Bulldogs
Class Analysis:
Top Impact
Player:
Underrated:
Despite having the seventh ranked class in the SEC West, Dan Mullen and his staff did assemble a class that both met their needs and that has the potential to help the Bulldogs continue the success that they have had in the West the last two years.
For the offense, the Bulldogs will need to replace two of their five starting offensive linemen, running back Ladarius Perkins and quarterback Tyler Russell. In order to fill those holes, the Bulldogs recruited five new offensive linemen, led by early enrollee Joquell Johnson. To help ease the loss of Tyler Russell, Dan Mullen has brought in two good quarterbacks in Elijah Stanley, as well as Nick Fitzgerald. Although neither will be able to unseat incumbent starter Dak Prescott, but they do provide excellent depth.
The Bulldogs also lost a few players on defense, but given that the Bulldogs have built up depth at their defensive positions, this group wasn’t as targeted as the offense was. However, the Bulldogs did need to get recruits on the defensive line, since the DL was not a dominant unit for the defense in the previous years, and The Bulldogs have brought in Thomas to help solidify that unit.
With Perkins gone, someone will need to pick up the running game to help Dak Prescott and the passing game, and Aeris Johnson is guy to do it. With his combination of speed and size, he is a back that is hard to bring down on the first tackle. He also has the versatility to swing outside and play at receiver as well. Overall, Aeris is a tough North-South runner who will be able to contribute heavily to the Bulldogs offense.
For the defense, the pick is Gerri Green. Green has great size for a linebacker, and he is an absolute ballhawk. He seems to always know where the ball is and is able to make a play. He is solid on stopping the run, while his coverage skills need a little work. Overall, Green is a solid linebacker who will be able to act as a leader on defense later in his career.
Deion Calhoun is my pick here. He has the prototypical size you want from a college level guard, though he will more than likely need to spend a year as a redshirt, given the rarity for freshmen offensive linemen to start. He will need to work on his footwork and pass blocking, but he will prove to be a good lineman when his time comes.