Josh Dawson Flips to Georgia: What Does He Bring to the Table for the Bulldogs?

When 4-star defensive end Josh Dawson committed to Vanderbilt last June, many were taken aback by Commodores new head coach James Franklin's early success on the recruiting trail.

At the time, Franklin had not coached a down in college football and had already received a commitment from one of the top players in the talent-rich state of Georgia. 

Now, eight months and a Vandy bowl appearance later, Dawson has had a change of heart. The 6'4", 220-pound defensive end signed with Georgia early on National Signing Day.

The Bulldogs staff came on strong in recent weeks with the 4-star prospect from nearby Tucker, Georgia.  

Dawson went from one of the centerpieces of Vanderbilt's best recruiting class in years to become one of four incoming defensive ends, including 5-star DE Jordan Jenkins, in Georgia's top-15 class. 

What exactly does this addition do for Georgia? For starters, it keeps prime talent at home. It would have been a disappointment for Georgia to lose a guy who lives 50 miles from campus to a program like Vanderbilt. 

Sure, the 'Dawgs have enough depth in this class to dampen the brunt of the blow of losing Dawson to Vandy, but Richt slamming the door on Franklin at the last minute is just another sign of how much work the Vanderbilt coach has left to become a real threat in SEC country. 

Dawson might not be much of a contributor at Georgia in 2012. The 'Dawgs are fairly deep at defensive end heading into next season anyway. But once Dawson does take the field in Athens, his speed and strength off the edge will be a tough matchup for any SEC offensive lineman. 

It might have taken a while to secure his signature, but once Georgia put the press on, it was apparently too difficult for Dawson to say no.