National Signing Day: Georgia Bulldogs bring in stout defensive class

National Signing Day is always an exciting time for college football fans, and that notion is especially true for fans of the Georgia Bulldogs.

Mark Richt’s team is usually somewhere near the top of the class recruitment rankings, and 2015 is nothing different as the Bulldogs bring in a group of 28 players who combine to give UGA the No. 7 class in the nation according to Rivals.

Of the top 10 schools, UGA is bringing in more freshmen than everyone but Tennessee (No. 5 recruiting class with 29 players). Richt has brought in two five-star commits, ten four-star commits and 14 three-star commits.

This class is obviously highlighted by the two five-star recruits, athlete Terry Godwin and defensive tackle Trenton Thompson. Godwin is rated as the nation’s top athlete recruit, while Thompson is No. 2 at his position and the No. 7 overall recruit in the nation. Godwin is listed as the No. 10 overall recruit in the country.

Here’s a bit of what the Rivals people had to say about the two players today:

Thompson

"Thompson is one of the most prolific recruits Georgia has ever gotten a commitment from. His natural size and strength will help him become a difference maker up front for the Bulldogs in his freshman season. Thompson was an Army All-American, and when he faced recruits with the same accolades, he dominated the competition. Thompson is also extremely polite, and will be an ambassador of the ‘G’ for many years to come."

Godwin

"Godwin comes in as one of the most smooth and naturally gifted athletes I have seen at the high school level. He is quick and light on his feet that make him dangerous with the ball in the open field. Catches the ball with his hands away from his body and has outstanding body control in adjusting to bad throws. He is explosive in and out of his cuts. Godwin will contribute early and often for the Bulldogs in 2015."

After the five-star recruits we see a group of 10 four-star recruits, which is largely made up of defensive players. Five of Georgia’s four-star recruits play defensive end while three of the others are defensive backs. Clearly, preventing offense was a priority when Richt and his staff was putting together this talented group of players.

Here are some of the notable names:

Rashad Roundtree, S, 6-0, 189lbs: Roundtree comes from Safety Evans, Georgia, and is the No. 4 safety recruit in the nation as well as the No. 56 overall recruit in the country.

Natrez Patrick, DE, 6-2, 257lbs: Patrick hails from Atlanta, Georgia, and is the No. 3 defensive end prospect in the country, No. 42 overall recruit and No. 4 player out of Georgia.

Jonathan Ledbetter, DE, 6-3, 272: Ledbetter comes from Tucker, Georgia, and is the No. 6 defensive end prospect, No. 68 overall prospect and No. 7 player from Georgia.

D’Andre Walker, DE, 6-3, 212: Walker is from Fairburn, Georgia, and is the No. 5 defensive end prospect, No. 85 overall prospect and No. 10 player out of Georgia.

You should be picking up on a theme here, and that is that Richt has done an excellent job recruiting the top talent from the state of Georgia. 14 of the 28 players in this class come out of the Bulldogs’ backyard, and while this isn’t surprising by any means, it’s good for UGA fans to know that he’s got the area covered.

This class brings in a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball, and many of these players will have a chance to get some immediate playing time–especially Thompson and Godwin.

*All of the rankings in this post come from Rivals. Be sure to go and check out their rankings, player profiles and recruiting analysis if you want more information. The guys there do an excellent job, and have first-hand knowledge of these players, unlike myself.