In short, the Dawgs will be just fine:
I’m not going to tell you that I don’t care about Owen Pappoe picking Auburn. He’s been the face of the 2019 class for nearly 3 years and he’s a Georgia guy. The fact that he decided to go to Auburn over his home state school baffles me. Especially because the school he picked hasn’t developed a linebacker in more than a decade when UGA is churning them out left and right.
But it’s his decision and it’s time to move on. Besides, the battle isn’t actually over. We’re still 8 months from signing day and I highly doubt Kirby Smart is going to stop recruiting him. Maybe Pappoe will still love Auburn come signing day, but maybe he won’t. We’ll see how he feels when the Tigers have to go to Athens and Tuscaloosa this season. I don’t expect them to walk out of either with a win this year.
If he does, then good for him, but UGA will be just fine. Georgia has already go a stable of talented inside linebackers who will be competing for playing time this summer. They’ll likely add 3 more in this 2019 class that will all be really good. Roquan Smith isn’t going to be the last 1st round linebacker UGA puts in the NFL. There will likely be a few more over the next five years.
Next: Remember who had an LB drafted in the 1st round? Not Auburn
Whether Pappoe is a part of that group or not doesn’t matter much now. You want the best players, but you can’t sign them all. One thing is for sure, if he does stick with him commitment, he shouldn’t expect Dawg fans or the team to do him any favors come Saturdays. Auburn will be in their way every single season during his time there. Someone should probably remind him that’s a rivalry game UGA has been winning a lot over the past decade.