Georgia Football: Why the Bulldogs Need to Land Top Recruit Lorenzo Carter

To say that the Georgia Bulldogs are having a strong start to their 2014 recruiting season would be an understatement. Right now, the Bulldogs have 10 commitments for the Class of 2014, including running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.

But the Bulldogs have a golden opportunity to have one of the best recruiting classes in recent memory, and it all depends on one player.

Defensive end Lorenzo Carter from Norcross, Georgia, is the best defensive end in the country and the best player in Georgia, according to Rivals.

Last year, when he was a junior at Norcross High School, he notched 136 tackles, 18 sacks and five forced fumbles to help his team win the AAAAAA Georgia state championship. Carter was a first-team All-State selection and will play in the 2014 Under Armor All-America game.

So why do the Bulldogs need him?

First, he would provide much needed depth at the defensive end and outside linebacker positions.

Based on the way Carter rushes the passer, he will be better suited at outside linebacker. But defensive coordinator Todd Grantham will find a place to put him if the coaches believe Carter can be an immediate impact player. The Bulldogs are doing a similar thing with Josh Harvey-Clemons this year.

Second, he is a Georgia boy.

Over the last couple of seasons, head coach Mark Richt has been criticized for not bringing in enough of the top talent in the state. Last year, the Bulldogs had a shot at getting Robert Nkemdiche, who was considered by many recruiting outlets as the top player in the country. But Nkemdiche followed his brother and is now on the Ole Miss roster.

In fact, out of the Rivals top players in Georgia last year, the Bulldogs only nabbed one of them: Tray Matthews.

From the look of things in 2014, that trend could be changing. Out of the top 85 Georgia Rivals prospects for 2014, the Bulldogs have already gotten commitments from two of the top-10 players: Chubb and Malkom Parrish.

Getting Carter would not only solidify an already strong recruiting class, it would get some of the other top players in Georgia to commit, such as LB Raekwon McMillan and DB D.J. Smith.

But is Carter interested in Georgia?

Back in May, he told Michael Carvell of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution that he has UGA in his top 10 along with Alabama. And Kipp Adams of ESPN (subscription needed) said that the Bulldogs have a 40 percent chance of landing the defensive standout.

Will it cripple Georgia if it doesn’t get Carter? Absolutely not, but based on his athleticism and his ability to rush off the edge, the Bulldogs can build the defense around him and continue to be a contender in the SEC.