The 25 highest rated commits in Georgia football recruiting history

Since the arrival of Kirby Smart in 2016, the University of Georgia has become a force to be reckoned with in college football recruiting. Below, we explore the top 25 highest-rated Georgia football recruits of the century, as determined by the 247Sports Composite Ratings. Covering the period from 2000 onwards, these rankings offer a glimpse into the talent that has donned the red and black.

The 247Sports Composite Rating utilizes a proprietary algorithm that compiles public prospect rankings and ratings from leading media recruiting services. This algorithm converts average industry ranks and ratings into a unified composite index, with a maximum value of 1.0000, representing a consensus top-ranked prospect. The Composite Rating ensures equal contribution from all major media services involved in the rankings.

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It’s important to note that our rankings include two 2024 players who are committed but not yet signed or played for UGA. However, we will exclude committed players from the 2025 class, as it is too early to accurately evaluate their potential impact.

25

DT Jalen Carter

Syndication: Online Athens

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9912

Class of: 2020

National Ranking: No. 18

Hometown/High School: Apopka, Florida (Apopka HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Carter fully lived up to the hype at Georgia and will go down as one of the greatest defensive tackles in school history. A two-time national champion, Carter’s breakout season came in 2021, even though he was sharing snaps with first round interior lineman Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt. Yet Carter may have been the best of any of them. In 2022, he was one of the most dominant defenders in the nation, though his stats (32 tackles, 7 TFL, 3 sacks) may not have been the most eye-popping. Carter was considered the best player in the 2023 NFL draft, but some off the field issues resulted in him falling to the Eagles with the No. 9 overall pick. FanDuel lists Carter’s odds of winning Defensive Rookie of the Year at +750.

24

WDE Lorenzo Carter

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9913

Class of: 2014

National Ranking: No. 18

Hometown/High School: Norcross, Georgia (Norcross HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Carter played for both Mark Richt and Kirby Smart during his career in Athens. After his true freshman season, Carter was named Georgia’s Newcomer of the Year. He closed out his UGA career with 14.0 sacks, 166 total tackles, 21.5 tackles for a loss, 6 forced fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries and 1 touchdown. He’ll forever be remembered for his blocked field goal against Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl that setup Sony Michel’s game-winning touchdown run. Carter was taken in the third round of the NFL draft by the New York Giants. He currently plays for the Falcons, in his hometown.

23

OT John Theus

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9915

Class of: 2012

National Ranking: No. 15

Hometown/High School: Jacksonville, Florida (The Bolles School)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Theus started all 14 games at right tackle in his true freshman season, en route to becoming one of the greatest offensive linemen in Georgia history. He was a Freshman All-American that year. He played in 53 career games, starting all but five of them. He was All-SEC First Team his senior year. Theus went on to be drafted in the 5th round of the 2016 NFL draft and played three years of pro football.

22

RB Keith Marshall

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9918

Class of: 2012

National Ranking: No. 13

Hometown/High School: Raleigh, North Carolina (Millbrook HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Marshall was an absolute star coming out of high school with one of the most insane highlights reels I can remember. It was pure speed. He came to Athens with Todd Gurley, and the two of them put on a show as true freshmen in 2012. Marshall battled injuries following that sensational freshman season, and went on to run the fastest 40-yard dash at the 2016 NFL combine with a time of 4.31 seconds. He was selected by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round.

21

QB DJ Shockley

(Photo By Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9926

Class of: 2001

National Ranking: No. 18

Hometown/High School: Atlanta, Georgia (North Clayton HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Shockley signed with Georgia during the start of the Mark Richt era. He backed up David Greene for much of his career, but got an opportunity to start as a senior and helped the Bulldogs defeat LSU in the 2005 SEC championship game. He also earned First-Team All SEC honors that year. He was a 7th round draft pick and played five years for the Falcons.

20

S Reshad Jones

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9934

Class of: 2006

National Ranking: No. 14

Hometown/High School: Atlanta, Georgia (Washington HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Jones was a tackling machine both at Georgia and in the NFL. In three years in Athens, he recorded 206 tackles, and also had 11 interceptions. A Second-team All-American in 2008, he played in 39 games for the Bulldogs before being taken by the Miami Dolphins in the 5th round of the 2010 NFL draft. He played his entire ten year NFL career with Miami and was a two-time Pro Bowler.

19

RB Kregg Lumpkin

(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9934

Class of: 2003

National Ranking: No. 15

Hometown/High School: Stone Mountain, Georgia (Stephenson HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Rivals.com had Lumpkin as the nation’s No. 2 ranked player, trailing only Reggie Bush. But he never did fully live up to expectations, as he was often injured and competing in a crowded running back room. Lumpkin finished his UGA career with 1,700 rushing yards over four seasons and never had more than 798 in a single season. He went undrafted in the 2008 NFL draft and played five years in the NFL for four different teams.

18

CB Paul Oliver

Paul Abell-USA TODAY Sports Copyright © Paul Abell

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9940

Class of: 2003

National Ranking: No. 12

Hometown/High School: Kennesaw, Georgia (Harrison HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Oliver was best known for his lockdown defense on former Georgia Tech wide receiver in the 2006 meeting between the Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets, where he limited Johnson to two catches for 13 yards, while also intercepting a pass, breaking up three more and forcing a fumble. Oliver was a fourth round NFL draft pick, and spent five seasons in the NFL. Oliver tragically took his own life at the age of 29 in 2013. In 2021, Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz declared May 8 as Paul Oliver Day of Inspiration “in honor and recognition of Mental Health Awareness and his dedication to this community.”

17

CB Tyson Campbell

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9944

Class of: 2018

National Ranking: No. 12

Hometown/High School: Fort Lauderdale, Florida (American Heritage HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: A three year starter for UGA. He started at corner in all 10 games in 2020 and finished with 29 tackles, including 2.5 for lost yardage, and five pass breakups (tied for team high).

16

OT Broderick Jones

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9947

Class of: 2020

National Ranking: No. 11

Hometown/High School: Lithonia, Georgia (Lithonia HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: The 2022 All-SEC left tackle is coming off of a dominant season for the Bulldogs in which he did not allow a single sack. He was the No. 14 overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2023 NFL draft.

15

OT Amarius Mims

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9956

Class of: 2021

National Ranking: No. 8

Hometown/High School: Cochran, Georgia (Bleckley County)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Mims played 12 games in a reserve role in 2022 and did so well. In 2023, he’ll have his chance to start at tackle with the departure of Broderick Jones and Warren McClendon.

14

OG Jamaree Salyer

(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9956

Class of: 2018

National Ranking: No. 10

Hometown/High School: Atlanta, Georgia (Pace Academy)

Collegiate/Professional Career: The Atlanta native anchored the Georgia offensive line for 47 games in Athens. The All-SEC second-team selection had his best season in a national title year, shutting down Alabama star linebacker Will Anderson Jr. in the championship game. Salyer was a sixth-round  selection by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2022 NFL draft.

13

RB Zamir White

Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9957

Class of: 2018

National Ranking: No. 9

Hometown/High School: Laurinburg, North Carolina (Scotland County)

Collegiate/Professional Career: White had tons of hype surrounding him when he committed to UGA in the class of 2018, but after multiple torn ACLs, Georgia fans were beginning to have their doubts that he’d ever live up to his five-star potential. White quieted the doubters and helped Georgia to its first national championship in 41 years. He finished his UGA career with 2,043 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. During the 2021 season, White had 856 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 4th round of the 2022 draft.

12

DL Mykel Williams

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9958

Class of: 2022

National Ranking: No. 4

Hometown/High School: Columbus, Georgia (Hardaway HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: So far so good for Williams, who helped put pressure on opposing quarterbacks in his 2022 true freshman season where he recorded 4.5 sacks and 28 total tackles. He’s expected to be Georgia’s top pass rusher in 2023.

11

RB Isaiah Crowell

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9958

Class of: 2011

National Ranking: No. 6

Hometown/High School: Columbus, Georgia (Carver HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: We all still remember Crowell making his announcement that he’d be singing with the Dawgs. Holding a bulldog puppy and donning a UGA cap, Crowell got the DawgNation thrilled for what he was going to be able to do at Georgia. Despite being banged up his freshman season, Crowell rushed for 850 yards and five touchdowns. He showed flashes of greatness and won the SEC Freshman of the Year Award. Crowell was dismissed from the team in June of 2012 after an arrest. He transferred to Alabama State and was named First Team All- SWAC twice. He played six NFL seasons, recording 3,803 rushing yards and 28 total touchdowns.

10

CB Ellis Robinson IV

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9964

Class of: 2024

National Ranking: No. 5

Hometown/High School: New Rochelle, New York (Iona Prep, IMG Academy)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Robinson is a member of the class of 2024, so there’s no telling if he’ll live up to the hype in Athens. But 247Sports describes him as “the type of cornerback that has the tools to shut down one side of the field or take an opponent’s top receiver out of the game.”

9

WR AJ Green

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9973

Class of: 2008

National Ranking: No. 7

Hometown/High School: Summerville, South Carolina (Summerville HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Green fully lived up to the hype. He arrived as a 6’4″ athletic star and had a stellar freshman year. His standout game against Arizona State set the tone, and he never faltered. With 2,619 receiving yards, he ranks third in Georgia history. The Cincinnati Bengals picked him fourth overall in the 2011 NFL draft. Green excelled in his first seven years, earning Pro Bowl honors and joining Randy Moss as the only players with 1,000+ receiving yards in five seasons. He retired after the 2022 season.

8

QB Matthew Stafford

(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9975

Class of: 2006

National Ranking: No. 6

Hometown/High School: Dallas, Texas (Highland Park HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Throughout Stafford’s three year career, he tallied 7,731 passing yards on 57.1%, 51 touchdowns, and 33 interceptions. He also ran for 213 yards and 6 touchdowns. He led Georgia to three straight bowl victories: the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Capital One Bowl. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NFL draft, selected by the Detroit Lions. He would eventually be traded to the Los Angeles Rams, where Stafford would the Super Bowl in 2022.

7

QB Jacob Eason

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9975

Class of: 2016

National Ranking: No. 5

Hometown/High School: Lake Stevens, Washington (Lake Stevens HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Eason may have had the highest expectations of any UGA signee ever. He ended up only starting one season for UGA, and then transferred to Washington at the end of the 2017 season after losing the starting to job to Jake Fromm. His first year was in 2016, the same season Kirby Smart made his head coaching debut. It had its ups and downs, but it was clear the future was bright for Eason, who, at 6-foot-5 and with a cannon of an arm, simply looked the part. Eason was a fourth-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2020 and has floated around the NFL since.

6

CB Kelee Ringo

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9976

Class of: 2020

National Ranking: No. 4

Hometown/High School: Scottsdale, Arizona (Saguaro HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Despite some inconsistencies, Ringo is a legend amongst Georgia fans and anyone who argues that would simply be wrong. Responsible for arguably the greatest play in UGA history, the game-sealing pick-six vs. Alabama in the 2021 national championship, Ringo went on to be a fourth round selection by the Eagles in the 2023 NFL draft. He won two titles in his two years as a starter, recorded 76 total tackles and 4 interceptions.

5

WDE Brandon Miller

Photo by Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9980

Class of: 2004

National Ranking: No. 5

Hometown/High School: Coolidge, Georgia (Miller County HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: There’s no real way around this one. Miller did not live up to expectations. He played 37 career games, making 15 starts between 2005-07. He recorded 73 tackles and 6 sacks in his UGA career before going undrafted in the 2008 NFL draft. He played two NFL seasons – with the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks – but only played in one game.

4

DT Trenton Thompson

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9991

Class of: 2015

National Ranking: No. 1

Hometown/High School: Albany, Georgia (Westover HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: Thompson was Georgia’s first No. 1 ranked prospect since the onset of modern-era recruiting rankings At Georgia, he had a solid career, but it felt like he never quite took that next step. He made plays and was a member of UGA’s 2017 national championship-contending team, but injuries also plagued Thompson throughout college. Undrafted in 2018, Thompson spent time with the Cleveland Browns before testing out the Alliance of American Football, the Arena Football League, the XFL, the Canadian football League, and most recently the Indoor Football League.

3

WDE Nolan Smith

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9994

Class of: 2019

National Ranking: No. 1

Hometown/High School: Savannah, Georgia (Calvary Day School, IMG Academy)

Collegiate/Professional Career: A two-time national title winner, Smith was a leader both on and off the field of the Georgia defense in 2021 and 2022. It’s a shame he had to miss the second half of the 2022 season with a shoulder injury, but Smith provided great value to his teammates from the sidelines. He finished his career with 110 total tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, 12.5 sacks, 1 interception, 3 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery. He would go on on to be a first round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles.

2

QB Dylan Raiola

Alex Gould/The Republic

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9995

Class of: 2024

National Ranking: No. 1

Hometown/High School: Phoenix, Arizona (Pinnacle HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: We’ll see if Raiola is worth all of the hype, but all signs are pointing toward him being a future superstar in Athens. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, he looks the part. Let’s see what happens.

1

QB Justin Fields

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

247Sports Composite Player Rating: 0.9998

Class of: 2018

National Ranking: No. 2

Hometown/High School: Kennesaw, Georgia (Harrison HS)

Collegiate/Professional Career: One of the highest rated recruits in the history of college football, Fields definitely lived up to the hype. Just not at Georgia. After transferring to Ohio State, he finished third in Heisman voting and took the Buckeyes to the national championship game during his final season. He went on to be the No. 11 overall draft by the Chicago Bears in the 2021 NFL draft.