Count me among the skeptical who didn't read too much into the report that James Wilder Jr., the freakishly talented LB/RB from Plant High School, was on his way to play for the University of Georgia in 2011.
For the last several weeks, the message boards and chatter surrounding this young man from Tampa was that he was much more likely to end up in Tallahassee than Athens.
Sure, he had the ties (former Plant alumni Aaron Murray and Orson Charles are currently on the team) and plenty reason (Georgia's use of the big back intrigued him) to offer his commitment to Georgia, but it wasn't meant to be—life goes on.
Still, it speaks well of the staff that they were able to make a run at him—even if they missed out.
So, now the attention has to be focused on RB recruit, Isaiah Crowell. He is the guy that the Bulldogs have coveted from day one and he has to be the guy that Georgia hopes to see signing on the dotted line come next February. Crowell is one of the must-have prospects for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2011 and everyone who follows the program closely knows it.
The decision of Wilder to go to FSU might have been slightly disappointing but the bright side has to be that Wilder's decision to go elsewhere should make Georgia that much more attractive to Crowell, a true talent at the running back position and an in-state kid, who has already made it clear that Georgia is on his mind—right along with Alabama.
No word yet on when Crowell will make up his mind, but as of now, the Under-Armour Game which will be held on January 29, 2011 in Mobil, AL, seems to be the likely place for his decision.
Either way, this is one prospect that Georgia would like to make sure is in the fold come signing day and, at least for the moment, there is still a reason to believe that's possible.
James Wilder is an outstanding athlete out of Plant High School in Tampa, FL. He's also considered one of the top recruiting prospects in the nation. Every Division I school in the country wants to get their hands on him and he's received over 90 offers thus far.
That said, he's narrowed his options to five lucky suitors: Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Alabama and every last one of them is dead serious about landing him. However, most of them want him on the defensive side of the ball and he's already made it clear that he wants to play running back—period.
Now everyone is scrambling to accommodate his wishes, saying that they will let him play whatever position he chooses—he's skeptical.
As such, he has taken a cautious approach to his recruitment and is now evaluating each school not only based on fit but on their honesty with him as well.
Does Georgia have a shot at landing this, widely considered, Florida Gator lean?
Well, there are a few reasons to believe in miracles, just look at what Wilder has said about the type of school he wants to attend and how those things could work to Georgia's advantage:
"I want to trust the coaching staff that I play for and trusting the coaches is actually the biggest part of my decision...so if I don’t trust the coaching staff, then I am definitely not choosing that school."
Coach Richt is a straight-shooter. His reputation is built on the very foundation that Wilder craves most—honesty.
It is a rare occasion that a prospect is ever heard to have said that he was misled or lied to by the Georgia coaching staff. It's a safe bet that Wilder—who will be in Athens on Thursday and Friday—will appreciate the candor that Richt and his staff are sure to convey.
"I am now researching a lot of schools to see which ones have used big backs to carry the ball for them in the past and things like that."
The Bulldogs know a little something about using a big back to carry the football. Current starters, Caleb King and Washaun Ealey are both 5-foot-11 and 200+ pounds. Former stars, Knowshon Moreno and Musa Smith were also 5-foot-10, or better, and also played at the 200+ mark. Wilder is 6-foot-2, 215 lbs, of solid muscle.
If he's looking for a school that is willing to give him a shot at running back, then Georgia would be as good a place as any. After all, Richard Samuel, who is built similarly, was given the starting nod last season.
The experiment with Samuel ultimately failed as his place will be on the defensive side of the ball but, the fact remains, Georgia isn't opposed to using a big guy at tailback—never has been.
"I want to play in an offense that a big back like me fits into the best."
Despite the fact that Wilder is considered to be Florida lean, there are few schools in the SEC who feature their back better than Georgia and Alabama. If he's looking to play early and often at the position of his choice, then Georgia is a good fit—period.
However, that said, Wilder may still find resistance to his decision as he grades out well as a defensive player and, in my very humble opinion, I think he'd be a beast on defense—the guy is some kind of fierce coming off the edge and would be a monster at OLB or DE—particularly in Georgia's 3-4 scheme.
Just my two cents.
Wilder has two ex-teammates who already call Athens home. Both Aaron Murray and Orson Charles are rising sophomores at Georgia and, according to Chip Towers at the AJC, both have been campaigning heavily for Wilder to join them next season.
Over the weekend the trio spent a lot of time together in Athens, hanging out at the local restaurants and around town, and you can bet that both guys had his ear when discussing the possibility of him choosing Georgia over his home state Gators.
Furthermore, the recent departure of Dontavius Jackson has shortened the depth chart at tailback, making the possibility of playing early at that spot an even bigger possibility.
Nabbing him seems like a long shot but, the same was said of Orson Charles, so, anythings possible.
Below, some highlight of Wilder playing both offense and defense:
