Sports

As many of you know, one of the best days to be a dawg finally arrives tomorrow. I am speaking, of course, of National Signing Day, and this year, UGA will be treated to one of its most exciting in a long time. No doubt rests in my mind that it will be a great day to don the red and black. There is a lengthly line of talented recruits deciding tomorrow, so make sure to find a comfy spot to zone in on the action– and get there early! I hear several choice restaurants fill up fast.

Here is a schedule and breakdown of recruits announcing tomorrow to be aware of:

DL Dalvin Tomlinson (McDonough, Ga./Henry Co.) 8:45 a.m.
Accolades: 4 star recruit, AJC Super 11 selection
Deciding between: Alabama, Georgia Tech, UGA
Prediction: Dalvin has never shown the dawgs a whole lot of love, but UGA remains a finalist. For a long time, I have predicted he would end up a yellow jacket. He certainly has the academic record. However, Alabama’s staff has recently told him that they have room for him, despite what they had said previously. How this is possible, after having to defer Atlanta RB Justin Taylor to their 2013 class, is beyond me. Nonetheless, as soon as Bama said they had room, Dalvin promptly cancelled his UGA visit. He’s going to the Tide.

WR JaQuay Williams (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek) 8:45 a.m.
Accolates: 4 star recruit, Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl selection
Deciding between: Auburn, UGA
Prediction: JaQuay has been long committed to Auburn, but the attrition within the program, headlined by offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s jump to Arkansas State, has led to several of Auburn’s recruits rethinking their decisions. JaQuay is among them. UGA is pushing HARD. The most recent development here is UGA offering fellow Sandy Creek stars Shaquille Wiggins (2013) and Demarre Kitt (2014). It would be inaccurate to say the three of them haven’t discussed the idea of playing at UGA together. It’s a really close fight right now. Probably 50/50. If I HAD to make a pick, I’d say he sticks with Auburn, but the dawgs are definitely under heavy consideration because of the options at quarter back in Aaron Murray, Christian Lemay, and Brice Ramsey (2013 commit).

LB/S Josh Harvey-Clemons (Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes) 9 a.m., Live on ESPNU and ESPN3
Accolades: 5 star recruit, Under Armour All-American, AJC Super 11 selection
Deciding between: Florida, FSU, Miami, UGA
Prediction: Arguably UGA’s most important recruit for National Signing Day– for a while now, JHC has been rumored to be UGA-bound, but FSU is making one giant push that is leaving me in doubt. The issue with FSU is their distance from JHC’s hometown of Valdosta. Tallahassee is only 1.75 hours away from home, while UGA lies over 4 hours north. JHC’s grandfather wants him to stay close, and FSU fits the bill. Florida has been a long time player, but I don’t think they are much of a threat. Miami has tried to cast its name onto the ballot late, and JHC obliged with a visit, but I see Miami as an impossibility due to being much farther than even UGA. In the end, I think JHC winds up in red and black.

OT Brandon Greene (Ellenwood, Ga./Cedar Grove) 9 a.m.
Accolades: 4 star recruit, Under Armour All-American
Deciding between: Alabama, UGA
Prediction: Greene has been committed to Alabama for a good while. UGA’s coaches have been getting after him pretty hard in the past few weeks, but I think he remains solidly committed to Bama. Not too much to talk about here.

DE/LB Kenderius Whitehead (Lithonia, Ga./Martin Luther King) 9 a.m.
Accolades: 4 star recruit, Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl selection
Deciding between: Clemson, NC State, UGA, UNC
Prediction: Currently committed to NC State. UGA has been chasing hard after Whitehead for a very long time, and he was giving lots of positive messages. However, 2 things have always held us back with Whitehead. First, Whitehead wants to play in a 4-3 as a DE, but Coach Todd Grantham wants him as an OLB in our 3-4 scheme. Second, Whitehead does not seem to want to compete with Jordan Jenkins and Josh Harvey-Clemons. Can you blame him? He sticks with NC State.

ATH Will Redmond (Memphis, Tenn./East) 9:30 a.m.
Accolades: 4 star recruit, Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl selection
Deciding between: Mississippi State, UGA
Prediction: Redmond is currently committed to Mississippi State, and they are pitching good playing time to him– that’s something UGA can’t do right now. Even though UGA just flipped his buddy, Sheldon Dawson from Memphis, I’m confident Redmond will roll with the other bulldogs.

DE/LB Josh Dawson (Tucker, Ga./Tucker) 10 a.m.
Accolades: 4 star recruit
Deciding between: UGA, Vanderbilt
Prediction: It’s not often that you see a player like Dawson playing the role of “plan B,” but that’s kind of what he is right now. He has been committed to Vanderbilt, but the ‘dores have seen some flips, and Dawson could very easily be another. I think Dawson will commit to Georgia, especially if Josh Harvey-Clemons decides to take his talent elsewhere.

JUCO WR Cordarrelle Patterson (Hutchinson, Kan./Hutchinson CC) 11:30 a.m., Live on ESPNU
Accolades: 5 star recruit
Deciding between: LSU, Mississippi, Tennessee, UGA
Prediction: Cordarrelle, a JUCO prospect, is the second recruit here that one can make a case for being the most important recruit for UGA on National Signing Day. The reason I say that is because I think he can help UGA win an SEC championship in 2012. Patterson is a one-and-done guy, who will leave for the NFL draft after a season, but that’s all UGA needs to win it all. Patterson has been leaning toward UGA for a good while, although he has flirted with a handful of schools. The two biggest things working in our favor with Patterson are his relationship with Tony Ball and UGA’s close proximity to Patterson’s home state of South Carolina. I feel confident he will land at UGA.

OT Avery Young (Palm Beach Gardnens, Fla./Palm Beach Gardens) 2 p.m., Live on ESPNU and ESPN3
Accolades: 5 star recruit, Under Armour All-American
Deciding between: Auburn, Florida, Miami, UGA
Prediction: Another of UGA’s most valuable pursuits of National Signing Day. After the loss of Chester Brown due to matters beyond his control, it’s critical that Georgia secures one more lineman in this class. Avery has grown up in and has family in the state of Georgia, and UGA has long been considered his leader with Florida also in strong consideration. However, Auburn has come on very strong in recent months. Additionally, seemingly out of nowhere, Miami, too, has stuck a claim for Avery. A claim strong enough that some think he could end up a hurricane. Unlike any other prospect on this board, I think Avery really could end up in one of more than just two places. This is a close one, but I think UGA will prevail, and the dawgs finally get some depth at tackle.