With Kirby Smart having a defensive background as a head coach, it's pretty much a given that he should be able to recruit highly ranked defensive players. Of course he has done just that and they're getting drafted in droves. Our offensive recruiting hasn't been disappointing by any means, as we've also brought in highly ranked players on that side of the ball as well. Honestly, it's hard to see much in a negative light coming off of a national championship.

If there was an area where one might be able to say we could do better in recruiting, it's at the receiver position. That isn't to say that we don't have very good receivers. Of course we love and appreciate all of the guys that put on the red and black. But if you're strictly looking at it from a rankings standpoint, then recruiting this position has been behind the other positions. There is obviously much more to football than star ratings. If recruiting were an exact science, the whole winning football games would be much easier. I guarantee you there are one hundred and something other D1 programs that would make a trade for AD Mitchell and Ladd McConkey, both three stars coming out of high school.

While UGA is finishing off another stellar class for 2023, the class of 2024 has already taken off. Of the six commits do far, every single one of them are offensive recruits. While we are talking about receivers here, it's important to note that the commits and targets already know who will be throwing them the ball when they get to Athens. Four star (soon to be 5*) Ryan Puglisi recently announced his decision to play for Georgia. It's huge in recruiting, especially for receivers, to already have your QB in the fold.

So who might Puglisi be throwing the ball to?

There are already two playmakers on the commit list. Ny Carr is a dynamic in-state receiver, who is ranked No. 70 overall and the No. 9 receiver in the nation. The four star is a do it all type of player who can go get the ball down the field, get the tough yards, and high point the ball. Sacovie White is the other receiver currently committed. He is currently ranked as a three star recruit at No. 416 overall and the No. 54 receiver overall. After the junior year he is having, he'll be a four star in no time. White earned an offer by going off in front of the Georgia coaches this summer and finally committed recently. At 5'9 and 165 pounds, he's the type to get the ball in his hands and make defenders miss.

The Dawgs have an offer out to Jeremiah Smith, the No. 1 receiver in the nation, but he is a longshot. The highest rated out of state receivers Georgia is recruiting is Ryan Pellum and Drelon Miller. Both are four star recruits, with Pellum hailing from California and Miller from Texas. It's still pretty early for both in their recruitments, but receivers coach Bran McClendon will have to work extra hard with both of them being so far away.

Some thought that it could be an either/or situation with Sacovie White and in-state receiver Zion Ragins. While they are close in size, they are also different players. Zion Ragins is a speedster who will just straight up fly past the entire team of defenders. He was once ranked as a five star and is currently the No. 56 player in the nation and No. 6 receiver overall. Georgia would take both of these guys in a heartbeat and Ragins continues to be a top target. Todd Hartley will play a big part here, since he is from Jones County where Ragins plays.

You have to mention the No. 3 player in the nation, Mike Matthews. The in-state prospect plays on both sides of the ball for Parkview and has five star potential at receiver and in the secondary. I believe we're recruiting the five star to play wherever he wants and his position might not be decided until he gets in and practices as a college football player. Whoever ends up getting the No. 1 athlete in the nation is getting one of the most explosive players in the 2024 class. Take the last couple of sentences about Mike Matthews and just change the name to KJ Bolden. The in-state five star does much the same for Buford that Matthews does for Parkview and is just as explosive doing it. If I'm a coach and able to get one or both of these ridiculously talented prospects, I give them the opportunity to excel on both sides of the ball. If I absolutely HAD to pick, I'd start Matthews off at receiver and Bolden at safety. The 247sports composite rankings actually has Bolden as the No. 4 player in the nation and No. 1 safety.

Two more in-state prospects that need to be mentioned are Dwight Phillips and Jalewis Solomon, both four stars. As with the majority of the recruits listed above, it is too early to really get down to leaders or a top list. Both are very highly ranked for a reason. Solomon is your all around athlete, while Phillips is your track star.

UGA will obviously not be able to sign all of these recruits, but would be lucky to get any of them. It will be interesting to see who ends up being a top target. I can say with confidence that Matthews and Bolden both have spots NO MATTER WHAT.

PLAYERS MENTIONED