Recruiting: Where things stand after a busy 72 hours

Georgia had a huge weekend on the recruiting trail, and finished with a flurry. So it’s a good time to take stock and see where the Bulldogs go from here.

Defensive tackle Jonathan Taylor committed on Sunday, according to various reports, becoming the highest-rated player on Georgia’s list thus far. The 6-foot-4, 317-pound Taylor is the third-rated player in Georgia, according to 247Sports, and the nation’s No. 36 overall prospect, according to Rivals.

James Deloach, who is Taylor’s teammate at Jenkins County High School, also committed. Deloach is a three-star prospect according to Scout.com, and projects as an outside linebacker. Earlier in the weekend, punter Collin Barber and fullback Quayvon Hicks gave Georgia commitments.

That gives the Bulldogs 10 commitments – the same number it had this time last year. There were eventually 16 by August, then not another one until December.

By my count Georgia will be able to sign 26, perhaps 27, per the new SEC restrictions. The new limit is 25, and the team can back-count early enrollees. It signed 26 last year, and back-counted two early enrollees, Christian LeMay and Chris Conley, so that leaves room for one extra spot.

And then the question is whether the new SEC rules allow you to not count signees who don’t enroll, such as Chris Mayes. If that’s the case, it has two extra spots for next year. (I’m seeking clarification from the SEC on the new rules.)

Much like last year, most of the big names remain on the board. Here are some of the main targets:

- OT John Theus, The Bolles School, Jacksonville, Fla. (Five stars)
- RB Keith Marshall, Milbrook High School, Raleigh, N.C. (Five stars)
- DB Geno Smith, St. Pius X School, Atlanta (Five stars)
- DE Jordan Jenkins, Harris County High School, Hamilton (Four stars)
- OLB Josh Harvey-Clemons, Lowndes High School, Valdosta (Four stars)

All of the above players are listed in the top 60 national prospects by Rivals.com. But the summer camps and actual high school season will cause a lot of fluctuation in national rankings, and all that kind of stuff. Remember, Isaiah Crowell's stock rose a lot from the summer to February, and few had heard of a junior college prospect named John Jenkins.

Since none of the commitments so far are offensive linemen, expect Georgia to make a big push at that position. (Vadal Alexander from Buford is another name to watch there.) It doesn’t plan on signing a quarterback this class. Receiver would also appear to be a need position, based on the current roster.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done in this class,” said Mike Farrell, the national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. “Coming off the Dream team, the momentum is certainly there.”