Georgia Bulldogs nab Peach State’s top two prospects with big signing day
By Matthew Hall
The Georgia Bulldogs had a successful National Signing Day, highlighted by grabbing the state’s two best players.
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The Georgia football program had a very eventful signing day this year, snagging 21 commitments who signed letters of intent. This number, along with the other 7 early enrollees, brings UGA’s 2015 Football Commits number to a total of 28.
Not a bad day at all for the Peach State when one considers that the Dawgs nabbed the state’s two top-rated prospects in 5-Star wide receiver Terry Godwin (Callaway High School) along with 5-Star defensive tackle Trenton Thompson (Westover High School).
Godwin, who was named to the USA Today All-USA First Team and was a member of the recent Under Armour All-American bowl, was a sigh of relief for most Georgia fans. This is especially true given the recent flip of WR Darius Slayton from Georgia to Auburn on the eve of national signing day.
There was a lot of talk that Godwin would follow suit when it was revealed that Auburn Head Coach Gus Malzhan had taken to visiting with Godwin and his family this past weekend. However, Godwin chose to stay with the Dawgs and follow his sister to Athens who is on scholarship with the Lady Bulldogs basketball team.
With the addition of the 5-Star WR, the offensive side of the ball looks a lot better for the boys in red and black, even while there is still much debate over who will be the quarterback in Athens this upcoming college football season in lieu of the departure of senior Hutson Mason.
Only time will tell on the answer at the QB position as Brice Ramsey, Jacob Park and Faton Bauta are undoubtedly salivating for the opportunity.
Regardless of who is slinging the ball downfield for Georgia in 2015, it may be short-lived given the fact that Jacob Eason (2016 #1 QB prospect) will be fighting to take over when he arrives in the “classic city”. Nonetheless, whoever is the quarterback for the Dawgs moving forward will have an explosive and lethal target to look to in Godwin.
While Godwin is a superlative addition on the offensive side of the ball, Georgia’s defense under Jeremy Pruitt just got a whole lot better with the signing of Trenton Thompson.
Oct 11, 2014; Columbia, MO, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Brice Ramsey (12) talks with coaches on the sideline during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field. Georgia won 34-0. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Thompson comes in at 6’2 and 313 pounds and was desperately needed for UGA given the recent departures of defensive tackles Mike Thornton and Toby Johnson. With accolades that stretch a mile wide and honors that have certainly left the mantle at his home running out of room to hold them, the Dawgs truly locked in a player that is expected to have an immediate impact once he arrives on the football field this fall.
He is the crown jewel for the Bulldogs commitment class to say the least. Many UGA fans may not realize exactly what it is they are getting with him signing on the dotted line, as Thompson won various national awards including the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year, American Family Insurance Defensive Player of the Year, Maxwell Football Club National High School Player Of The Year, and the 247Sports Composite National Player of the Year.
UGA Head Coach Mark Richt was asked yesterday about what it was like on adding a player like Trenton Thompson. Richt proffered the following response in light of the inquiry:
“Yeah, Trent is a big, massive man who has got great agility,” Richt told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “If you meet him, he’s just the nicest guy you ever want to meet, but when he’s playing ball, he gets after it.
“He’s just got tremendous quickness for a big man, changes direction, plays very hard, and I think probably the reason why he got rated as high as he did is when you start taking these guys and bringing them to all-star games or combines or whatever and you start letting them compete with some of the best, the word I got from some of those kids in those situations were like, the guy just was very difficult to handle by anybody. He’s a fun kid to be around. He really is.”
Needless to say, it appears that the future of the football program at the University of Georgia looks rather ripe and bright.