Recruiting: Where things stand

We are now two weeks and two days from National Signing Day, otherwise known as Second Christmas for Recruiting Geeks. We here at Le Blog are geeks about many things – the RPI, "Mad Men", the History Channel - but not recruiting.

It’s not that we don’t care. Recruiting is vitally important. It’s just that following every whim and quote by a teenager is a precarious business. We prefer to take the large view: Who has committed, who is still out there, and how does it fill a team’s needs.

So in the continuation of a new feature we offer the recruiting update for the passive fan. We’ll update this every Monday through the signing period.

This is broken into three parts:

- First, a ranking of the most important current Georgia commitments. And by “most important,” I mean a combination of immediate impact, long-range potential, and filling a need position. Basically, a very subjective list that will be easy to laugh at five years from now, if not next week.

- Next, the top remaining targets on Georgia’s big board: Not to say anyone not on the list has no chance of signing with Georgia, but according to the experts, these are the main focus at this point for the Bulldogs.

- An update on what to watch this week, in terms of potential announcements.

So as the dear departed Heath Ledger would say, here ... we ... go:

The most important current commitments (With height, weight and star-rankings by Scout.com and Rivals.com)

1. QB Christian LeMay, Matthews, NC
6-2 …. 188 ..4 stars by Scout-4 stars by Rivals
2. MLB Amarlo Herrera, College Park, Ga.
6-2 …. 215 …4-4
3. CB Nick Marshall, Rochelle, Ga.
6-2 …. 186 ….4-4
4. DB-ATH Damian Swann, Atlanta, Ga.
6-0 …. 175 … 4-4
5. S Corey Moore, Griffin, Ga.
6-1 …. 185 ….4-4
6. OT Zach DeBell, Tarpon Springs, Fla.
6-7 …. 265 ….3-4
7. C David Andrews, Norcross, Ga.
6-2 …. 276 ….3-3
8. S Chris Sanders, Tucker, Ga.
6-0 …. 173 …4-3
9. OT Watts Dantzler, Dalton, Ga.
6-7 …. 310 … 3-3
10. WR Justin Scott-Wesley, Camilla, Ga.
5-11 … 202 …3-4
11. WR Chris Conley, Dallas, Ga.
6-2 … 185 …..4-3
12. DE Sterling Bailey, Gainesville, Ga.
6-4 …. 230 …..3-4
13. DT Chris Mayes, Griffin, Ga.
6-5 …. 292 …..3-4
14. LB Ramik Wilson, Tampa, Fla.
6-3 …. 218 …. 3-3
15. G Hunter Long, Memphis, Tenn.
6-4 …. 290 ……3-3
16. CB Devin Bowman, Ridgeland, Ga.
6-0 …. 175 ….3-3
17. WR Sanford Seay, Leesburg, Ga.
6-2 … 198 ….. 3-3
18. LS Nathan Theus, Jacksonville, Fla.
6-3 …. 252 ….. 2-2

The most important (known) players left on the board

1. RB Isaiah Crowell, Columbus, Ga.
6-0 ….. 210 …. 5-4
2. DE Ray Drew, Thomasville, Ga.
6-5 ….. 248 …. 4-4
3. DT John Jenkins, Mississippi Gulf Coast JUCO
6-4 …. 340 ….. 4-4
4. TE Jay Rome, Valdosta, Ga.
6-6 ….. 240 …… 5-4
5. CB Malcolm Mitchell, Valdosta, Ga.
6-1 …… 190 ….. 4-4
6. LB Quintavious Harrow, Columbus, Ga.
5-11 ….. 190 ….. NR-NR

There will almost certainly be other off-the-radar players that Georgia will sign. The offer to Harrow, for instance, came out of nowhere last week. And it’s a good bet that a player or two that has made a commitment to another school is still getting a call or two. But for the moment, based on the current information, the above list is the main focus.

What to watch this week:

- Rome and Mitchell are scheduled to make their commitments on Thursday night. Rome is set to make his announcement on ESPNU, which also wants Mitchell to announce, but he’s not on board with that. Mitchell’s decision essentially comes down to Georgia and Alabama, while Rome, who also just visited Alabama, is also considering Clemson and Tennessee.

Rome may be the player with the best potential on the board. But given Georgia’s depth at tight end, and the more immediate needs at other positions, that’s why he’s rated behind the other guys.

- Crowell and Harrow, high school teammates at Carver, are supposed to visit Georgia this weekend. Harrow could commit then, while Crowell has said he’s going to take it to signing day.