Georgia football and the rest of the country are in the final hours ahead of National Signing Day as the 2022 recruiting cycle finishes.
The Dawgs are once again trying to finish with a top-3 recruiting class and land a few more talented players while fighting off the likes of Alabama, Clemson and Texas A&M.
They’re currently the No. 3 team in the 247Sports 2022 Team rankings behind Alabama and top-rated Texas A&M. Those Aggies are finding scholarships everywhere, and it seems like they’re spending that big-Texas money.
Georgia is doing just fine, though, without taking the same route as Fisher and his Aggies. As the No.3 class in the country, the Dawgs currently have 27 pledges with five 6-stars, 15 4-stars, and seven 3-stars.
They could finish with around 30-31 players in this class, but those scholarships will likely go to plucking players out of the transfer portal if the right guys aren’t out there.
Georgia football will see a solid National Signing Day finish
The Dawgs have their eyes on one about four guys looking to commit and six to sign with them on Wednesday. Head coach Kirby Smart and his coaching staff have been hard at work taking in-home visits, hosting players, and doing their best to close this 2022 class as they’ve done it since Smart arrived — strongly.
When is National Signing Day?
National Signing Day is on the first Wednesday of February, and for the 2022 recruiting cycle, it is February 2.
Even though the December signing period takes precedent in today’s recruiting culture, this first Wednesday in February is a national holiday for some. There are only two days where fax machines are still relevant, and it’s on these two signing days.
How is Early Signing Day different from National Signing Day?
The casual fan may be confused as to why there are two signing days’ now, but it’s to give recruits who maybe didn’t get a chance to visit everywhere they wanted to do so and allow coaches to take advantage of the early enrolee option.
The December period allows players to get on campus and practice with the team for Bowl games and get them in the system sooner. Some players still wait until the summer to enroll, but many big-name guys decide to get on campus as soon as they possibly can.
Plus, having two periods give coaches a chance to reestablish relationships with kids that may have backed off in December. With all the coaching changes, too, players can hold off on a decision instead of having one day to make it happen.
NIL deals allow players to earn money while playing college football in today’s recruiting climate. Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher uses them to his advantage and has set records with this 2022 class by allegedly doing so. He took advantage of the NIL deals and found a way to get talented players to College Station, and if it works, good for him.
Many college football coaches use the NIL deals to land big recruits, and it’s the newest part of recruiting. Some coaches like it, and others don’t, but it’s something they’re all adjusting to doing.
Smart’s players have taken NIL deals, but it doesn’t seem like he is quite using it like Fisher and other coaches are. He hasn’t really needed to so far, but only time will tell.
Who are the top uncommitted recruits Georgia football is targeting on NSD?
Georgia gained momentum leading up to National Signing Day by adding a few preferred walk-ons, but now it’s time for them to finish this 2022 class with a bang.
Shemar Stewart is the top uncommitted prospect, who has the Dawgs, Texas A&M, and Miami as his final three. He is likely going to go to Miami, but rumors suggest Fisher has found a spot for him, and Stewart may not be able to decline that.
Then there is Andrew Paul, a 3-star running back picking between the Dawgs and Clemson. Dabo Swinney and his staff have made a late push, but Smart and Dell McGee have left a mark on him.
Christen Miller is the third uncommitted player the Dawgs are eying. The Cedar Grove star will pick between Georgia, Ohio State, and Oregon. He should stay home, though.
The last uncommitted name to watch out for is EJ Lightsey, a 3-star linebacker from Fitzgerald, Ga., who could be another Channing Tindall. Georgia likes their chances with him, and he should ink his name with the Dawgs.
There has been some traction here, but not enough for me to confidently say yay or nay. There is a potential surprise in Lebbeus Overton, a 5-star defensive end who reclassified from the 2023 class to 2022, but that is still up in the air. However, keep Georgia in the back of your mind with him if it happens.
Among those already committed to the Dawgs, defensive end Darris Smith and wide receiver Dillon Bell will stay with the Dawgs. Jordan James, the running back commit, will likely not stay committed to the Dawgs and flip to Oregon.
Here is when the Georgia football pledges or targets will sign on Wednesday:
- Dillion Bell: 8:30 a.m.
- Darris Smith: 9:30 a.m.
- Christen Miller: noon on CBS Sports HQ
- Jordan James: noon
- Andrew Paul: 12:20 p.m.
- Shemar Stewart: 1:30 p.m. on CBS Sports HQ
- EJ Lightsey: 2 p.m.
How to watch the Georgia football National Signing Day
ESPN will have five hours of coverage across ESPN2, SEC Network, ACC Network, and Longhorn Network.
CBS Sports will also have coverage and will air Miller’s announcement. They will start at 9 a.m. and go through 5 p.m. ET.
Then there are UGASports, the Georgia Rivals site, 247Sports Georgia site, and the other Georgia recruiting publications that will have live streams at various signings.
Georgia will have a pretty quiet day, but who knows? It could end up being more exciting than we expected. Regardless, it’s a solid class that fans should be excited about having on campus.