Does Georgia Have Inside Track to Claim the No. 1 2016 Recruiting Class?

Ohio State is the current favorite to snap Alabama’s string of five consecutive No. 1 recruiting classes, but despite LSU sitting at No. 2 in the 2016 class rankings, it could be another SEC power that has the inside track to the top spot.

It appears that Georgia has a ton of momentum heading into the stretch run less than six months before national signing day.

Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt and his staff have assembled a class currently sitting at No. 7 in the 247Sports team rankings.

Included in the current group of Bulldogs commits is 5-star quarterback Jacob Eason—who is scheduled to be an early enrollee and has been active in helping to recruit fellow stud prospects to join him in Athens.

It certainly will not be easy with recruiting giants such as Ohio State, Alabama, LSU and Florida State among the programs the Bulldogs will have to surpass.

However, there are a few other factors that are squarely in the Dawgs' favor as they try to climb all the way to No. 1.

For starters, it’s a deep year for talent in the state of Georgia, and the Bulldogs are poised to finally lock up their state borders and keep the Peach State’s top prospects close to home.

The Dawgs are trending with 5-star prospects such as tight end Isaac Nauta—who is originally from Buford, Georgia—defensive tackle Derrick Brown, athlete Mecole Hardman and receiver Kyle Davis.

There is still work to be done with all of them, but as things stand currently, the Dawgs are the current Crystal Ball favorites for each of those prospects.

"Those are hometown fans for me. You can never go wrong with that," Nauta told Bleacher Report’s Tyler Donohue recently on his feelings toward the Bulldogs. "Georgia is my home and I love it there. An opportunity to play college football in the state is something I have to consider."

Moreover, the Bulldogs are in the mix with several talented prospects such as 5-star defensive tackle Rashan Gary, 4-star corner Shyheim Carter, 4-star athlete Demetris Robertson and 4-star offensive lineman Willie Allen.

What could push them over the top and help them win some critical battles in the coming months is the team’s on-field success.

After its 52-20 win over South Carolina, Georgia seems primed to be the top dog in the SEC East and talented enough to compete for its first SEC title since 2005.

That performance was definitely not lost on recruits. As Kipp Adams of Dawgs247 notes, Robertson was impressed with how the Bulldogs executed in all three phases of the blowout win.

"I learned how they use people on offense, and I love how it works," Robertson told Adams. "[Offensive coordinator] Coach [Brian Schottenheimer] does a great job balancing out the run and the pass. Defensively, they got after the football and Coach [Jeremy] Pruitt did a great job. He told me after the game he could really use me out there next year. I really liked that aspect of the visit. I could see myself fitting in with what they do on special teams as well."

Regardless of how the season plays out, Richt—who has overhauled his coaching staff in the last few years—has assembled a group of coaches who are getting it done on the recruiting trail. 

With the positive vibes surrounding the Bulldogs on and off the field, the ultimate payoff could come in February in the form of a top-rated recruiting class.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.