Georgia Picks Up Commitment No. 5 For 2008 Recruiting Class

With all but 2-5 spots wrapped up from its 2007 recruiting class currently ranked No.7 nationally by Rivals.com, the Georgia coaching staff is working hard on landing another quality top-10 class in 2008.

Today the Bulldogs picked up their fifth commitment slated to sign in 13 months when Chad Simmons of UGASports.com reported that Douglas (Ga.) Coffee Co. High offensive guard B.J. Brand had pledged a non-binding oral commitment his homestate school.

"I couldn't be happier with who (B.J.) is going to play for," Coffee coach Jerry Odom told UGASport.com. "I know (new UGA assistant Stacy) Searels real well and he is a great offensive line coach. I think B.J. will do very well under his coaching at Georgia."

According to Odom, the Bulldogs offered Brand a scholarship in October. Brand is a road-grader who already benches 410 pounds as a high school junior. He also had early scholarship offers from South Carolina and North Carolina State, and was beginning to attract serious attention from the likes of LSU and Miami.

Brand is the first of what should be about three offensive line signees in the 2008 Georgia recruiting class. The Bulldogs, who only return seven scholarship offensive linemen from this season, are expected to bring in eight offensive linemen in the 2007 recruiting class, although there is a slight chance that number goes up to nine if Miami commitment Orlando Franklin switches to Georgia.

That figure, though, includes two JUCO transfers, two resignees from prep school and two high school prospects already enrolled in Athens. Including the prep schoolers, at least two and possibly as many as four true freshmen offensive linemen are expected to play for the Bulldogs in 2007.

Since the mid-1980s, Georgia has struggled to assemble two consecutive quality offensive line classes, especially in the Mark Richt era. Instead, the Bulldogs often sign big offensive line classes one year and then follow that up by signing only one or two linemen in each of the next two classes. Ideally, the Bulldogs could sign 3-5 offensive linemen in each recruiting class.

No longer needing big bodies just to fill out a two-deep depth chart like its desperate need in this recruiting class, Georgia will be looking more for talent in its other two likely offensive line signees in 2008.

In terms of quality, the Bulldogs should focus on Atlanta MLK offensive tackle Aaron Hawkins (6-4, 280) and Louisville Jefferson County offensive guard A.J. Harmon (6-4, 308), both of whom may rank among the top five in the country at their positions and among the top five overall prospects within Georgia.

Harmon may commit early to Clemson, but he lives deep in rabid Bulldawg country, so this battle is far from over. Georgia recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner is already targeting Hawkins, a U.S. Army All-American Bowl combine standout who is athletic enough to play several positions in the trenches.

• Update: Chad Simmons of UGASports.com is quoting Harmon as saying Georgia has pulled even with Clemson for his signature due to the recruiting efforts of Georgia head coach Mark Richt.

Not only do I no longer expect Harmon to commit soon to Clemson as he said a few weeks ago, but I would be surprised if does not end up a Georgia signee.