Georgia Football Recruiting: Top Commits, Targets to Watch at The Opening

In case you haven't noticed, Georgia is simply on fire in recruiting new head coach Kirby Smart's first full class of future Bulldogs. And now it's time to keep that blaze spreading to Nike's campus in Beaverton, Oregon, next week at The Opening.

Georgia is currently ranked No. 6 nationally by 247Sports for the class of 2017, and the Bulldogs have the fewest commitments—11—in the top eight. That speaks to the overall high quality of the recruits Smart and company have already landed.

The top targets on Georgia's board have the potential to create something special in Athens this cycle, too. For proof of that, look no further than the roster for The Opening next week. The annual recruiting showcase has more than a dozen blue-chip recruits considering the Bulldogs, from elite running backs to a huge number of game-changing defensive backs.

Here are the six current Georgia commitments who will be at The Opening next week, followed by 10 of the top Bulldogs targets who will also be in action. The rankings used here are the 247Sports composite rankings, which combine several of the industry's top ratings into one standard.

S Richard LeCounte III

Credit: 247Sports

Georgia Commitment

4-star | S Ranking: 2 | Overall Ranking: 37

Hometown: Hinesville, Georgia (Liberty County)

Size: 5'10 ½", 174 pounds

The highest-rated recruit in what is currently a loaded class of 11 commitments for Georgia, Richard LeCounte III will definitely be one to watch for Bulldogs fans at The Opening. LeCounte is the second-best safety in the country, and he's been hard at work recruiting other stars to commit to Georgia.

Since LeCounte's commitment, he's only visited Georgia and only received a visit from head coach Kirby Smart. He seems locked in as a future Bulldog, which is fantastic news for a Georgia secondary that will most likely need to reload its ranks after the 2016 season. LeCounte is the perfect one to headline a huge DB haul.

"The kid is just a tremendous football player who is going to make a lot of plays at the next level," Jake Rowe of 247Sports wrote. "There are just so many ways the Liberty County safety can help and do so in a big way."

QB Jake Fromm

Credit: 247Sports

Georgia Commitment

4-star | QB-PRO Ranking: 3 | Overall Ranking: 41

Hometown: Warner Robins, Georgia (Houston County)

Size: 6'2 ½", 224 pounds

Jake Fromm is in line to be the next big-time, pro-style quarterback prospect to play for the Bulldogs after flipping from Alabama in early March. He's one of the best passers in the country, and he's ready to join the growing quarterback contingent in Athens.

"I am ready to go through the grind," Fromm told Kipp Adams of 247Sports. "You never know who will transfer in, so when you pick a school it has to be for the school because you never know who is going to be there. You are going to have to compete wherever you go."

Fromm has thrown for 7,728 yards, 67 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions in his past two seasons at Houston County High School with a completion rate of 61 percent. Keep an eye on that elite accuracy in Oregon next week.

CB William Poole III

Credit: 247Sports

Georgia Commitment

4-star | CB Ranking: 10 | Overall Ranking: 95

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia (Hapeville Charter)

Size: 5'11 ½", 180 pounds

William Poole III will be another top player in what could be a legendary crop of defensive backs to sign with Georgia in 2017. The lockdown cornerback committed to Georgia in April, spurning several SEC programs, including East division rival Florida.

According to Adams, Poole has tremendous versatility at cornerback with the ability to excel in both zone and physical man coverage. He is also a strong player in run support, giving Smart a future playmaker who could play a wide range of roles for Georgia.

Poole will be on Team Alpha Pro at The Opening with several of Georgia's best commitments, including LeCounte and Fromm. The crew will have some opportunities to do recruiting for the Bulldogs, as they'll be on the same team as several high-priority targets for Smart and his staff.

OT D'Antne Demery

Credit: 247Sports

Georgia Commitment

4-star | OT Ranking: 17 | Overall Ranking: 100

Hometown: Brunswick, Georgia (Brunswick)

Size: 6'5 ½", 319 pounds

Georgia's most recent commitment is 4-star offensive tackle D'Antne Demery, who is just inside the top 100 of 247Sports' composite player rankings. The Bulldogs snagged a commitment from Demery over several powerhouse programs, and rival Auburn was considered their closest competition.

The word on Demery is quite encouraging for Georgia fans. Demery has all the measurables and the athleticism of a unique mauler at offensive tackle. According to Rowe, motor has been an issue for Demery, but he's gotten better in that category on his way to scoring an invite to The Opening.

"I've had some college coaches tell me, 'Coach, barring injury that kid should play in the NFL for 10 years or more.' So when teams tell you that, you’re just amazed and shocked," Demery's high school coach, Larry Harold, told Rowe. "He's just so long and athletic and they love him. Georgia's getting them a great prospect."

OLB Jaden Hunter

Credit: 247Sports

Georgia Commitment

4-star | OLB Ranking: 10 | Overall Ranking: 128

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia (Westlake)

Size: 6'2", 212 pounds

Jaden Hunter committed to Georgia in January, and while the legacy commitment is planning on taking all five of his official visits, he's firm to the Bulldogs right now. In addition to Georgia, the outside linebacker is planning on visiting Alabama, USC, LSU and Michigan this fall. 

Hunter is the son of the late Brice Hunter, who played football at Georgia and played on a team with Smart when the current Bulldogs head coach was a freshman defensive back. Hunter's mother, Brandi, played basketball at Georgia as well. 

If Georgia can hang on to Hunter, he will be a great pickup for the future. The Atlanta native is a talented pass-rusher who looks like a perfect fit for the Bulldogs' defensive scheme. He's done his work in helping Georgia land some of the best recruits in the state since his pledge, including Poole.

WR Trey Blount

Credit: 247Sports

Georgia Commitment

4-star | WR Ranking: 32 | Overall Ranking: 251

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia (Pace Academy)

Size: 6'2", 185 pounds

Another Atlanta native, Trey Blount, will be among the Georgia faithful at The Opening next week. Blount committed to Georgia early last month after visits to and from programs such as Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame and Tennessee.

Blount has been a high-rising recruit in the class of 2017. He didn't have an offer from any program last April. Now, Blount has 27 from schools all over the country. Blount stood out in camps with an impressive catch radius and route-running ability, and an invite to The Opening was icing on the cake for what has been a whirlwind few months for the receiver.

Blount will be on the Alpha Pro team with Fromm and several other top defensive commitments from Georgia, so Bulldogs fans will want to keep an eye on what could be a common pass connection for the Bulldogs down the road.

RB Cam Akers

Credit: 247Sports

5-star | RB Ranking: 2 | Overall Ranking: 16

Hometown: Clinton, Mississippi (Clinton)

Size: 5'11 ½", 212 pounds

The first of two 5-star running backs Georgia is pushing for hard, Cam Akers will be one of the best recruits at The Opening next week in Oregon. Akers, a Mississippi native and former Alabama commitment, has a big list of programs in the mix for him, including Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State and Ole Miss.

Georgia currently holds 12 percent of Akers' "crystal ball" predictions on 247Sports, putting the Bulldogs behind Ole Miss and Ohio State for his services. Akers unofficially visited Georgia on May 28 and could be back for an official visit to Athens this fall.

Akers is a dual-threat quarterback for Clinton High School in Mississippi, but he's projected to play running back at the next level. In his last three seasons, he's rushed for nearly 3,000 yards and 37 touchdowns at the quarterback position, and his 4.44-second speed in the 40-yard dash makes him an electrifying target for the Bulldogs.

RB D'Andre Swift

Credit: 247Sports

5-star | APB Ranking: 1 | Overall Ranking: 31

Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (St. Joseph's)

Size: 5'10", 204 pounds

D'Andre Swift is the nation's No. 1 all-purpose back, and Georgia is in fine position to snatch him from Philadelphia and Big Ten country. Georgia was listed in his top five last month with Alabama, Clemson, Florida State and Penn State, and the Bulldogs lead for his commitment in his crystal ball predictions.

Swift has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons on the ground with 25 touchdowns, and he has also added 10 receiving scores. He made a pair of unofficial visits to Athens this spring, with one of them during the sold-out G-Day spring game. The trip made quite an impression on Swift.

"Everybody in Athens loves Georgia football. It's easy to tell," Swift told Bleacher Report's Tyler Donohue. "You can't beat that atmosphere for a spring game. ... Coach Smart is doing some great things with the program right now. I believe they're up-and-coming."

CB Deangelo Gibbs

Credit: 247Sports

4-star | CB Ranking: 4 | Overall Ranking: 34

Hometown: Loganville, Georgia (Grayson)

Size: 6'2", 204 pounds

In addition to a 5-star tandem of running backs who will be at The Opening, Georgia is also recruiting a pair of teammates from Grayson High School who happen to be two of the best cornerbacks in the entire country. The higher-rated one of these is Deangelo Gibbs, who has been a recruiting star since his freshman year of high school.

"[Gibbs] has got all the power in the world," Bleacher Report's Michael Felder said earlier this month. "Whether you play him at safety or at corner, this kid is a flat-out baller. ... He's a defensive back who is willing to be physical. You line up across from him, you better put your big boy pants on."

Georgia is widely projected to land Gibbs, with 68 percent of his crystal ball predictions favoring the Bulldogs. Tennessee is the biggest competition for his signature at the moment, but he has connections through visits with teams all across the SEC, ACC and Big 12.

OT Andrew Thomas

Credit: 247Sports

4-star | OT Ranking: 10 | Overall Ranking: 49

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia (Pace Academy)

Size: 6'5", 310 pounds

Andrew Thomas is another Atlanta native who is expected to stay with the in-state Bulldogs, and he's an exciting talent at offensive tackle. Standing at 6'5" and 310 pounds, Thomas could be a future star under new Georgia offensive line coach Sam Pittman, who has been an ace recruiter in the pursuit of the Pace Academy product.

"He's definitely one of the best," Thomas told Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports. "I like his coaching style. He gets on you, he gets work done, but it's not a typical type of coaching style, yelling and cussing, but he still gets the job done."

Georgia officially jumped into the lead for Thomas in May, with Notre Dame and Clemson following close behind. Every recruiting expert on 247Sports has predicted Thomas to commit to Georgia, and he told Wiltfong he still had the Dawgs on top after a recent unofficial visit to Notre Dame.

CB Jamyest Williams

Cory Fravel/247Sports

4-star | CB Ranking: 6 | Overall Ranking: 52

Hometown: Loganville, Georgia (Grayson)

Size: 5'9", 170 pounds

Gibbs' teammate at Grayson, Jamyest Williams, could complete an impressive package deal for some lucky team—and Georgia is also in the lead for his pledge. Half of the 14 crystal ball predictions for Williams have him going to Georgia, with Clemson and Florida State behind the Bulldogs.

According to Adams, Williams is set to unveil his top five at The Opening, and Georgia's current commitments are pushing hard to get him to stick with the in-state Bulldogs. Since his unofficial visits to Georgia in March, Williams has visited Ohio State and Clemson while picking up offers from Oregon and TCU.

"They are trying to build something special," Williams said, per Adams. "I see a little bit of light, but I just want to make sure it is the right decision—right fit for me, and not just what everyone else wants."

WR Nico Collins

Credit: 247Sports

4-star | WR Ranking: 13 | Overall Ranking: 76

Hometown: Pinson, Alabama (Clay-Chalkville)

Size: 6'5", 195 pounds

One of the most sought-after wide receivers in the class of 2017, Nico Collins is attracting all kinds of attention from across the country. At 6'5", he's a potential matchup nightmare with a smoothness to his game that any program would love to have.

Right now, the race for the Alabama native seems to be led by the in-state Crimson Tide and Michigan, which may have moved into his No. 1 spot after a visit to Ann Arbor in May. But Georgia is firmly in Collins' top seven, and the Bulldogs will continue to push the Tide and the Wolverines for his commitment.

"[The Bulldogs] got the No. 1 quarterback coming out of high school, and Jake Fromm in my class, so their quarterback situation I think is the best in the country, because those are first-round draft picks right there," Collins said, per Adams. "They are big-time quarterbacks."

CB AJ Terrell

Credit: 247Sports

4-star | CB Ranking: 9 | Overall Ranking: 91

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia (Westlake)

Size: 6'2", 180 pounds

Yet another high-value defensive back target in this 2017 cycle, AJ Terrell could be another missing piece in the growing secondary contingent for the Bulldogs. At 6'2" and 180 pounds, he's the ideal size to line up against the bigger receivers that are becoming more of the norm in major college football.

According to 247Sports, Georgia is leading the way for Terrell, with Florida, Auburn and South Carolina trailing. Clemson could also be in the mix for his commitment. Terrell told Luke Stampini of 247Sports that Florida wants him to fill an immediate need in the secondary, while Georgia is pitching the thought of being a national champion in his home state.

"They just want me to join the squad and become a national champion," Terrell told Stampini. "Everything is good. I got to get back up there on campus, I haven’t been up there in a while. I've been on other stuff, doing other camps. I plan to be up there soon."

DE Malik Herring

Cory Fravel/247Sports

4-star | WDE Ranking: 7 | Overall Ranking: 99

Hometown: Forsyth, Georgia (Mary Persons)

Size: 6'3 ½", 261 pounds

Georgia is always looking for top-notch talent to add to its incredible amount of elite players on the defensive line, and Malik Herring could be the next in line for the Bulldogs.

Georgia is said to be Herring's far-and-away leader, although Alabama and Clemson are expected to push hard for his services as well. USC, Tennessee, LSU and Middle Tennessee also landed in his top seven, which was released earlier this month.

Herring looks downright unblockable in a lot of his recruiting highlight tape, and he has all the physical gifts to be a menace on the edge for years to come. Georgia has been projected to lead for him since Smart took over as the Bulldogs' head coach, and the staff continues to stay on him for a pledge.

RB Toneil Carter

Credit: 247Sports

4-star | RB Ranking: 5 | Overall Ranking: 108

Hometown: Houston, Texas (Langham Creek)

Size: 5'10 ½", 197 pounds

While Akers and Swift are the two biggest names at running back on Georgia's board for 2017, the rusher most likely to commit to the Bulldogs next might be Toneil Carter. According to Rowe, Carter could make his announcement at The Opening, and Georgia is ahead of the pack right now.

"Georgia is at the top of the list for me," Carter said, per Adams. "First off, I just want to be in the SEC. I love to compete, and they compete at the highest level there. They play in a pro-style offense and Georgia is just a great place to be. I feel like I can spend my next four years there and love it."

Carter has rushed for 2,588 yards and 36 touchdowns in his last two seasons at Langham Creek High School in Houston. He's an all-around running back who would be a great fit in Georgia's long line of stars at the position over the last several decades.

WR Jeremiah Holloman

Credit: 247Sports

4-star | WR Ranking: 28 | Overall Ranking: 220

Hometown: Covington, Georgia (Newton)

Size: 6'2", 181 pounds

Since he decommitted from Michigan in February, the race for wide receiver Jeremiah Holloman has looked more and more like a classic border recruiting battle between Georgia and Tennessee. And while he's not the most polished wideout, the 4-star Holloman has some insane measurables.

According to Rusty Mansell of 247Sports, Holloman has an 80-inch wingspan, runs a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash, was a state champion in the triple jump with a 49.5-foot leap and has been clocked in the 100-meter dash in under 11 seconds. Put all of that together, and you have a supreme athlete who should turn a lot of heads at The Opening.

In the last two months, Holloman has visited Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi State and LSU. The Bulldogs and the Volunteers are said to be in front for his commitment, and Georgia currently holds a commanding 77 percent of his crystal ball predictions. He should grab even more attention in Oregon next week.

Recruiting rankings are courtesy of 247Sports.

Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.