In a word, dominant.
The top three, all SEC. (Four of the top four, according to the 247Sports Composite.) Four of the top ten. Ten of the top twenty classes. Thirteen in the top forty.
Of course, that cuts both ways. Florida is sixteenth over all, but eighth in the conference.
A few specific notes:
- Alabama. It appears those who were crowing about Alabama’s relatively down class of 2018 being an indication that Saban was slipping were a wee bit premature in their assessment. Saban did what Saban does — restructure the staff and get after it. I don’t know if you can say Alabama and Georgia have a full-blown rivalry, but there’s certainly a recruiting rivalry between the two, as Aaron Suttles ($$) describes: “Saban holding off Smart again Wednesday meant more than some people might realize. The difference between the class Alabama has and the No. 2 class Georgia has is small and inconsequential in the grand scheme of how a college football team is constructed. But from a perception standpoint, how Alabama and Georgia fans, college football analysts and recruits view it is that Saban is not done yet, not willing to step aside and allow Georgia to ascend to the top of the conference.”
- Arkansas. This may have been the most impressive work of the day for any SEC team. The Hogs stunk on ice this season, yet here they are with a class inside the top twenty. Sure, you can say some of that is due to the class size, but last time I looked, Arkansas is in dire need of both quality and quantity.
- Ole Miss. If you think Georgia fans are spoiled, check out this guy’s bitch.
- Tennessee. Pruitt signed as many kids from Georgia as Smart did.
Get The Picture 
I guess the state was down this year. Also, some of the players at the top of the board were or are going out of state no matter what.
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Saban “held” off Kirby because Holyfield came back. I am fine with that transpiring. But make no mistake – Sanders was coming to UGA had Holyfield not stated he was staying or that rumor got out there. Likewise, that probably induces Neal to UGA as well if Sanders come. With no Sanders, we were not getting Neal. BUT We got the #1 OLB and #1 ILB. Kirby handling the QB situation was even more impressive. Spin it how you like but Bama is clearlly in some decline and it is CLEAR that Kirby was the guy making the recruiting machine run overall. It can’t be that hard to recruit at Bama with the rings and Saban. But it was a helluva lot easier when the DC was Kirby. With Kirby at UGA – Bama is having to work their ass off.
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This is borderline delusional.
There’s no shame in saying Saban is still formidable. If he’s in decline and still tops Georgia, what does that say about Kirby?
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I don’t think its as much Saban is in decline as it is he actually has some viable competition these days
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He’s had competition before. As big a dick as Corch is, he’s certainly a formidable recruiter. Miles had it rocking at LSU for a while.
What sets Saban apart is high level consistency. I don’t see a decline there.
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He is a master, that’s for sure. May be the best ever.
But I also know that we had him on the ropes the last two times we played, and our death star wasn’t fully formed yet. I’m convinced we take him down the next time we play, and I want him and their team at full strength when we do.
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only because there is more room in Bama’s class than UGA…..& if you look at the last 3 years, the dawgs are slightly better. Agree on Saban, but I really do not see any real difference in the recruiting classes between the two.
Who knows how much longer will be there, but my guess is …Smart will be at UGA longer.
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Rose colored delusion.
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Also – not sure any Grayson player has ever worked out well for UGA and in the past have been directed away. The one we thought would pan out apparently is not even on the team any longer, again. Also – that big recruit – was part of a team that walked out on their coach because their practice was too hard. GTFO.
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Who are you talking about, besides Deangelo Gibbs?
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Whiner Morris?
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Arkansas had a nice class by their recent standards. Of course, when three of your division opponents are in the top four, and two others are still ranked ahead of you, it doesn’t seem to bode well for much change on the field.
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Agreed. The SEC talent haul still leans heavily to the west division.
4 of the top 5 SEC classes are in the west. Also 6 of the top 9.
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I don’t have a problem with that. Let the sec west beat their brains out all season, while we cakewalk to sec east champions year after year. All those hours we spent practicing to smash fishfry can now be devoted to beating the death star.
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Same here. Except we play #3, #5, and probably #1 next season.
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Tennessee fans: “Wooo! We’re taking all the recruits from Georgia!!”
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Some kids will sign with the school where he has less competition for playing time..Georgia isn’t one of those schools now…Tennessee is. Also, Kirby is going after the best, wherever they are, even if it means leaving some local kids for the Voltures to scarf up.(not to say the kids that don’t get offered or choose not to sign with UGA aren’t great…I wish them all luck..but even Tennessee fans admit they can’t win without Georgia gold).
The biggest surprise to me is how well they restocked the Gus Bus at the Barn. I figured they would be way off this year.
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Dollars are still green.
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“Mudcat” is not a fish.
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Hey Russ,
What those damn hillbillies that wear urnge don’t realize is that Pruitt signed one 4 star from Tennessee (Lampley), vs three 4 stars that Smart signed from Tennessee (Logue, Mitchell, and Norton)!!
Those idiots that said they’re taking all the recruits from Georgia are too stupid to realize that they can’t recruit their own state……
and those Georgia recruits that signed with Tennessee don’t have another in state power 5 alternative because the trade school still SUX!!
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Preach it, brother!
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UT just got another in state 4 star.
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It will be good for Georgia to finally have a senior and junior class with similar talent depth as Alabama.
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As long as we have Fr and Sophs in the incubator getting ready to take their place. We have a great start, just have to maintain the pace like Bama has been able to do. Slippery slope on stacking those bluechips without some key pieces slipping off.
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Recruit. Develop. Deploy. 2 and 3 get a lot easier if you’re owning the first step, but recruiting classes remain only potential energy.
And yeah, keeping young men focused in an understudy role for 2 to 3 years while their bodies develop and experience grows is insanely difficult when they came from high school super-stardom and see themselves destined for NFL paychecks.
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” Pruitt signed as many kids from Georgia as Smart did” and Kirby took the CREAM OF THE CROP from Tennessee.
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Someone remind that guy recruiting season is not done. Plumlee could still wind up at Ole Piss if Dan Werner goes back.
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