Across state lines

Published 4:09 pm Saturday, June 23, 2018

When Kirby Smart came to coach his alma mater before the 2016 season, he made his intentions in recruiting clear to all Bulldog fans: He wanted to win the state of Georgia.

After two recruiting classes (and one in progress), he has largely succeeded. The Peach State owns 35 of the 57 recruits under Smart’s helm.

With Georgia under control, here is a look at some of the other states that Smart has found success in:

Tier 1: Florida (6)

Aside from Georgia, Florida has produced the most recruits in the past three classes with six. Of those, there are two five-star players in Tyson Campbell and Nolan Smith and one four-star player in Divaad Wilson. Smith is currently ranked first in his state for the 2019 class, according to 247Sports.

Tier 2: Pennsylvania (2), North Carolina (2), Tennessee (2) and Mississippi (2)

One of these states that produced two recruits is not like the others. North Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi each have southeastern ties while Pennsylvania may seem a bit random. The talent that has come out of the state has already been producing for the Bulldogs, though.

D’Andre Swift was the top-ranked recruit in Pennsylvania when he left his home in Philadelphia and came to Athens. In 2017, the freshman scored four touchdowns and had 618 rushing yards.

Another five-star running back is joining the squad in 2018 in Zamir White, this time strengthening the North Carolina ties that were established most recently by players such as Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley. Like Swift, White is also the top-ranked player in his state.

Cade Mays comes from the heart of Volunteer country in Knoxville, Tennessee. Instead of donning the orange and white, the five-star offensive tackle opted to leave his hometown and join Smart and the Bulldogs.

Tier 3: New York (1), Alabama (1), Illinois (1), South Carolina (1), Texas (1), Kansas (1), Oklahoma (1) and Rhode Island (1)

The remaining eight players that have enrolled or committed to Georgia come from varying parts of the country without a semblance of any pattern.

Five-star offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson is the lone representative from New York, and he is also the lone five-star prospect in tier three. The rest are four-star players with the exception of Oklahoma offensive lineman Owen Condon, who is a three-star.