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Updating Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s first week on the recruiting trail

Keith Farner

By Keith Farner

Published:

New Georgia coach Kirby Smart and prized five-start recruit Jacob Eason began and ended their week together as Smart tried to secure a commitment following the departure of Mark Richt, who Eason originally committed to in July of 2014. Both happened to be in Athens on Friday night. But Smart’s focus was the 11 or so recruits, including a junior, expected for the new coach’s first recruiting weekend at Georgia.

Early this week, Eason told his hometown paper in Everett, Washington, that he’s still committed to Georgia and is waiting to see who Smart hires as offensive coordinator. His high school coach told Georgia fans to put the “razor blades away.” The highest-rated Georgia quarterback recruit since Matthew Stafford is the Gatorade Player of the Year and will play in the U.S. Army All-America Bowl in January. Eason is a 6-foot-6, 220-pounder who passed for 3,585 yards and 43 touchdowns as his high school team made the state semifinals.

Also on Friday, a newly hired Georgia staff member convinced an Auburn commit to take an official visit to Georgia. Three-star defensive end recruit David Marshall met with assistant Glenn Schumann.

Before Smart flew to Washington, he stopped in Toccoa, Georgia, to meet with 6-foot-7 320-pound offensive lineman Ben Cleveland, who committed to Georgia the same day as Eason. And it was Cleveland, who told Eason that Richt was fired through a Sunday morning text.

On Tuesday, Smart traveled to talent-rich Gwinnett County near Atlanta for an in-home visit with defensive back Chad Clay, who committed to Georgia in May. Clay’s father is a former Georgia Tech and NFL player.

On Wednesday, Smart likely heard a lot of “Go Dawgs” from the program’s highest-rated defensive commitment — Julian Rochester.

Smart’s arrival also meant the departure of a three-star defensive back commitment from Florida in Malek Young. It also could spell the end of Georgia’s chances at five-star athlete Mecole Hardman from Elberton, Georgia.

Pruitt was reportedly in church with Hardman’s mother the morning Richt was fired. On the other hand, Hardman looked forward to seeing Eason.

A five-star wide receiver is also reportedly considering Georgia among a list that includes Alabama, Ohio State and Stanford. Demetris Robertson has already taken official visits to Cal and Notre Dame.

https://twitter.com/UGAfootballLive/status/674421202874691584

Like Eason, the nation’s No. 1-ranked tight end recruit is also wondering who Smart will hire as offensive coordinator.

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.

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