Mark Richt hears the rumors around Athens. He undoubtedly feels the pressure. He knows what will happen if the 2011 season is anything like 2010. However, if you listen to Richt speak he sounds as cool as his always perfect spray tan. On signing day, Richt stared all of his critics in the eye and did not blink. It would have been easy for the Bulldogs to fall off the recruiting map in 2011. Granted, they just finished their second straight disappointing season, capped off by a loss to UCF in the Liberty Bowl. Yet Richt did not let this faze him.

Richt went out on the recruiting trail and sold what only the best salesmen can sell: a dream. He successfully convinced the nation’s top recruits that if they came to the University of Georgia they would be part of a “dream team.” The coaches and recruits believe this dream team will be the class to bring the Bulldogs back to greatness. Whether they do or not remains to be seen. On paper, it’s hard to deny their promising future. The star studded class is ranked 5th by Rivals and 6th by Scout, sporting two 5 star players and eleven 4 star players. Coach Richt summed up his feelings on the dream team: “I just came with the idea that this is my Dream Team. This is Georgia’s Dream Team, to where we literally had names and pictures targeted that we would shoot for and we nailed it pretty good. We didn’t get them all, but we came pretty darn close and I certainly think the dream team came true today.” Richt further believes that this class has the potential to be the best that he has ever recruited, but he wants Georgia fans to tamper expectations for their immediate impact.

Nevertheless, many of these signees should be able to come in and contribute immediately for the Bulldogs. Mark Richt said that he wouldn’t be surprised if heralded running back Isaiah Crowell scored a touchdown on the first drive against Boise State in September. The nation’s top defensive end prospect, Ray Drew, should make an immediate impact on the defensive front for the bulldogs as well.

What shouldn’t be disregarded by bulldog fans is that this is the first time that the team has been able to recruit to fit the needs of defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 defensive scheme. In a 4-3, defensive lineman and linebackers are built more for speed than size. In a 3-4 scheme the defensive lineman need to be much bigger in order to protect the linebackers. The linebackers are utilized to get most of the pressure on the quarterback and stuff the run. Linebackers do not drop into coverage as much in a 3-4 scheme. Coach Richt stressed the importance of recruiting the proper types of athletes to play this scheme, and he believes that they did just that. As you’ll see below, this recruiting class is star studded with defensive players.

Mock Depth Chart using only Georgia’s Class of 2011 Signees

OFFENSE

• QB: Christian LeMay, Matthews, NC: 4 star prospect
• RB: Isaiah Crowell, Columbus, GA: 5 star prospect
• RB:
• OL: David Andrews, Norcross, GA
• OL: Watts Dantzler, Dalton, GA
• OL: Zach DeBell, Tarpon Springs, FL
• OL: Hunter Long, Eads, TN
• OL: Nathan Theus, Jacksonville, FL
• TE: Jay Rome, Valdosta, GA: 4 star prospect
• WR: Chris Conley, Dallas, GA
• WR: Justin Scott-Wesley, Camilla, GA: 4 star prospect
• WR: Sanford Seay, Leesburg, GA

DEFENSE

• DT: Chris Mayes, Griffin, GA: 4 star prospect
• DE: Sterling Bailey, Gainesville, GA: 4 star prospect
• DE: Ray Drew, Thomasville, GA: 5 star prospect
• LB: Amarlo Herrera, College Park, GA: 4 star prospect
• LB: Kent Turene, Lauderdale Lakes, FL
• LB: Ramik Wilson, Tampa, FL: 4 star prospect
• LB:
• DB: Quintavious Harrow, Columbus, GA
• DB: Malcolm Mitchell, Valdosta, GA: 4 star prospect
• DB: Corey Moore, Griffin, GA: 4 star prosepct
• DB: Damian Swann, Atlanta, GA: 4 star prospect

Additional Signees:*

• ATH: Devin Bowman, Rossville, GA
• ATH: Nick Marshall, Rochelle, GA: 4 star prospect
• ATH: Chris Sanders, Tucker, GA
• OL: Xzavier Ward, Moultrie, GA

*Note: the signees spot on the depth chart is not indicative of who the better prospects are. This depth chart was simply made for the purposes of seeing how the class was balanced position by position. Some positions on the depth chart are left open because there were not enough recruits to fill those spots. Others, like OL had more than 5.

Top 5 Already Committed:

1. (DE) Sterling Bailey – 6’5” 260 lbs from East Hall/Gainesville, Ga.  Big frame in an athletic body make Bailey a rivals Top 100 player. Could play either as a DE or outside LB in the 3-4 defense.
2. (QB) Christian Lemay – 6’2” 200 lbs from Butler/Matthews, NC. Pro-style QB who should fit into the UGA offense very well.  Another Rivals Top 100 player.
3. (WR) Justin Scott-Wesley – 6’1” 210lbs from Mitchell County/Camilla, GA. Big, Physical receiver who should match up well with DB’s in the SEC.
4. (OL) Zach Debell – 6’7” 265 lbs from Tarpon Springs/Tarpon Springs, Fl. Big kid who will need to fill out in order to compete at the SEC level. Good get out of Florida to fill OL needs.
5. (S) Corey Moore – 6’1” 195 lbs. from Griffin/Griffin, Ga. Large safety or smaller LB who can support the run. Punishing hitter, very athletic.

Other Big Recruits Still Left:

1. (RB) Isaiah Crowell – 5’11” 210 lbs from Carver/Columbus, Ga. Was considered strong UGA lean but, lately has brought Alabama up in his visit schedule.  He has the size, strength and speed to be an every down back in college. Soft hands so he would help the passing game as well. If he can learn blocking schemes he should see significant playing time as a freshman.
2. (NT) Jonathan Jenkins – Gulf Coast Community College. Big Nose tackle who can come right in and start in the new 3-4 defense. He is the big body needed up front in the trenches to free up the LB’s to make plays.
3. (ATH) Quan Bray – 5’11” 178 lbs from Troup/LaGrange, GA. Mainly plays on the Offensive side of the ball. He can pretty much play anywhere on the field except QB or TE. Says he wants to be recruited as an Off player.
4. (TE) Jay Rome – 6’5” 255 lbs from Valdosta/Valdosta, GA. Big, athletic player who needs to work on upper body strength. Very hard to tackle once he heads up field. Could be Aaron Murrays’ new target right away.
5. (DE) Jeoffery Pagan – 6’4” 272 lbs from Ashville/Ashville, NC. Long limbed DE with a thick upper body. Bit new to Defense which may lead to redshirt but his best football is in front of him.

Another great player currently committed is Sterling Bailey – a 6’5”, 240lb defensive end from Gainesville, Georgia. Bailey is athletic enough to play linebacker in some defensive schemes. However, with his height and frame, Bailey figures to outgrow the linebacker position in college and play full-time defensive end. However, we’ll see how he fits into the new 3-4 defense for the Bulldogs when he gets on campus.

Offensive tackle Zach Debell is a big boy who’s also already committed to Georgia. Debell is 6’7”, 265lbs and hails from Tarpon Springs, Florida. He will have to hit the meal table in Athens, but he has the frame to put on the weight to be effective. Debell is a good blocker who really drives the defenders out of the way for the running back. He figures to be a solid tackle in college.

At the moment, Georgia only has 16 commitments, but they are on a huge in-state running back in Isaiah Crowell, and I think Georgia will wind up with him in the end. SDS ranks Mr. Crowell as the 4th best running back in the country. The guy is dynamic and if Georgia can land him, it will be a huge commitment for the Bulldogs.

1. Braxton Miller is 6’2”, 185lbs from Huber Heights, Ohio. Braxton is the best quarterback right now in the country, regardless of his dual-threat ability. He makes plays with his arm and his legs. Could he be Terrelle Pryor the second? Great high school athlete, but how will he fair at the next level? Miller is currently committed to Ohio State.

2. Jeff Driskel is 6’3”, 225lbs from Hagerty High School in Oviedo, Florida. Driskel has great pocket presence, has a quick release, and good accuracy throwing short routes. SDS recently took a trip to watch Jeff Driskel play at Edgewater High School. Driskel’s team struggled and it is definitely hard to be an accurate judge on how good he really is. He certainly looks the part and has the footwork to be very good at the next level. Driskel is currently committed to Florida.

3. Teddy Bridgewater is 6’3”, 185lbs from Miami, Florida. Bridgewater has been on teams’ radars for a while now, with his ability to make plays on the gridiron. He has excellent mobility and decent accuracy with his throws as well. Some project Mr. Bridgewater as a wide receiver at the next level. Bridgewater is currently committed to the hometown favorite Miami (FL).

4. Kiehl Frazier is 6’3”, 215lbs from Springdale, Arkansas. He is big, fast, and has good velocity on his throws. Frazier has the ability, because of his size, to break tackles in the open field outside the pocket. If Frazier can work on his accuracy, he will be the complete quarterback. Frazier is currently committed to Auburn.

5. Cody Kessler is 6’2”, 225lbs from Bakersfield, California. No doubt he has the best arm in California and maybe even in the west. He is mostly a drop-back passer who has a strong arm and good accuracy, but he also has decent mobility and can make something out of nothing on a broken play. Kessler is currently committed to USC.

6. Christian Lemay is 6’2”, 188lbs from Mathews, North Carolina. LeMay is a YouTube sensation and has had a well-documented high school career in N.C. LeMay throws the deep ball particularly well. If he was not sitting out his senior season, LeMay would have came in higher on the list. LeMay is currently committed to Georgia.

7. JW Walsh is 6’2”, 200lbs from Denton, Texas. This dual-threat quarterback throws a particular deep ball and is accurate while doing so. Walsh can also beat you with his legs and defenders have to respect him running the football. Walsh is currently committed to Oklahoma State.

8. Max Wittek is 6’4”, 215lbs from Santa Ana, California. Wittek boasts a quick release and a strong arm. He is your Brett Favre of the recruiting class and is a modern-day gunslinger from the west. He also shows good poise while in the pocket and good footwork. Wittek is currently committed to USC.

9. Bubba Starling is 6’5”, 193lbs from Gardner, Kansas. What would a top 10 countdown be without a Bubba from Kansas? Starling has an NFL-like frame and a strong arm to boot. Because of his strong arm, expect Starling to be in this year’s MLB draft. He is also pretty quick and can run outside the pocket. Starling is currently committed to Nebraska.

10. Brett Hundley is 6’4”, 217lbs from Chandler, Arizona. Hundley has great size and is very strong with great footwork in the pocket. He has a strong arm and great touch on the football. Hundley rounds out the top 10 and is considering Washington and California, among others.

In a previous article, we listed the top five offensive players in the 2011 recruiting class that are committed to SEC schools. One of those play makers, Christian LeMay, is committed to the University of Georgia Bulldogs. Below are some statisitcs and a summary of his skills from ESPN’s recruiting website. Here are a couple of vidoes we found on YouTube of Christian LeMay:

Hometown: Mint Hill, NC
High School: Butler High School
Position Rank: QB # 4
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 195 lbs.

Three Cone Drill: 7.5
Vertical Jump: 31.6″
Broad Jump: 8’7”
40-yd Dash: 4.64
20-yd Shuttle: 4.41
Power Ball Throw: 39′

High School Statistics:
LeMay is a rising senior who is committed to the Georgia Bulldogs. As a junior he passed for more than 3,000 yards with 44 touchdowns and only two interceptions in leading Butler to an undefeated season and the Class 4A state championship. He was named North Carolina’s Player of the Year.

Evaluation:
Lemay is about as fundamentally smooth a quarterback as you will find in this class. There are very few prospects at the quarterback position that possess the quick, compact and fluid delivery he has and this is something that cannot be coached. Lemay has adequate height and a lean, but strong build. He is a pocket passer that could play in any offensive scheme and has split time under center and in the shotgun in this scheme. He is a good athlete and displays good feet, set-up quickness and balance within the pocket. Possesses the athleticism to buy some time, shows presence and poise under duress and can sidestep the rush to get the ball out quickly. This is what makes him so hard to defend. The ball pops off his hand and his release is so fluidly quick that it is difficult to rush him. He carries the ball a bit low on his chest, but there is little to no wasted motion in his mechanics and he is a very consistent passer fundamentally. He is capable of making all the throws to all three levels of the field when his feet are set however he will at times throw off his back foot on the deep ball the it will sail on him, but when planted and balanced he can zip the ball downfield and stretch it vertically. He is extremely accurate and makes very good decisions with the ball. Leads receivers, can throw to a spot, has great confidence in his mind and ability to decisively work through progressions. He is capable because of his release of sneaking the ball into tight spots and windows both short and intermediate. There are traits that Lemay possesses that are unique to him and make him stand out. He is gritty, tough and highly competitive. Plays with confidence and knows he is good. He might not possess ideal height, but he is tall enough and his delivery compensates because he knows to get the ball out on him. Overall, Lemay is very good and has not yet hit his ceiling for development. We love the fact that he could play and be an impact in any scheme and we expect his recruitment to continue to soar. This will be one of the highest coveted guys in the southeast as well as nationally.

What do you think about Christian LeMay?

Will he be a good quarterback in the SEC?

1. OL La’El Collins – LSU – Rivals.com ranks him the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country. Scout ranks him No. 2 and ESPN.com ranks him third. LSU was able to get Collins, who’s from Baton Rouge, to commit last summer. What an early grab to help create momentum for the potential No. 1 class in the country. Championships aren’t possible without great offensive linemen, and Collins has a chance to be the best at his position.

2. QB Jeff Driskel – Florida – Many believe he’s the best player at his position in the 2011 class. Driskel chose Florida over offers from Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Tennessee and Virginia Tech. Driskel (6-3, 225) has the perfect size to play in the SEC, and he should have the luxury of waiting his turn in Gainesville. He has a good chance of being the next member in a long line of successful quarterbacks under coach Urban Meyer.

3. RB Kenny Hilliard – LSU – Another star player in LSU’s 2011 class. Hilliard (6-0, 215) looks like a power back who runs with the agility of a 200-pounder. Some people think he might be the best running back in the country. He should thrive in LSU’s pro-style system. He also has good hands and should help as a runner and receiver. LSU was fortunate to find Hilliard inside its own state at Patterson (La.) High School.

4. OL Brey Cook – Arkansas – He’s the most recent commitment on this list. Cook gave his pledge to the Razorbacks this week after expressing his long-time desire to play for the in-state Hogs. Rivals.com ranks Cook the seventh-best player at his position and the 51st best in the nation. He could have chosen any school in the country, but he decided Arkansas is the best school for him. If the Razorbacks want to continue to rise in the SEC, they’ll need to hang on to players like Cook. Mission accomplished here.

5. QB Christian LeMay – Georgia – This spot came down to LeMay and Kiehl Frazier, a quarterback commit with Auburn. LeMay is an athletic quarterback with the mature development of a future pro-style passer. He has experience running an offense from under center and in the shotgun. One concern for LeMay is a recent suspension from Butler High School, where LeMay attends in Mint Hill, N.C. He’s appealed the decision. LeMay, who’s been well-known for his high character, can’t afford to get in trouble as a college quarterback. See former Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger.