Georgia Football Recruiting goes into Overdrive on Sunday
John Emery Jr, Running Back
I’ll start with the obvious, shall we? Good lord Dell McGee is a good recruiter. I mean seriously, since arriving in Athens, he’s recruited the following running backs:
- D’Andre Swift
- Zamir White
- James Cook
- John Emery
That’s 4 guys who are 5-star players and he’s done it in 3 years. I know that UGA has a reputation for being RBU, but that sort of pipeline is unheard of. McGee has taken Georgia’s history and taken it into overdrive. In doing so, he’s built possibly the best collection of running back talent we’ve ever seen at a single school.
Emery is an incredibly impressive player. He’s a legit 4.4 40 yard dash kind of player who was timed at 4.42 at Nike’s the opening. That’s home run type of speed and he’s got the agility and balance to make players miss and hit those home runs. From a size perspective, he’s already similar to Sony Michel and I can absolutely see him being used in a similar way.
Now let’s talk about usage. One of the things that I keep hearing from rival fans is that Emery picking UGA is a clear sign that we’re cheating at this whole recruiting thing. However, I think that they are missing the sales pitch that McGee is making and why it’s so effective.
Some backs want the ball all the time. Those players are never going to choose Georgia. What McGee is selling is an opportunity to get 10-15 touches a game behind one of the best offensive lines in the country. With Jake Fromm and Justin Fields in Athens, you know that the passing game is also going to be on point. You have the chance to be an impact player on an offensive juggernaut and potentially win multiple championships.
He’s not offering players the chance to be ‘the guy’, but there is a reason that’s working. Running backs have a limited shelf life and it’s not about years, it’s about carries. If you join Georgia’s stable, you’ll get all the exposure you need to be a high draft pick. You will also go into the NFL with less wear on your tires and have a better shot at getting that second contract and having a long professional career.
It’s a surprisingly simple pitch and I find it hard to understand why rival fans cannot understand it. All of these backs are being given the best possible opportunity to succeed and one day become millionaires by being a part of something bigger than just themselves. You don’t have to cheat if you’re offering a kid a better future than anywhere else.