January 30, 2012, by Chip Towers

Georgia conducted its first successful flip of the recruiting period on Monday as Sheldon Dawson announced his intention to sign with the Bulldogs on Wednesday.

Sheldon Dawson is built in the mode of Brandon Boykin and “did it all” for Ridgeway High in Memphis, according to coach Duron Sutton. (Photo by 247Sports.com)

“I have committed to Georgia,” Dawson, a 5-foot-11, 178-pound athlete from Ridgeway High School in Memphis, Tenn, said Monday night. “I did it about an hour ago.”

Dawson had been committed to play for his hometown team, the University of Memphis, since July of last summer. But he re-opened his recruitment after the school fired head coach Larry Porter. He chose UGA over Ole Miss and he also considered Arkansas and Cincinnati.

“It just felt like a better fit for me,” Dawson said. “It was like a do over for me, a place to start over. I started from scratch and that’s the place I wanted to go.”

Dawson becomes commitment No. 17 for the Bulldogs. Georgia hopes to secure at least five recruits more during the national signing period, which begins Wednesday. Several of those targets are currently committed to other schools, including Cedar Grove offensive lineman Brandon Greene (Alabama), Sandy Creek wide receiver JaQuay Williams (Auburn) and Tucker defensive end Josh Dawson (Vanderbilt). They’re also awaiting word from outside linebacker Josh Harvey-Clemons of Valdosta, offensive lineman Avery Young of Palm Beach Gardens and wide receiver Codarrelle Patterson of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College.

Georgia was one of the first teams in after Porter’s dismissal and Dawson took an official visit to Athens in December. The Bulldogs have pretty much led ever since, despite a late push by Ole Miss and new coach Hugh Freeze.

Dawson’s original commitment to Memphis was considered a major coup for the Tigers. He is the consensus No. 1 prospect in Tennessee. 247Sports.com gives him a four-star rating and considers him the No. 8 cornerback in America while Scout.com also has him has as a four-star and considers him No. 11 in the nation at the position. Rivals.com and ESPN both rate him with three stars.  Dawson had well over 20 offers and almost all were from BCS schools such as Ohio State, Tennessee, Louisville, North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and the like.

Georgia’s biggest selling point for Dawson is the opportunity to play both ways. He’s expected to play cornerback or safety for the Bulldogs but has been told he’ll be given the opportunity to return kicks and may also get some snaps on offense. Dawson reportedly has 4.4-second, 40-yard speed and is an almost identical physical match to the recently-departed Brandon Boykin, who won the Hornung Award playing two ways for the Bulldogs.

“Everybody on the team said I remind them of Brandon Boykin,” Dawson said.

“You’ve already seen how they would use him,” Ridgeway coach Duron Sutton said. “You’ve seen the way they use that Boykin kid on offense and defense. I think they feel like he would be a perfect fit for that role.”

Dawson is scheduled to make his formal announcement at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday with teammates at his school.

GEORGIA 2012 COMMITMENTS

1. DT John Atkins (6-4, 300), Thomson
2. P Collin Barber (6-2, 191), Cartersville
3. QB Faton Bauta (6-3, 225), West Palm Beach, Fla.
4. OL Mark Beard (6-4, 290), Coffeyville (Kan.) CC/Adamsville, Ala.
5. ATH Sheldon Dawson (5-11, 178), Memphis, Tenn.
6. DL James Deloach (6-3, 260), Jenkins Co.
7. DE Leonard Floyd (6-4, 215), Dodge Co.
8. RB Todd Gurley (6-1, 195), Tarburo, NC
9. FB Quayvon Hicks (6-2, 245), Pierce Co.
10. OLB Jordan Jenkins (6-3, 245), Harris Co.
11. RB Keith Marshall (5-11, 190), Raleigh, N.C.
12. PK Marshall Morgan (6-3, 195), Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
13. OL Greg Pyke (6-6, 315), Baltimore, Md.
14. TE Ty Smith (6-3, 228), Colquitt Co.
15. DL Jonathan Taylor (6-4, 315), Jenkins Co.
16. OT John Theus (6-6, 292), Jacksonville, Fla.
17. WR Blake Tibbs (6-2, 185), M.L. King

Posted by John Taylor

Ah, the lengths coaches will go to in their efforts to land a top recruit.

Josh Harvey-Clemons is a five-star player in the Class of 2012, rated as the No. 2 “athlete” in the country and the top player in the state of Georgia. Along with Florida, late-surging Florida State and Miami — he’s taking a visit there this Saturday, the final weekend before signing day — Georgia is considered one of the front-runners and would, obviously, love to keep the top-rated player in the state home.

As part of that effort, head coach Mark Richt and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo paid a visit to Harvey-Clemons Wednesday night, taking in a Baptist church service with the linebacker/wide receiver’s family. During the course of that service, Harvey-Clemons’ grandfather and legal guardian Woodrow Clemons, owner of a bail bondsman’s company, received a call that three individuals needed his services in order to get out of jail post-haste.

Harvey-Clemons and Clemons’ daughter, the player’s aunt, are also bail bondsmen and left church to go spring the individuals. Richt initially decided to stay but, after Harvey-Clemons’ aunt forgot her ID in a vehicle at the church, Harvey-Clemons’ uncle Roy Hart told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Coach Richt and Coach Bobo went to jail with my wife to take the ID to them. Coach Richt wanted one more time to talk with Josh before they hit the road. They talked at jail for about 20 or 30 minutes I guess.”

Ever the recruiter, Richt returned to the church following his trip to jail and, as he was saying the obligatory goodbyes, attempted to gauge where his program stood in its pursuit of Harvey-Clemons.

“Coach Richt said ‘Tell me Roy, how do we look with Josh?’” Hart said. “I said ‘Coach, you’re in the running. Nobody really knows except for Josh. He’s not saying much. He hasn’t made up his mind so nobody knows except for him.’ Then Coach Richt asked if Georgia was still looking good and if they still had an opportunity to get him. I assured him that they did.”

While Harvey-Clemons is taking his final official visit to the Hurricanes this weekend, it’s believed his top two choices are the Bulldogs and Gators. Based on the latter’s legal history over the past few years, having a recruit who also doubles as a bail bondsman could come in very, very handy for the Gainesville school.

MOBILE — Former Georgia punter Drew Butler has heard some war stories this week about his father, Kevin Butler, who played 13 seasons in the NFL.

The younger Butler is set to punt and hold on field goals and extra points for the South squad in the 63rd annual Senior Bowl at 4 p.m. Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

“Some guys actually scouted my dad,” Butler said. “Some guys have coached my dad. Coach [Mike] Singletary and coach [Leslie] Frazier on the Minnesota Vikings staff played with him.

“So there are a lot of connections for sure. Some of them feel old because they are scouting me and they scouted my dad. It’s cool. It all kind of comes full circle, and that’s definitely exciting.”

Butler, who played at Peachtree Ridge High, averaged 45.2 yards per punt at Georgia. He’s the second rated punter in the senior class by ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper. California’s Bryan Anger is the top rated punter.

“My dad laid out such a good framework for me to build upon,” Butler said. “Having the opportunities that I had at Georgia and being able to capitalize on them was a huge blessing.”

The Falcons drafted Matt Bosher in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. He was the only punter selected. A lot of NFL teams like to sign punters as free agents. Butler hopes to show teams that he’s worthy of being drafted.

“I think my career, in and of itself, has proven that I’m worth spending a draft pick on,” Butler said. “I’ve been a consistent performer for three years. I’ve proven that I’m able to do whatever a coach has asked me to do: directional kick, kick it high, pin somebody inside the 20 and kick it long to get us out of a jam.

“That’s one of my strengths as a punter. I look at this week as a cherry on top of a good career.”

Morris not sitting type

Washington defensive backs coach Raheem Morris, who recently was fired as Tampa Bay’s head coach, didn’t consider not coaching next season.

“I am a coach,” Morris said. “There is no sitting out in my game. I love and enjoy the grass. I’ll have plenty of time to sit down and rest at the end of this thing. Right now, I’m going to enjoy it.”

Weeden shining

Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden has separated himself as the top quarterback at the Senior Bowl.

San Diego State’s Ryan Lindley and Arizona’s Nick Foles are the other quarterbacks for the South team.

Boise State’s Kellen Moore, Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson and Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins are the North quarterbacks.

Weeden, 28, was a second-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2002. He played professional baseball before starting his football career in 2007 at Oklahoma State.

“Brandon Weeden, I think people are eventually going to try to get past that age thing,” NFL Network analyst Charles Davis said. “I don’t hear the talk about that any more. This kid can play. He’s the best quarterback on the South team by far.”

AUBURN, Alabama — Heisman Trophy, national champion, Pro Bowl quarterback and now NFL Rookie of the Year.

10:10 am January 24, 2012, by D. Orlando Ledbetter

FAIRHOPE, Ala – Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin had a strong first practice for the South team on Monday.

He drew praise for WashingtonRedskins defensive back coach Raheem Morris (formerly of the Tampa Bay Bucs) after breaking up one pass.

“Nice job Boykin, way to get down hill,” Morris said.

Boykin has interviewed with seven teams already, including the Falcons, Carolina and Philadelphia.

He felt his first day of practice went well.

“I was kind of getting acclimated back in that football shape,” Boykin said. “It was my first time putting the pads on in about a month.”

He had seven to eight interivews already. He’s chatted with the Falcons, Carolina and Philadelphia.