Georgia Recruiting: How Does Kirby Smart Finish Out the 2021 Class

Georgia's 2021 recruiting class now has 15 commitments following Marlin Dean's announcement Friday. We update the class, and how Kirby Smart finishes.

With the re-commitment of Marlin Dean, the Georgia football program now stands at 15 commitments in the 2021 class. Spots are dwindling in the class and there are still some big fish out there that Kirby Smart and company want to, nay, need to reel in. It's very likely that the Dawgs will not be able to take a full class of 25 with graduate transfers and transfers counting toward the 2021 number.

Today we at Dawgs Daily on SI.com examine the commits by position and highlight the spots remaining.

OFFENSIVE SUMMARY: 7 commitments, 3 remaining spots

QB: Commits (1), Spots Remaining (0)

Committed: Brock Vandagriff - Prince Avenue (GA) - 5-Star - 6'3" 205

RB: Commits (1), Spots Remaining (1)

Committed: Lovasea Carroll - IMG Academy (FL) - 4-Star - 6'1" 190

Targets:

Donovan Edwards (West Bloomfield [MI]. 6'0" 190. 4-Star)
Amari Daniels (Miami Central [Fl]. 5'8" 195. 4-Star)

Edwards has been the top priority for Dell McGee in 2021 for 18 months or longer. Georgia would love to have the versatility of Edwards in Todd Monken's system, but they are fighting what seems to be an uphill battle against Michigan.

Amari Daniels and Georgia have built a strong relationship. Much like Edwards though, Georgia will be up against the hometown team for Daniels. This is the second time that the Dawgs are going head to head for a coveted recruit with the Hurricanes. 5-Star safety James Williams picked the 'U' over Athens earlier this year.

WR: Commits (1), Spots Remaining (1)

Committed: Adonai Mitchell - Cane Ridge (TN) - 3-Star - 6'3" 190

Targets:
Jayden Thomas (Pace Academy [GA]. 6'1" 205. 4-Star)
Deion Colzie (Athens Academy [GA]. 6'4" 195. 4-Star)
Jackson Meeks (Central-Phenix [AL]. 6'3" 205. 3-Star)
Dont'e Thornton (Mount Saint Josephs [MD]. 6'5" 185. 4-Star)
Brian Thomas Jr. (Walker [LA]. 6'4" 185. 4-Star)

After taking five receivers in the class of 2020, Georgia found themselves only in need of a couple wideouts in the 2021 class. The Dawgs went after some very highly coveted targets like Agiye Hall, Romello Brinson, Mario Williams, Marcus Burke, Daejon Reynolds, Xavier Worthy, and Malcolm Johnson Jr. Plain and simple, it's hard to sell opportunity when you brought the haul of talent that Georgia did in the class ahead. However, with Thomas, Colzie, Meeks, Thornton, and Thomas Jr. Cortez Hankton and company are selling the change in the style of play Georgia will undergo with Todd Monken on board. The Dawgs are looking to stretch the field vertically and horizontally and create explosive plays.

Thomas, Colzie, and Meeks are much more realistic gets at this point than Thornton, and Thomas Jr. Thornton appears to be headed toward PAC-12 territory and the Dawgs got in late on his recruitment. Thomas Jr. is in the heart of Louisiana and the defending national champions are the favorites to secure his commitment with Alabama also looming. Thomas and Colzie are in-state products and have lengthy and established relationships with Hankton and the Georgia staff. Both know the campus and the program very well. At this point, it likely comes down to timing and what they see out of the Georgia offense this fall. Things have picked up heavily with Thomas as of late and the relationship with Colzie has been one of ups and downs.

Jackson Meeks has exploded on the national recruiting scene in just the past couple of weeks. Meeks plays his third football game of his senior season Friday and he already has well over 300 yards receiving and 5 touchdowns against Hoover and Eufaula. Meeks picked up an offer from Georgia after week 1 and an offer from Ole Miss after week 2. If he keeps up his torrent production throughout his senior year, look for more Power 5 offers to roll in and for the explosive receiver to shoot up the recruiting rankings.

TE: Commits (1), Spots Remaining (0)

Committed: Brock Bowers - Napa (CA) - 4-Star - 6'4" 225

OL: Commits (3), Spots Remaining (1)

Committed:

Micah Morris - Camden County (GA) - 4-Star - 6'4" 316
Dylan Fairchild - West Forsyth (GA) - 4-Star - 6'5" 300
Jared Wilson - West Forsyth (NC) - 4-Star - 6'4" 325

Targets

Amarius Mims (Bleckley County [GA]. 6'8" 315. 5-Star)

Noah Josey (Brentwood [TN]. 6'5" 280. 3-Star)

Amarius Mims is THE ONE for Matt Luke and the Georgia football program. Sources that have been around the program a long time have told us at Dawgs Daily on SI.com that Mims is a generational type talent, and an in-state guy, that UGA cannot afford to miss out on. They simply do not make 6'8" 315 men that can move in the fashion that Amarius can. Georgia figures to be in good shape with the big man and he and Brock Vandagriff have built quite the relationship as well. It would be surprising if Mims does not end up committing to Georgia in October.

DEFENSIVE SUMMARY: 8 commitments, 4 to 6 remaining spots.

DL: Commits (3), Spots Remaining (1 to 3)

Committed:

Jonathan Jefferson - Douglas County (GA) - 4-Star - 6'4" 255
Elijah Jeudy - Northeast (PA) - 4-Star - 6'3" 255
Marlin Dean - Elbert County (GA) - 4-Star - 6'6" 265

Target

Korey Foreman (Centennial [CA]. 6'4" 265. 5-Star)

Maason Smith (Terrebonne [LA]. 6'5" 316. 5-Star)

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (Gaffney [SC]. 6'5" 300. 4-Star)

Taleeq Robbins (Imhotep Institute [PA]. 6'3" 300. 3-Star)

Shemar Turner (DeSoto [TX]. 6'4" 282. 4-Star)

Jeremiah Williams (Ramsey [AL]. 6'3" 225. 4-Star)

The defensive line position is the most uncertain of any for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2021. The Dawgs are likely losing Jordan Davis, Malik Herring, Devonte Wyatt, and Julian Rochester after the 2020 season. Depth is needed going forward with the loss of this group of talented and experienced players. With three defensive linemen already committed, the Dawgs are well on their way to adding that necessary depth, and of the group of targets UGA has a realistic shot with all of them. All would be takes, but Georgia could only take 3 more at the most and it would have to be the right three.

Foreman and Smith are so talented and so dynamic that sacrifices will be made elsewhere if they want to be Bulldogs. Robbins and Turner are likely longer shots than the other four admittedly. Foreman, Smith, TID, and Williams all are within striking distance for Georgia. Tray Scott has artfully built relationships with these talented and Dan Lanning and Kirby Smart are of course heavily involved as well, especially with Foreman and Smith.

It's highly likely that the defensive line and the defensive secondary are the last pieces of the puzzle for UGA in 2021. Several of these major targets are likely to wait until signing day or All-American contests to make their announcements.

LB: Commits (2), Spots Remaining (1 to 2)

Committed:

Jamon Dumas-Johnson - St. Frances Academy (MD) - 4-Star - 6'1" 235
Chaz Chambliss - Carrollton (GA) - 4-Star - 6'2" 240

Targets

Smael Mondon (Paulding County [GA]. 6'3 225. 5-Star)

Xavian Sorey (IMG Academy [FL]. 6'3" 215. 4-Star)

Terrence Cooks (Shadow Creek [TX]. 6'3" 210. 3-Star)

Mondon and Sorey are much like Foreman and Smith at the defensive line position group. These are two versatile, explosive athletes that every college program in the country wants in their program. Georgia is in very strong shape with both Mondon and Sorey. Both play things extremely close to the vest with their recruitment, but it can be argued that Georgia is the favorite for each. In Mondon's case, the Dawgs are battling Tennessee and Auburn, and with Sorey it's Florida and Alabama.

Terrence Cooks is a hard-hitting, high energy edge defender from Texas. Admittedly it would be hard to pull him out of Big 12 country, but it was a pleasant surprise for UGA to make the top six schools for Cooks. Glenn Schumann, Nick Williams, and Dan Lanning have all been in contact with Cooks and at his size, with 4.5 speed, it's easy to see why. LSU has recently offered Cooks and this recruitment is far from over it would seem.

DB: Commits (3), Spots Remaining (2 to 3)

Committed:

David Daniel - Woodstock (GA) - 4-Star - 6'1" 190
De'Jahn Warren - Lackawanna CC (PA) - 4-Star - 6'0" 175
Javon Bullard - Baldwin (GA) - 3-Star - 6'0" 185

Targets

Kamari Lassiter (American Christian [AL]. 6'0" 185. 4-Star)

Nyland Green (Newton County [GA]. 6'2" 185. 4-Star)

MJ Daniels (George Country [MS]. 6'3" 200. 4-Star)

Terrion Arnold (Lakeland Christian [FL]. 6'0" 185. 4-Star)

Other than defensive line, secondary is the most glaring position of need for Georgia in 2021. That need has intensified over the last month or so with Divaad Wilson having transferred to UCF and Kelee Ringo going down with shoulder surgery. Ringo will be on the mend heading into next year and Georgia will have likely lost Eric Stokes, Tyson Campbell, DJ Daniel, Richard LeCounte, and Mark Webb. Yikes!

UGA will hope that Ringo returns to form with no setback and Georgia signed three other talented DBs that will be called upon to step up and produce in the 2021 season in Major Burns, Jalen Kimber, and Daran Branch. Also, De'Jahn Warren may be the most ready to play prospect in the country with his coverage skills at cornerback. However, depth will still be needed and the Dawgs will look to bring in at least two of the four major targets listed above.

At the moment, we at Dawgs Daily on SI.com would say that Nyland Green and Terrion Arnold are the two being recruited the hardest by Georgia. However, pulling Arnold out of the Sunshine State away from Florida and FSU will be difficult. The Tallahassee native is close with 2021 'Lead Dawg' David Daniel as they play on the same Cam Newton 7-on-7 squad.

Georgia seems to be in a much stronger position with Green. Sources have alluded that Georgia has made up a lot of ground in a short amount of time and could even be considered the favorite at this point. MJ Daniels and Kamari Lassiter each placed Georgia in their final groups. It would not be surprising if each announced their commitment decision in the next month to 45 days. The timing and outcome of Green's and Arnold's respective decisions will determine how many more defensive backs Georgia pursues and rest assured the recruits are watching and counting spots themselves.

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @BulldogMaven & follow us on Twitter at @DawgsDailySI.