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Georgia Bulldogs Recruiting: 2017 Offensive Line

By Alistair Penny

Sep 17, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; Georgia Bulldogs place kicker William Ham (92) is congratulated by offensive lineman Tyler Catalina (72) after kicking an extra point to give Georgia the lead against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Faurot Field. Georgia won the game 28-27. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; Georgia Bulldogs place kicker William Ham (92) is congratulated by offensive lineman Tyler Catalina (72) after kicking an extra point to give Georgia the lead against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Faurot Field. Georgia won the game 28-27. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the commitment of 4-star WR Marcus Webb Jr this past weekend, the Georgia Bulldogs are currently polling as the 3rd best recruiting class in the nation for 2017. As the class itself begins to round out, we’ll start looking at some of the key position groups that have been heavily recruited. We start with something the 2016 team is somewhat starved of, Offensive Linemen.

Early on in his tenure, Kirby Smart famously mentioned how his 2016 recruiting class did not include big enough offensive linemen, comments that caught many by surprise. However, after two sub-par games by the Georgia Bulldogs offensive line against Nicholls St. and Missouri, there’s no doubt that one of the teams’ greatest needs, is in big bodied hogs up front.

The 2016 class included 4-star tackle Ben Cleveland, but little else and it’s incredibly tough for true freshmen to start on the o-line, especially in the SEC where they are up against Juniors and Seniors who have essentially been in professional weight programs for 3 plus years. That’s why the 2017 class has already had such a strong focus on the O-line. Sam Pittman ,the Dawgs line coach, is already securing the services of several top 4-star players.

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The headliner of that group is Georgia native Andrew Thomas who almost certainly profiles as a left tackle, the premier position that UGA very desperately needs going forward. However unlike last year, Thomas is far from the only highly ranked big man who has committed to Georgia. Additionally, Netori Jones is the 6th ranked guard in the country, and D’Antne Demery is another big 4-star tackle from who offers intriguing potential and Justin Schaffer is a monster of a man.

What’s probably most exciting for Georgia Bulldogs fans to see is that all of these big men are Georgia raised and that’s going to become a theme as we go through this class. Kirby Smart and his team have made it their mission to own the state of Georgia when it comes to recruiting and stop its best young players from being lured elsewhere. Thus far, the 2017 offensive linemen class is a great example of how this focus is succeeding.

Next: Will the Bulldogs thrive vs Ole Miss?

While it’s extremely unlikely we’ll see any of these commits actually play in 2017, these four players offer something we haven’t seen in a while in a UGA recruiting class, high level depth at the offensive line. Great teams in the SEC need strong offensive lines and it’s exciting to see UGA  load up on so much talent in this area after the disappointment of 2016.

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