2020 Georgia Recruiting: Update on 5-Star Tackle, Broderick Jones
Early National Signing Day for the 2020 Recruiting class was one for the books. It was a day in which 88 of the top 100 players, according to 247sports.com, signed their letters of intent.
Yet five of the top twenty players have yet to sign their LOI's. Jordan Burch, Kelee Ringo, Darnell Washington, Zach Evans, and Broderick Jones. All 5-stars, all without an official letter of intent delivered.
Bulldog Maven has reported both Ringo and Washington alluded to having signed their paperwork during the early signing period, and there have been rumors of Zach Evans having sent his LOI to his school of choice as well. We've also reported, and our sources indicate, that Georgia's chances to land all three are very good.
Jordan Burch is committed to South Carolina at the moment and created cause for concern for Gamecock fans when his paperwork never arrived. There is a chance he flips before or on February's national signing day. However, from what we are hearing, it's not likely that Burch switches his allegiance over to the Dawgs.
So that leaves Broderick Jones. One of just two 5-star tackles in the 2020 class, Jones has been committed to Georgia dating back to April of 2018. At 6'6, 290 pounds, it's rare you can look at the 19th ranked player in the country and say "He's got a chance to become even better."
After all, he's only played the tackle position for a couple of years now, and his technique is rather raw, but he's so overwhelming athletic and powerful that he still dominates his opponents. That athleticism and power is something he uses on the basketball court as well. Lithonia is currently (15-0) in basketball and will play Grayson tomorrow.
Maybe that's why he hasn't taken the time to sign the LOI and send it over? Or maybe it's the fact that schools like Auburn and Alabama are still running after him.
By now it's been heavily reported here on The Bulldog Maven that the school to worry about is Auburn, and they will continue to pursue him until the February signing day. Despite the disappointment of Sam Pittman leaving Athens for Fayetteville, we have reason to believe that Jones is comfortable with the hiring of Matt Luke and at this time the staff feels good about their positioning with one of the nation's top talents.
So, for those of you counting... that's four of the nation's top-20 players, four of the nation's 28 5-stars, predicted to be headed to Athens. Recruiting at the Power 5 level is unrelenting and Georgia's staff will have to fight to the end to maintain the lead for Mr. Jones.