toby Johnson, who learned just this week that he will be eligible to compete in the fall.

Smith seemed to like the direction things were heading in the spring, however, noting that the young defense was holding its own against the Bulldogs’ veteran offense more often than experience might have indicated.

“We’ve got one of the best offenses in the country, so if our defense with all these new guys can compete and play on the level of this great offense we’ve got, then the sky’s the limit for us because we’re playing against some of the best right now,” Smith said. “Other opponents, we’re going to be able to match up well against them if we can contain our own offense.”

ATHENS, Ga. -- Christian Robinson wasn’t unemployed for long.

Only a day after learning that the St. Louis Rams did not plan to keep him as a rookie free agent, Robinson accepted Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s offer to serve as one of the Bulldogs’ defensive graduate assistants this fall.

“I decided last night with my family and called and told my agent I was hanging up the helmet and that I wanted to pursue this job,” Robinson said Tuesday afternoon. “I called Coach Grantham this morning and before I could even say anything, he told me I was hired. So yeah, I was pretty excited.”

Grantham sat down with Robinson before the 2012 senior left for the Rams’ rookie camp and discussed the idea of a grad assistant position if he didn’t make the cut in the NFL. Robinson felt good about his performance in a couple of practices with the Rams and the speed with which he picked up their defensive scheme -- he even lined up alongside former Georgia teammate and first-round draft pick Alec Ogletree in some alignments -- but the team signed several other linebackers and informed him Monday that he wasn’t in their plans.

Robinson had a decision to make, but it didn’t take long for him to inform his agent, Adam Sattler, that he felt the smart move was to begin pursuing his long-term career goal of becoming a coach.

“I called my agent and talked to him and I said, ‘I have this position open to go back and be a GA and I really think that I don’t want to sit around and wait for somebody to call me to make a 90-man roster when I’m not even on their radar right now and the likelihood of making it is very low,’ ” Robinson said. “So my agent talked to me and said, ‘You’re not like a lot of guys.’ A lot of guys, this is their only option and they don’t have a slot like I do to go back and be a GA so quickly. He said, ‘It would be hard for me to tell you not to do that at this point.’ ”

Robinson still must pass the GRE to be admitted to a UGA graduate school program -- he plans to take the test next Tuesday -- and then he can jump into the responsibilities in his new position. He will replace Mike Kelly, who recently accepted a defensive line coaching position in Mississippi, in working as an on-field assistant, assembling scouting reports and scout-team preparation among the many behind-the-scenes tasks that grad assistants typically handle.

Having played for the Bulldogs so recently, Robinson knows this is a rare opportunity. But his knowledge of Grantham’s defensive scheme and terminology will also help him hit the ground running as an instructor, which should come in handy in working with the four true freshmen who will play his former position, inside linebacker, this season.

“That’s one thing my dad’s reminding me -- not a lot of guys have this opportunity, how easily it was kind of handed to me by the coaching staff,” Robinson said. “I really appreciate it. It’s definitely my dream position if I’m not playing professional football.”

ATHENS, Ga. -- Rennie Curran doesn’t exactly have an everyman’s story.

The son of Liberian immigrants, he became an All-SEC performer at Georgia, one of the Bulldogs’ most popular players and an NFL draft pick by the time he was 21 years old. And yet Curran believes that reading his story of struggling to succeed in professional football as an undersized linebacker might help people cope with more typical problems in their own lives.

So after the Tennessee Titans released him in 2011 and he sat by the phone for weeks waiting for a phone call that didn’t come, he sat down to write “Free Agent: The Perspectives of a Young African-American Athlete,” a book about pursuing your ambitions even in the most trying times.

“I realized that just like what I was going through, so many people were going through the same situation like if they got fired from their job or they were coming into the real world out of college -- that time where you’re in no man’s land and you’re trying to find yourself,” Curran said. “I just talk about the different life lessons that you learn like when you’re a free agent.”

Curran released the book last month, only a few weeks after opting to follow a new path that will keep his football dreams alive. He hasn’t been on an NFL roster since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut him last preseason, so the 5-foot-11 linebacker decided to try his hand in the Canadian Football League.

The 24-year-old will report to camp with the Edmonton Eskimos at the end of this month.

“I decided to make that transition just to find a team that believes in me,” Curran said. “I know they’ve got other linebackers in the CFL that are closer to my size. It’ll be a league that’s mostly a passing league, so I’ll be able to develop passing skills and other skills and just get on the field. That’s one of my biggest things is I feel like if I can just find my way on the field, I’ll be able to show people my abilities. Any time a team has given me a chance, I’ve never disappointed.”

Before he leaves, however, Curran will continue with a busy schedule promoting his book at signings and media appearances around the Atlanta area. Thus far, he has found a receptive audience that reaches well outside Georgia’s boundaries.

“Probably the biggest one so far was at about 4 a.m. I was coming home from one of my friends’ birthday parties at like 3 o’clock in the morning, 4 o’clock in the morning,” Curran said. “I checked my email and it was from a soldier in Afghanistan who had read my book during his 12-hour guard shift. He was telling me how inspired he was and everything like that and it just gave me goosebumps.”

Experiencing disappointment and failure in football led Curran to reevaluate his definition of success, he said. Having achieved so much by a young age, he did not have much experience with doors closing in his face. But that’s what the vast majority of his audience will deal with -- sometimes frequently -- in their lives, and Curran believes his story will help them learn that they are not alone.

“There’s so many obstacles and times of uncertainty that you’re going to go through,” Curran said. “I think that the person who picks up the book, they’ll realize that whether you’re a professional athlete or whatever you’re trying to achieve, just because you’re in a position of success doesn’t mean you’re not going to go through your doubting and your low times.

“That’s one of the things I talk about is that even when things seem perfect, you still have times where things change and one thing you’ll deal with in life is transition and the times of where you find yourself and find things out about yourself. Those things happen when you go through some type of adversity. … Part of me writing was just to encourage people to keep fighting to achieve those dreams.”

In this week's SEC Official Visit, we talk about a trio of big commits for the Auburn Tigers, and a top QB decides to stay home in Kentucky.

ATHENS, Ga. -- Hours after Georgia’s heartbreaking 32-28 loss to Alabama in last year’s SEC championship game, running back Keith Marshall couldn’t shake the sick feeling in his stomach.

He’d been a part of devastating defeats before, but seeing his team literally be a few seconds -- and yards -- away from one of the program’s biggest wins crushed the freshman. After seeing everything he and his teammates went through to get to that moment, watching a batted ball decide the Bulldogs’ postseason fate was a killer.

But it only got worse a month later when he watched that same Alabama team crush a completely overmatched Notre Dame team in the Discover BCS National Championship.

“That hurt; I’m not gonna lie,” Marshall said. “I feel like we could have done the same thing. Everybody obviously watched the SEC championship -- that was the national championship. (The BCS title game) wasn’t even competition.”

What really shook Marshall was how dominant Alabama’s running game was against the Irish. Led by the dynamic duo of Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon, the Tide pounded away with 265 rushing yards.

With how well Georgia’s own rushing tandem of Marshall and Todd Gurley did in 2012, the two could only sulk when watching how easy Alabama’s backs had it.

“I was just looking and thinking that could have been us,” Gurley said. “We could have done the same thing.

“That might have hurt worse than losing (to Alabama in the SEC championship game), just to see how bad they did them and how bad they were running on them.”

And he’s probably right.

Gurley topped all SEC running backs with 1,385 rushing yards, while Marshall added another 759 yards in 2012. The two also combined for 25 rushing touchdowns.

Gurley did the smashing, while Marshall did more dashing. They complemented each other so well and never once complained about sharing the spotlight.

It’s an almost foreign concept to think about two players who stood alone as the stars of their high school teams being OK with sharing the limelight. It’s not hard to be selfish in this sport, but both say they embraced the idea of working together well before they even got on campus.

With Isaiah Crowell still on the roster while they were being recruited, they figured they’d have to take a backseat to him from the jump. But after he was dismissed from the team last summer, the pair took on the responsibility of being the feature backs.

Fresh out of high school and they were now running the show, and it was their unselfish nature that fueled their fire.

“I don’t think anybody wanted the spotlight to themselves,” Gurley said. “You have to share with somebody.”

For Marshall, he’s glad he and Gurley split time. Marshall carried the ball an average of eight times a game, while Gurley hovered around 15 carries. Sharing actually helped combat wear and tear.

“I probably wouldn’t have been as productive if I was getting 25 carries a game,” he said. “I think it’s the same for [Gurley].”

Instead of pouting, they pushed each other and became best of friends away from the field -- only making them stronger on it.

Either one could stand alone in just about any SEC backfield, but they prefer to work together.

They still compete with each other, but they strive for improvement more than anything.

“Obviously, you want to be the best in everything that you do. That’s just the part of being a competitive athlete, but I just try to do the best to my ability every day,” Marshall said. “I’m striving to be the best, but you just have to work as hard as you can. I’m not really focused on (Gurley). We’re competing, but we’re trying to help each other at the same time.”

University of Georgia lineman Kolton Houston is fighting to regain NCAA eligibility after a 2010 positive drug test.

ATHENS, Ga. -- The most buzzworthy story around DawgNation this week is that of 2013 outside linebacker Matthew Thomas, ESPN’s No. 6 overall prospect who signed with Florida State in February and announced this week that he wants out of the deal.

Among the schools Thomas mentioned as possible alternatives were Georgia and USC, although by week’s end it was still unclear whether FSU would release Thomas from his scholarship or whether he might explore other options. In this video, NoleNation’s Corey Dowlar explains the situation and Thomas’ options.

It was a busy week on the recruiting front and we offered multiple updates on prospects, including:

" DL Kentavius Street (Greenville, N.C./Rose)

• S Cameron Albright (Acworth, Ga./North Cobb)

• OT Dyshon Sims (Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes), the cousin of Georgia safety Josh Harvey-Clemons

• ATH Malkom Parrish (Quitman, Ga./Brooks County)

Our Radi Nabulsi also offered some notes and observations gleaned from last week’s Georgia state track meet in Jefferson, where multiple UGA signees and targets competed. One of them was Preston Williams, an extremely colorful 2015 wide receiver prospect.

The big story on the team side concerns offensive lineman Kolton Houston, who takes his ongoing eligibility dispute with the NCAA to ESPN’s airwaves on Sunday morning. The piece, set to air at 9 a.m. on Outside the Lines, details the often unusual methods Houston has employed in an effort to remove the trace elements from a 2009 steroid injection from his system in order to pass an NCAA drug test that would make him eligible to compete.

It will be Houston's first interview since he first tested positive in 2010.

Our cohorts on the SEC blog published their spring wrapup this week and we contributed a Georgia rundown and feature on quarterback Aaron Murray for the package.

SEC blogger Chris Low also listed Murray as one of the league’s top 20 NFL draft prospects for 2014 and mentioned freshman safety Tray Matthews as a potential star in this video.

Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and basketball coach Mark Fox spoke Thursday at a UGA Days event in Augusta, with both men providing updates on their teams -- including the colorful strategy Bobo said the Bulldogs might have to use to contend with South Carolina’s superstar defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.

Bobo also told the crowd that sophomore receiver Justin Scott-Wesley is a potential breakout performer for this fall.

Additionally, we recapped springtime conversations with cornerback Damian Swann and receiver Rantavious Wooten -- a pair of veterans who will be leaders at their respective positions this year.

The 2014 recruiting classes around the SEC are starting to take shape.

The latest class rankings by ESPN has five SEC teams in the top-10 nationally and seven in the top 15. Obviously, it's going to change over the next several months. But right now, Texas has the No. 1 class.

Florida leads the way in the SEC at No. 2. LSU is No. 4, Texas A&M No. 5, Tennessee No. 7 and Alabama No. 9. Other SEC teams in the top 15 are Ole Miss at No. 11 and Georgia at No. 12. Vanderbilt is No. 18 and Auburn No. 22.

First-year Tennessee coach Butch Jones has made a big splash on the recruiting trail. The Vols already have 12 commitments.

Here's a look at our May recruiting scorecard:

ALABAMA

2014 verbal commitments: 6

Spotlight: Bo Scarbrough of Tuscaloosa, Ala., has been committed since last September. He's ranked as the No. 2 athlete nationally, but plays running back for his high school. The 6-2, 220-pound Scarbrough is a good enough athlete that he could also get a look on defense in college.

ESPN 150 members: 3 (Scarbrough, ILB Shaun Dion Hamilton of Montgomery, Ala., CB Kalvaraz Bessent of Kingsland, Ga.)

Key targets: Running back Leonard Fournette of New Orleans is the No. 1 player overall in the ESPN 150, and the Tide would also love to have five-star offensive tackle Cameron Robinson of West Monroe, La., as well as the country's No. 1 receiver, Ermon Lane of Homestead, Fla., and the country's No. 3 defensive end, Lorenzo Carter of Norcross, Ga.

ARKANSAS

2014 verbal commitments: 4

Spotlight: Defensive tackle Bijhon Jackson of El Dorado, Ark., is the top player in the state and ranked as the No. 5 defensive tackle nationally. The 6-2, 334-pound Jackson had a strong showing in January at the U.S. Army National Combine.

ESPN 150 members: 1 (Jackson)

Key targets: Defensive tackle Josh Frazier of Springdale, Ark., is being pursued by all the heavyweights, including Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M and USC. ESPN 150 prospect Garrald McDowell of Covington, La., is another defensive tackle at the top of the Hogs' board.

AUBURN

2014 verbal commitments: 5

Spotlight: Linebacker Tre' Williams of Mobile, Ala., committed earlier this week and was a huge get for Gus Malzahn and the Tigers. He's ranked as the No. 5 inside linebacker nationally and was also being heavily recruited by Alabama. It's imperative that Auburn have some success in the Mobile area.

ESPN 150 members: 1 (Williams)

Key targets: ESPN 150 defensive end Justin Thornton of Prichard, Ala., is set to make his decision on Sunday. Auburn is one of three finalists, along with LSU and Texas A&M.

FLORIDA

2014 verbal commitments: 9

Spotlight: Running back Dalvin Cook of Miami has breakaway speed and is one of the more explosive athletes in this class. He's ranked No. 20 overall in the ESPN 150 and as the No. 4 running back in the country.

ESPN 150 members: 4 (Cook, QB Will Grier of Davidson, N.C.; OLB Christian Miller of Columbia, S.C.; DT Anthony Moten of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Key targets: Offensive tackle David Sharpe of Jacksonville, Fla., is right there at the top of the Gators' list. He's ranked as the No. 2 tackle nationally and is also strongly considering Georgia. Receiver Johnnie Dixon of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., would fill a pressing need on offense. Dixon is ranked as the No. 4 receiver nationally.

GEORGIA

2014 verbal commitments: 5

Spotlight: The Bulldogs were able to wrestle away running back Sony Michel of Plantation, Fla., away from Miami. The 5-11, 194-pound Michel is an every-down back who can do it all. He's ranked No. 16 overall in the ESPN 150.

ESPN 150 members: 2 (Michel; TE Jeb Blazevich of Charlotte, N.C.)

Key targets: Five-star defensive tackle Lamont Gaillard of Fayetteville, N.C., has the Bulldogs at the top of his list along with Miami. He's ranked as the No. 2 defensive tackle nationally. Georgia will battle with Alabama for ESPN 150 defensive end Lorenzo Carter of Norcross, Ga. Carter is the No. 2 player in the state and the No. 3 defensive end nationally.

KENTUCKY

2014 verbal commitments: 5

Spotlight: Receiver Thaddeus Snodgrass of Springfield, Ohio is a top 5 player in the state of Ohio and another key pickup for first-year coach Mark Stoops in the southwest Ohio area. Snodgrass is ranked No. 26 nationally among receivers.

ESPN 150 members: None

Key targets: ESPN 150 quarterback Drew Barker of Hebron, Ky., will announce his decision on Friday afternoon, and it appears to be down to Kentucky and South Carolina for the highly rated pocket passer.

LSU

2014 verbal commitments: 9

Spotlight: Edward Paris, Jr. of Arlington, Texas is a top 10 player in the state of Texas and ranked as the No. 4 safety nationally. At 6-foot and 200 pounds, Paris has the skills to also play cornerback in college.

ESPN 150 members: 5 (Paris; OG Garrett Brumfield of Baton Rouge, La.; TE Jacory Washington of Westlake, La.; S Devin Voorhies of Woodville, Miss.; OLB Sharieff Rhaheed of Fort Pierce, Fla.)

Key targets: The state of Louisiana is loaded this year. The Tigers are trying to keep Leonard Fournette at home. The nation's No. 1 prospect is being touted as a Trent Richardson-type of running back. Cameron Robinson is the country's top offensive lineman and also from the state. Speedy Noil of New Orleans is ranked as the No. 1 athlete nationally and could be an impact player at multiple positions.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

2014 verbal commitments: 2

Spotlight: ESPN 150 athlete Jamoral Graham of Decatur, Miss., gave the Bulldogs his commitment earlier this week. The 5-11, 180-pound Graham has 4.4 speed and can play on both sides of the ball. He likely projects as a defensive back in college.

ESPN 150 members: 1 (Graham)

Key targets: ESPN 150 prospect Jesse Jackson of Petal, Miss., is ranked as the No. 10 receiver nationally. Offensive lineman Rod Taylor of Jackson, Miss., is another ESPN 150 member the Bulldogs covet and the top prospect in the state.

MISSOURI

2014 verbal commitments: 7

Spotlight: Kendall Blanton of Blue Springs, Mo., is ranked as the No. 8 tight end nationally.

ESPN 150 members: None

Key targets: ESPN 150 offensive tackle Roderick Johnson of Florissant, Mo., is the No. 2 player in the state and ranked as the No. 13 offensive tackle nationally. Running back Markel Smith of St. Louis is looking around again after being previously committed to the Tigers.

OLE MISS

2014 verbal commitments: 9

Spotlight: Andy Bauer is the top player in the state of Missouri and the No. 4 offensive tackle nationally. At 6-6 and 304 pounds, Bauer could be a right tackle in college or move inside to guard, where he has all the tools to be a devastating run-blocker.

ESPN 150 members: 1 (Bauer)

Key targets: Rod Taylor of Jackson, Miss., is the No. 1 prospect in the state and ranked as the No. 2 guard nationally. ESPN 150 safety Laurence Jones of Monroe, La., is also high on the Rebels' list, while the state of Illinois could again be good to Ole Miss. ESPN 150 inside linebacker Nyles Morgan of Crete, Ill., is strongly considering the Rebels.

SOUTH CAROLINA

2014 verbal commitments: 3

Spotlight: Bryson Allen-Williams of Ellenwood, Ga., is a top-25 prospect in the state of Georgia and ranked as the No. 20 outside linebacker nationally.

ESPN 150 members: None

Key targets: The Gamecocks are waiting on Friday afternoon's decision from ESPN 150 quarterback Drew Barker of Hebron, Ky. Closer to home, ESPN 150 tight end Kevin Crosby of Bamberg, S.C., would be a nice addition along with ESPN 150 receiver Shaq Davidson of Gaffney, S.C., and ESPN 150 offensive tackle Bentley Spain of Charlotte, N.C.

TENNESSEE

2014 verbal commitments: 12

Spotlight: The Vols desperately needed a marquee running back and got the one they wanted when ESPN 150 prospect Jalen Hurd of Hendersonville, Tenn., committed in March. The 6-3, 223-pound Hurd is ranked as the No. 6 running back nationally.

ESPN 150 members: 2 (Hurd; S Todd Kelly, Jr., of Knoxville, Tenn.)

Key targets: Linebacker Dillon Bates of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., would be another nice legacy pickup. His dad, Bill Bates, played at Tennessee. The younger Bates is the No. 3 outside linebacker in the country. ESPN 150 cornerbacks Jalen Tabor of Washington, D.C., Wesley Green of Lithonia, Ga., and D.J. Smith of Marietta, Ga., would help shore up the secondary.

TEXAS A&M

2014 verbal commitments: 10

Spotlight: The Aggies received a commitment last December from the nation's top outside linebacker, Hoza Scott of La Porte, Texas, and Scott has become one of Texas A&M's most ardent recruiters ever since.

ESPN 150 members: 3 (Scott; S Dylan Sumner-Gardner of Mesquite, Texas; ATH Nick Harvey of Richmond, Texas)

Key targets: Myles Garrett is an ESPN 150 defensive end from Arlington, Texas and ranked No. 6 overall nationally. He's the top prospect in the state of Texas and being recruited by everybody.

VANDERBILT

2014 verbal commitments: 8

Spotlight: Safety Emmanuel Smith of Murfreesboro, Tenn., picked Vanderbilt over Tennessee in March. The 6-2, 200-pound Smith is ranked as the No. 25 safety in the country.

ESPN 150 members: None

Key targets: A pair of in-state prospects are near the top of the Commodores' wish list -- safety Rashaan Golden of Nashville and ESPN 150 receiver Josh Malone of Gallatin, Tenn.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Justin Scott-Wesley enjoyed his first taste of success in Georgia’s last game. But asked Thursday evening to name a potential breakout performer, Bulldogs offensive coordinator Mike Bobo selected the sophomore receiver as a player to watch this fall.

“He had a great spring,” Bobo said at the UGA Days event in Augusta, “one of our most improved receivers.”

Scott-Wesley entered the lineup in the Bulldogs’ Capital One Bowl win against Nebraska only after Malcolm Mitchell left the game with a concussion sustained while returning a kick.

To that point in his first season as an active college player, Scott-Wesley had caught passes only in mop-up duty against Florida Atlantic and Georgia Southern. But he hauled in three balls against the Cornhuskers -- including two long passes that pushed the ball into Nebraska territory, one of which was a 31-yard gain on Georgia’s go-ahead touchdown drive at the end of the third quarter -- and concluded a career-best performance with 67 yards.

That performance propelled the young receiver into spring practice, Bobo said.

“I think the confidence level he gained from playing in the bowl game when Malcolm Mitchell went down with a concussion, he caught three passes -- two big third-down conversions -- and him making those plays in a game gave him confidence to carry over into spring ball and get better and make that next step,” Bobo said.

Blessed with sprinter’s speed -- in fact, the former Georgia high school record-setter will compete in the 100-meter dash for Georgia’s track team on Saturday evening at the SEC championships -- Scott-Wesley was a project for the Bulldogs’ coaching staff when he arrived on campus in 2011. Bobo credited receivers coach Tony Ball for molding an SEC-ready receiver out of a player who initially had much to learn about the finer points of his position.

“He can absolutely fly, but he was not a football player,” Bobo said. “He was very raw, and coach Tony Ball does an outstanding job with our receivers and coaching the little things and the details and has really refined this guy’s game to where I think he’s going to have a breakout year.”

Scott-Wesley made some noise last spring, as well, but barely dented the receiver rotation until the very end of the season. He concluded his redshirt freshman campaign with six catches for 135 yards and one touchdown, so it’s far too early to say that another strong spring means he has arrived.

However, Bobo points out that it was a sign of progress -- which is exactly what he wanted to see from a developing player in the spring.

“That’s what you’re looking for and really looking for in the whole offense is taking that next step,” Bobo said.

Inspired by Florida's "#ComePlayWRFortheJoker" campaign, our recruiting writers looked at other ways schools can sell themselves on the trail. Here's a look at recruiting pitches for the SEC:

Alabama Crimson Tide
What they are selling: What's not to sell? Alabama is coming off back-to-back national championships, and the Crimson Tide had nine players taken in April's NFL draft, including three in the first round. For the critics who say you won't play early at UA, ask T.J. Yeldon and Amari Cooper how much they contributed as freshmen.

What they are missing: Although they won a national championship, the Tide didn't generate much pass rush last fall, and they had trouble containing freshman sensation Johnny Manziel. Also, they need to rebuild the offensive line, a unit that anchored the offense last year.

Arkansas Razorbacks
What they are selling: New head coach Bret Bielema runs a completely different offensive system than the previous two Arkansas coaches. The Razorbacks are selling an opportunity for freshmen to come in and earn playing time early in their careers.

What they are missing: The Razorbacks signed only one offensive lineman, Denver Kirkland, who was rated a four-star prospect or higher last year. In this run-heavy system, look for Arkansas to focus on landing talented players along the offensive line.

Auburn Tigers
What they are selling: It's a new regime for Auburn, but there's a familiar face running the show. New head coach Gus Malzahn knows the program from his days as offensive coordinator. He's already shown the ability to recruit, stealing ESPN 150 linebacker Tre Williams away from the Tide. There's a sense of excitement on The Plains again.

What they are missing: Malzahn filled out his first recruiting class with playmakers, but Auburn needs to build up front on the offensive and defensive lines. No matter what offense you run, if you want to win in the SEC, you need to be able to compete up in the trenches.

Florida Gators
What they are selling: With no proven wide receivers on the perimeter, Florida is attempting to sell early playing time at the position. A chance to play for one of the best defensive minds in college football in Will Muschamp is another selling point to defensive prospects.

What they are missing: Production on offense. After finishing 114th nationally in passing offense, it will be hard to sell playing time to wide receivers without an explosive passing game in place.

Georgia Bulldogs
What they are selling: Freshmen, if they're good enough, play early at Georgia. From running backs Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall to offensive tackle John Theus to defensive end Jordan Jenkins, several freshmen Bulldogs made major contributions on a team that was a few yards away from making the national championship game.

What they are missing: Georgia has brought in four top-12 recruiting classes in the last four years. Depth might become an issue for some recruits, but Georgia has certainly shown a willingness to play younger players.

Kentucky Wildcats
What they are selling: After finishing 2-10, Kentucky fired coach Joker Phillips. New head coach Mark Stoops is offering a fresh start and a chance to help build Kentucky in to a contender in the SEC East.

What they are missing: Plain and simple -- tradition. Sure, Kentucky is full of basketball tradition, but the success on the hardwood completely overshadows the football program. A record 50,831 fans attended the Wildcats' spring game, so the interest level is certainly headed in the right direction.

LSU Tigers
What they are selling: An unprecedented 10 underclassmen declared for the NFL draft. LSU is selling the opportunity, not only for early playing time because of the departures, but a chance to make it to the NFL in three years.

What they are missing: Because of all the departures, there are some holes on both sides of the ball. Depth is now an issue at running back and LSU will need to replace Eric Reid, Kevin Minter, defensive ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo, defensive tackle Bennie Logan and linebacker Kevin Minter.

Ole Miss Rebels
What they are selling: Ole Miss landed the No. 5-ranked class in the country, including No. 1 overall player Robert Nkemdiche and No. 1 offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Look for Ole Miss to sell recruits on the opportunity to help build something special under head coach Hugh Freeze.

What they are missing: Freeze brought a creative and innovative offense to the SEC, but the defense is still a work in progress. Ole Miss finished 12th in the SEC in pass defense and will need to continue to build depth in order to compete for the SEC West championship.

Mississippi State Bulldogs
What they are selling: Only 11 of 22 starters return for a team that finished 8-5 last year. The Bulldogs offer recruits a chance to play early and play in the best division in college football.

What they are missing: Mississippi State returns its starting quarterback Tyler Russell, but who will he be throwing to? Last year's four leading receivers, including Chad Bumphis, are gone. Look for the Bulldogs to focus on offensive weapons in this recruiting class.

Missouri Tigers
What they are selling: The Tigers return 14 of 22 starters on a team that went 5-7 in its first year in the SEC East. Missouri runs a fun and innovative offense that is sure to attract recruits, and there is certainly an opportunity to play early.

What they are missing: The defensive line is probably the most critical area on any defense in the SEC, and the Tigers lost their best lineman in Sheldon Richardson. Mizzou must find a viable replacement for Richardson and linebackers Zaviar Gooden and Will Ebner.

South Carolina Gamecocks
What they are selling: The Gamecocks have been dominant on defense over the last few years, and a strong line is a big part of their success. South Carolina is selling an opportunity to be the next Jadeveon Clowney and be a part of one of the top defenses in the SEC.

What they are missing: Hard to believe, but head coach Steve Spurrier needs help at wide receiver. The Gamecocks signed only one wide receiver in their 2013 class. They have young bodies, but not much depth or production from the returning group.

Tennessee Volunteers
What they are selling: A fresh start under new head coach Butch Jones. Since 2011, Tennessee has finished with the No. 13, 21 and 29 recruiting classes in the country. There plenty of holes to fill, and any incoming freshman will have plenty of opportunities to earn a starting spot.

What they are missing: Tennessee lost wide receivers Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle Patterson to the NFL draft and must replace their production on the outside. The Volunteers are also thin in the secondary and will look to recruiting to plug some key holes on defense.

Texas A&M Aggies
What they are selling: There is a lot to sell a recruit on at Texas A&M right now. An explosive offense which led the SEC in total offense by more than 100 yards a game, Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and a team that went into Tuscaloosa and handed Alabama its only loss last season.

What they are missing: There are still some holes to fill on defense. The Aggies finished with the No. 8-ranked defense in the SEC and the No. 10-ranked pass defense in the league. They also need to replace talented defensive end Damontre Moore, who is now in the NFL.

Vanderbilt Commodores
What they are selling: Head coach James Franklin has taken Vanderbilt to a bowl in two consecutive years, and the Commodores are bringing in a solid recruiting class. Selling recruits on an opportunity to play at Vanderbilt during one of the best eras in the school's football history is enticing to high school recruits.

What they are missing: Vanderbilt is not yet on par with other SEC schools as far as facilities. The Commodores, though, are certainly headed in the right direction. A new indoor practice facility is being constructed, and stadium renovations are in the planning stages.