Georgia Bulldogs

STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. -- Cornerback Kendarius Webster (Stockbridge, Ga./Stockbridge) is one of the fastest prospects in Georgia. He recently competed in the state high school state track championships in the 100-meter dash and the 4x100 meter relay. It was that speed -- plus the fact that he can tackle, cover and catch -- that led to a phone call from Georgia head coach Mark Richt.

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ATHENS, Ga. – ESPN 150 defensive tackle Elisha Shaw (Tucker, Ga./Tucker) spent the weekend visiting the University of Georgia and a former teammate. When he left, the nation’s No. 4 defensive tackle said that the Bulldogs no longer trailed the Crimson Tide.

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MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. -- Everyone calls him “Pee Wee,” but not in an ironic way that you would call a big man “Tiny.” No, defensive tackle Davonte Lambert (Milledgeville, Ga./Georgia Military College) was born to that nickname.

“I was a premature baby and my auntie came up with that name when I was little, so it just stuck with me ever since,” Lambert said. “I was under five pounds.”

Now Lambert tips the scales at 280 pounds and stands 6-foot-3 atop the wish lists of a number of major college programs.

“I have offers from Georgia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi State, Miami, Texas Tech -- I don’t know all of them off the top of my head,” Lambert said. “I get a ton of letters every day with a lot of handwritten ones.”

Not too shabby for a guy who didn’t get much attention in high school. Now in junior college, Lambert is enjoying the spotlight.

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Each week, Tales From The Road will provide news and updates about where Georgia’s coaches have been and what prospects are standing out.

This week’s targets: Last Monday Mike Bobo and Will Friend saw Lowndes (Ga.) High School offensive lineman Dyshon Sims, who would get an offer from Georgia two days later. On Tuesday Tony Ball dropped on wide receiver commitment Krenwick Sanders at Wayne County (Ga.) High School and Todd Grantham and Kirk Olivadotti checked in on ESPN 150 linebacker target Raekwon McMillan (Hinesville, Ga./Liberty County) . Grantham also visited ESPN 150 LB targets Rashaan Evans (Auburn, Ala./Auburn) and Jacob Pugh (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby) that day. Defensive line coach Chris Wilson saw safety target Cortez McDowell (Locust Grove, Ga./Locust Grove) and John Lilly saw Callaway 2015 athlete target Terry Godwin (Hogansville, Ga./Callaway). On Thursday, Grantham and Lakatos saw ESPN 150 CB targets Nicholas Ruffin (Atlanta/St. Pius X) and D.J. Smith (Marietta, Ga./Walton), and evaluated Cameron Albright (Kennesaw, Ga./North Cobb).

Area of interest: North Carolina has been good the Georgia Bulldogs. The running back tandem of Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall can attest to that. When the ESPN 150 was released, 10 players from the Tar Heel State made the initial list, which is only one prospect less than the state of Georgia and the same as the entire state of California. The No. 3 tight end in the nation, Jeb Blazevich, has already committed to Georgia, and the Bulldogs lead for the No. 10 overall prospect in defensive tackle Lamont Gaillard (Fayetteville, N.C./Pine Forest).

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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.

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ATHENS, Ga. -- Offensive tackle Dyshon Sims (Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes) awoke from a post-practice nap to find out that a longtime dreams of his had come true.

“I was actually sleeping around 9:30 when I got an alert on my phone from my Facebook account that I had gotten a message,” Sims said. “It was from the offensive line coach, Coach [Will] Friend. So I called him and he said they were offering me a full scholarship to come play at the University of Georgia.”

The 6-foot-4, 278-pound junior was taken aback.

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JEFFERSON, Ga. -- The Georgia state track meet is almost always populated with top football prospects competing in their second sport of the year. This year did not disappoint, as a number of Peach State recruits descended on the track and field events to try and win a state title.

Bulldogs’ signees compete in last prep events

Tight end Jordan Davis competed in the 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles. He finished second in the 110-meter race, beating out several much smaller and quicker competitors.

“These little guys are faster than me,” Davis said. “I can’t catch them in a sprint. But I gain a foot on them on each hurdle.”

Davis will report in June with the Bulldogs' other signees, including Rico Johnson, who was at the meet trying to defend his 100-meter title.

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JEFFERSON, Ga. -- A bystander watching Preston Williams (Lovejoy, Ga./Lovejoy) warm up at the Georgia state track and field championships simply said, “Who is that guy?” Williams stood on the edge of the long jump pit -- where he was challenging for a state title as only a sophomore -- and exploded with a flat-footed jump to the middle of the pit, reaching a height and distance that turned heads.

As did his outfit. Williams wore blindingly bright yellow shoes, mismatched socks (one was a multi-colored, neon leopard print, while the other was decorated with cupcakes), cut-off camouflage sweat pants over black leggings and a Lovejoy t-shirt. The ensemble was topped off with a gray scarf that would look great on a 78-year-old retiree from Boca Raton but seemed out of place wrapped around Williams’ noggin as a headband.

“This is my look,” Williams said. “My jumping look -- I am exotic.”

While his fashion is eclectic, the true answer to who Williams is a lot more complicated.

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ATHENS, Ga. -– ESPN 150 athlete Malkom Parrish (Quitman, Ga./Brooks County) visited Georgia on Friday, talking with the coaches and trying to avoid the rain as he was shown around campus. The gloomy weather didn’t dampen his enthusiasm for the Bulldogs’ program, as Georgia gave him the red-carpet treatment.

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ATHENS, Ga. -- The youngest student at Stephens County High School in Toccoa, Ga., also happens to be the school's largest student. Freshman offensive tackle Ben Cleveland is only 14 and claims to be the youngest student in the ninth grade. Despite his youth, he already stands 6 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs 315 pounds. Cleveland receives an abundance of slack-jawed stares when he is on the football field, but the real gawping comes when he steps onto the baseball diamond to man first base.

In fact, that was where a college football coach first spotted him.

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ATHENS, Ga. -- In week three of the spring evaluation period, we decided to take a look at some of the prospects that could pick up an offer from Georgia some time soon. The Bulldogs’ coaching staff already has offered offensive tackles Drew Richmond (Memphis, Tenn./Memphis University School) and Brian Wallace (St. Louis, Mo./Christian Brothers College), as well as defensive tackle Shy Tuttle (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson) in the first two weeks of the period.

With spring football starting up all over the south in the coming weeks, here are some players to watch.

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ATHENS, Ga. -- In a trend that is becoming as common as hat ceremonies when picking schools, another ESPN 150 prospect took to Twitter this morning to announce he is nearing a decision. This time it was No. 42 Dante Sawyer (Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinnett) who told his followers to “stay tuned.” He spoke to DawgNation to explain what he meant.

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BUFORD, Ga. -- The Atlanta Nike Football Training Camp is always loaded with the region’s top juniors looking to earn an invitation to The Opening and learn from the professional instructors there. This year the Atlanta NFTC had over 300 prospects from 20 different states in attendance. A number of sophomores also attended, wanting not only the instruction, but to try their hand against the older players.

This year five freshmen were also invited to attend. Two of them, cornerback Khalil Ladler (Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson) and defensive tackle Antwuan Jackson Jr. (Ellenwood, Ga./Cedar Grove), made strong impressions on the instructors there.

Ladler stunned former NFL Pro Bowl cornerback Ray Buchanan, who was there coaching the defensive backs.

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BUFORD, Ga. -- ESPN Watch List defensive end Lorenzo Carter (Norcross, Ga./Norcross) credits his blindingly pink socks and highlighter yellow shoelaces with helping him win the defensive lineman MVP award at the Atlanta NFTC on Saturday.

The award came with a brilliant gold dog tag that complemented his outfit. But what really caught Carter’s eye, and fashion sense, was the big gold box that he was handed that contained his invitation to The Opening.

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