Another one in the books: random signing day thoughts

The usual caveat to everything that follows:  just like everyone else on the planet, there’s no way I can pass final judgment on what Georgia brought in yesterday for at least a couple of years.  But since everyone else on the planet has no problem pontificating about what yesterday means right now, who am I to pass on laying a few bullet points on you?

• If you’re someone who fervently believes that any recruiting class starts and ends with the big uglies, you’ve got to be a fairly happy camper today.  Georgia signed four offensive linemen, all with good length (none shorter than 6-foot-5).  And the defensive line class is flat-out ridiculous.
• Speaking of which, it’s kind of hard to believe that Trent Thompson is the first Richt signee who was a No.-1 ranked prospect by any of the recruiting services.
• Terry Godwin said he actually made his decision of Georgia over Auburn and Alabama on Monday night and nobody leaked that before his ceremony last night?  I’m impressed.
• Godwin isn’t the biggest kid, but he is talented – way too talented to redshirt.  It will be interesting to see what Schottenheimer does with him.
• The other area of need that the staff did a fine job reinforcing was the secondary.  Seven players marked for that side of the ball immediately signed, topped off by Rico McGraw rejoining the fold.  Again, there appears to be a massive infusion of size and skill with this class.  You have to think just in terms of sheer numbers that Pruitt’s able to pluck at least a couple of kids out of this group and plug them into 2015’s two-deep.
• Biggest disappointment was at wide receiver, where Van Jefferson and Darius Slayton walked away.  You wonder how much of the “Nick Chubb will be Georgia’s offense” negative recruiting talk had an impact.  Jefferson, in particular, struck me as polished enough to step in and play this season.  That being said, it’s not like the Dawgs were completely shut out there.  In addition to Godwin, there’s some good size coming in.
• Georgia may not have locked the borders, but Richt did okay where it counts, per Weiszer:  “Georgia signed five of the top seven prospects from within its own borders, according to Rivals: Thompson, Godwin, outside linebacker Natrez Patrick from Atlanta, safety Rashad Roundtree from Evans and defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter from Tucker.”  Do that every year and I doubt anyone will complain.
• That being said, about half of Georgia’s class came from out of state.  That’s a little higher than Richt prefers, but sometimes you go where the most talent and interest lie.  (By the way, 2016 shapes up as a very deep year, talent-wise, in state.)
• It’s a heavily weighted class towards defense, which makes sense because (1) that’s where the greater need to restock lay; (2) Georgia is loaded at running back and (3) the quarterback situation between the youth already on campus and Jacob Park Eason coming in next year wasn’t exactly inviting to blue chip talent.  So take a little of that into account if you’re pouting over the team recruiting rankings.
• I’ll say it again – a 29-kid class (with the possibility of going to 30 if Roquan Smith decides to come to Athens) with talent is the biggest part of this year’s recruiting story.  Mark Richt is gaining control of roster management.  Now, coach ’em up and keep ’em in school, and we’ll really have something to build on.

Let’s hear what you guys think in the comments.