UGA's Case as 'RBU' Heightens with 4-Star Elijah Holyfield's Commitment

Georgia can give a healthy case for why it should be considered "Running Back U."

Exhibit A: Herschel Walker. And then there are guys like Willie McClendon, Robert Edwards, Rodney Hampton, Garrison Hearst, Knowshon Moreno, Todd Gurley and all backs in between past and present.

Elijah Holyfield hopes to be the future for the Bulldogs. The 4-star Atlanta back verbally committed to Georgia Friday afternoon, choosing the Bulldogs over offers from Auburn, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee. Holyfield became the 17th pledge in the 2016 class for Georgia coach Mark Richt.

In a video courtesy of WAGA-TV (Fox 5 Atlanta), Holyfield made the announcement using what he called "two of my friends"—two white bulldog puppies on red leashes escorted to the Woodward Academy gym. He then put on a white Georgia baseball cap and announced his commitment.

And while the announcement was creative, expect his play as a college running back to be even better. After all, he's following some of the best the SEC has seen, and he's also following the paths of current studs Nick Chubb, Keith Marshall and Sony Michel.

Georgia's depth at the position makes it one to watch, and adding Holyfield further enhances Georgia's reputation for landing some of the best at the position. The Woodward Academy standout rushed for 1,735 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior, and while he didn't play in Woodward's season opener against Decatur (Georgia) last week, he's expected to be dynamic throughout his senior season.

At 5'10", 205 pounds, Holyfield physically is a specimen without pads and a truck wearing pads. In addition to being a reliable downhill runner, he makes life for defenses even more difficult with his speed, elusiveness and field vision. His play earned him more than 30 offers from FBS schools coast to coast.

Having a love for Georgia as a child aided in his decision. He told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution when he first received the offer last September that Georgia "has been my favorite team since I was young." It also helped that his parents—including his father, former world heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield—are quite fond of the program.

"I'm a Georgia Bulldogs fan," Evander Holyfield told 247Sports' Keith Niebuhr at The Opening in July in Oregon. "I've always been a Bulldog. I always cheered for the Bulldogs. There was just something about the Bulldogs."

Credit: 247Sports

Credit the Georgia coaching staff for a solid job in recruiting the running back. He has built good relationships with Richt, running backs coach Thomas Brown and offensive coach Brian Schottenheimer.

Holyfield was an important get for the Bulldogs, as the team only took one back in the 2015 class in Tae Crowder, a 3-star back out of high school. Holyfield is Georgia's first running back of the 2016 class, and there's still a chance the Bulldogs could add a player like 4-star Devwah Whaley or 3-star JaQua Daniels before signing day.

Auburn was considered a major contender for Holyfield. Elijah's older brother, Evander Holyfield Jr., ran track and was a walk-on football player at Auburn a few years back. Elijah also had good relationships with head coach Gus Malzahn, running backs coach Tim Horton and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee.

In the end, Georgia scored a big get in Holyfield, a running back who is expected to continue the tradition of the program having some of the best backs in the country. Look for Holyfield to give Georgia fans reason to believe that "RBU" rests in Athens, Georgia.

Damon Sayles is National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles