When four-star DE, Xzavier Dickson, spurned the Georgia Bulldogs in favor of the Crimson Tide, panic attacks broke out across the state as Bulldog fans began picturing a 2011 class minus all of it's dream prospects.Recruiting pundits, beat writers, and casual observers—read non-supporters—began readying fans and followers alike for the probability that this one decision, by this one kid, was the one domino needed to start the downward spiral of the football program, led by Mark Richt, at UGA.
The message was today it's Xzavier Dickson and Quan Bray, tomorrow it will be Ray Drew and Isaiah Crowell. Either way, Georgia's goose was already cooked for 2011, and beyond, as the likes of Tennessee, South Carolina, Auburn, Alabama, and Florida would begin snatching the state's best away from the home team—setting football in Athens back for the next decade.
Well, forgive me for saying so, but why should this one kid's decision be any more important than that of Jay Rome, Isaiah Crowell, or Damian Swann? Dickson would have been a great get and it would have been lovely to see him filling out the depth chart at Georgia, but the fact that he won't be suiting up for Todd Grantham shouldn't mean the football program is done.
In fact, according to the Rivals100, Georgia already has the best defensive end in the state—Sterling Bailey. Last check, Dickson didn't even make that list—just saying.
Furthermore, the very notion that Quan Bray, the other supposed prospect that kicked Georgia to the curb last night, was ever solid to the Bulldogs is erroneous. Bray was, largely, felt to be an Auburn lean.
Georgia made a play for him and they lost. It's that simple.
He didn't spurn the Bulldogs, he went with his initial choice—which was ALWAYS going to be Auburn.
Should Georgia be locking down the state? Yes, but it's foolish to expect they will sign every four- and five-star player that comes through the door. Big time prospects have the option of going wherever they like. They know it and many of them will take the opportunity to spread their wings—at other schools.
Georgia cannot get them all.
That said, they still have to nail a high percentage of the best this state has to offer and, so far, they've locked down seven four-star guys for this class. That's as many as LSU and Auburn, and more than South Carolina, Arkansas, and Tennessee.
If they can close out strong by snagging Damian Swann, Isaiah Crowell, Jay Rome, and—maybe—Ray Drew, this is still going to be one of the best classes in the SEC.
Georgia still has plenty of fish in the sea, they just need to close strong.
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