Georgia Football: Players to Watch in High School All-American Games

The Georgia Bulldogs have lost their share of commits since Kirby Smart was named the head coach. The Bulldogs are now No. 13 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings.

However, they still have a talented class that has the potential to do a lot of big things in the future. The Bulldogs have 14 committed players, and when Smart is done with his duties at Alabama, he and the rest of his coaching staff will be hard at work on the recruiting trail to keep the commits intact, as well as lure some top targets in the process. And those players will be on display soon with the high school All-American games taking place this week.

Let’s take a look at some of the players Bulldogs fans need to watch who will be playing in these games starting this weekend.

QB Jacob Eason

One player who stayed with his commitment is the No. 1 quarterback in the country, Jacob Eason. He will play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl that will take place on Jan. 9.

Eason had a great senior season at Lake Stevens High School. He was named Gatorade National Player of the Year, as well as USA Today All-USA Player of the Year.

Eason finished with 3,585 passing yards, 43 touchdowns and six interceptions, leading his team to the state championship game.

Fans will have a chance to see why Eason is the top quarterback prospect in the country. And if fans like what they see, he could compete for the starting quarterback job as soon as he arrives on campus.

DT Derrick Brown

Another player who will play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl is Derrick Brown, whom the Bulldogs have targeted for a long time.

Brown was a monster for Lanier High School in Lanier, Georgia. He posted 106 tackles, 42 tackles for loss and 13 sacks.

Brown is the top prospect in Georgia and was named the state’s Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is scheduled to take an official visit to Georgia on Jan. 15, per 247Sports.

OL Ben Cleveland

Credit: 247Sports

The Bulldogs need help on the offensive line, and Ben Cleveland is expected to be a major contributor in the near future.

Cleveland is the No. 8 offensive tackle prospect and has been a longtime commitment to Georgia, just like Eason. He will play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, so fans will have an opportunity to see how well he can protect Eason and other top quarterbacks. If all goes well for Cleveland, he could compete for a starting job, especially since he's enrolling early.

DT Julian Rochester

Julian Rochester will join the other three Georgia commits in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 9. And like Brown, Rochester was a monster on the defensive line this season.

Rochester was named to the All-USA Second Team by USA Today, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution selected him for the all-state first team. Rochester is 6’6" and 330 pounds, so he will be a great fit at nose tackle in Georgia’s 3-4 defensive scheme. And if he’s able to play right away, Rochester, along with Trent Thompson, could do some damage next season.

ILB Ben Davis

Credit: 247Sports

Ben Davis will play in the Under Armour All-America Game, and he is listed as the No. 1 inside linebacker in the country, as well as the No. 1 prospect in Alabama.

Davis has visited Alabama a number of times and has the Crimson Tide high on his list. But he also said that the Bulldogs are high on his list also and is very curious to see how Smart is going to do in Athens, according to Hank South of 247Sports.

Davis has already made his official visit to Georgia and will make his official visit to Alabama at the end of January. If Georgia can get him, it would be huge for Smart’s inaugural class, and he could see some action at inside linebacker as early as next season.

Unless otherwise noted, all recruiting stats and information courtesy of 247Sports.com and all quotes obtained firsthand. Star ratings reflect 247Sports composite rankings.