“Geography’s not undefeated, but it’s pretty close.”

It is well past time to recognize the level of wealth of high school talent produced in the state of Georgia.  There are four states in 2019 that have each generated at least ten percent of the 382 blue-chip recruits (rated four or five stars on the 247Sports Composite).  Three are the usual suspects — California, Texas and Florida.  The fourth, with a smaller population base than the traditional giants, is Georgia.

The story is similar over the last seven recruiting classes.  Which helps to explain something:

It’s not a coincidence that Kirby Smart’s signed only top-five classes since making his way to Athens after 2015. Florida, Texas, and California used to be the interchangeable top three recruiting states. But now Georgia’s in that group, and much closer to those three than any others in blue-chip count.

Blame it on Richt, blame it on a lack of institutional support for Richt, in any event it’s clear Georgia was leaving money on the table when it came to recruiting before Smart’s hire.  Add that to Paul Johnson’s outright recruiting malpractice and it’s no wonder there were schools making a better living coming into Georgia to sign kids.