While Urban Meyer and Jimbo Fisher have little use for tight ends, Mark Richt and Georgia football still deploy these masters of diverse skills to offensive advantage. Will that entice the nation’s top tight end to Athens?
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In an optimistic forecast of the final 2016 recruiting rankings, Sanjay Kiraplani of Bleacherreport.com gives Georgia football a good chance of breaking Alabama’s annual stranglehold on the number one recruiting class.
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Alabama has had a string of five consecutive No. 1 recruiting classes and, despite Ohio State sitting currently at number one and LSU at number two in the 2016 247sport.com class rankings, Georgia has enough talent in the 2016 recruiting pipeline and enough scholarships available (probably eight) to jump the top spot.
The Dawgs should sign the nation’s top wide receiver, five-star recruit Kyle Davis (6’1” 218 Lawrenceville, Archer High), the state’s top defensive tackle, five-star recruit Derrick Brown (6’4” 322, , Buford, Lanier High) , and the nation’s top athlete, five-star recruit Mecole Hardman (5’ 10 175, Elberton, Elbert County High ). All live within an easy drive of Athens and would immediately shoot the Dawgs into the top three in the 2016 recruiting ranking with their commitments.
Georgia is also favored to sign four-star Demetrious Robertson (6’1” 165, Savannah, Savannah Christian), the number two national athlete..
However, the key to Georgia claiming the mythical recruiting title is IMG Academy and Buford resident, tight end Isaac Nauta (6’4” 237, Buford, IMB Academy).
Nauta originally committed early to FSU, then rescinded that commitment without eliminating FSU from consideration. Ever since, Nauta has been considered a Georgia lean.
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The top Tight end in the country, Nauta is the number four recruit in Georgia, and the ninth ranked recruit in the nation, he is considering TCU, Michigan, Southern Cal along with FSU and Georgia.
Speaking again to Bleacherreport.com’s Tyler Donohue, “Georgia is my home and I love it there. An opportunity to play college football in the state is something I have to consider.”
Dawg fans suggest Nauta also consider how often he will get to catch the football at the home state school.
In three games so far, Georgia tight ends have caught eight passes, five in the last game against South Carolina spread among three different tight ends.
Georgia’s strongest competitor for Nauta’s signature is FSU. In three games, FSU players listed as tight ends have caught four passes. Ole miss tight ends have caught three passes and TCU tight ends, one.
Michigan has shown the most tight end love, having 17 passes caught by players listed as tight ends.
If Nauta’s decision comes down to football, and with a five-star talent destined for The League, and it surely will, Georgia looks pretty good.
Nauta has five official visits scheduled before his January 9 announcement at the Army All-American Bowl.
“It’s a five-horse race right now so are really important for my decision,” Nauta told Nauta told Bleacherreport.com’s Tyler Donohue .
Hopefully for Georgia, the tight end’s place in the Mark Richt offense is really important as well.