Georgia football 2023 recruiting class: Grades, best get, biggest miss, future star

Georgia football and coach Kirby Smart once again put together one of the nation's best recruiting classes. The 2023 class, which had its first chance to ink with the Bulldogs during Wednesday's National Signing Day, was ranked second among major recruiting services at 247sports, On3, Rivals and ESPN, one spot behind SEC West nemesis Alabama.

As the 13-0 Bulldogs prepare to play Ohio State in the Peach Bowl for the College Football Playoff, Smart put the finishing touches on the 2023 class. Here's a deeper look at what UGA has coming to Athens.

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Overall Class: A-

So far it's an extremely solid class for the Bulldogs, but the group as a whole lacks the major punch of a highly ranked five star. Defensive back AJ Harris and last-minute signee Damon Wilson are the only players deemed five-star by 247sports while On3 ranks the Bulldogs second with only Wilson ranked a five-star in its 2023 class. Still, Smart and his staff have a couple more large targets they could reel in the following weeks which could lift this class to No. 1 overall and give it an A+ rating.

Best Get: Edge rushers Damon Wilson and Samuel M'Pemba

With Robert Beal and Nolan Smith moving to the next level, the Bulldogs added depth at a position of need. Mykel Williams, Marvin Jones, Jr. and Chaz Chambliss return some experience, but Georgia needed to add two standouts that can get to the quarterback. Wilson, a five-star from Venice, Florida, and M'Pemba, a four-star from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, will fill that role and give the three returning Bulldogs competition for playing time. Gabriel Harris is another defensive lineman commit to watch.

Biggest Miss: Justice Haynes

The Bulldogs had a 50/50 shot a landing quarterback Arch Manning, who ultimately chose Texas, but it never felt like the top-ranked overall prospect had a strong lean toward the Bulldogs. But five-star running back Justice Haynes from right down the road in Buford seemed like a no-brainer UGA commit. Especially given that his dad, Verron (he of p-44 Haynes fame to beat Tennessee in 2001), was a Georgia legacy still present with UGA alumni around the program. But it wasn't to be, as Haynes selected Alabama where he'll team up with another high-prized running back, Richard Young.

The Next Trio: Linebackers Raylen Wilson, CJ Allen, Troy Bowles

With names like Nakobe Dean, Roquan Smith and Monty Rice coming through in recent years, Georgia considers itself LBU because of the position's production. This past season, Jamon Dumas-Johnson was one of five Butkus Award semifinalists, continuing the Bulldogs' tradition of great players manning their dominant defense. In 2021, Dean, Quay Walker and Channing Tindall made one of Georgia football's most fierce trios at linebacker and all were taken in the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL draft.

Georgia's defense added another trio on Wednesday in Raylen Wilson (No. 53 overall, 247sports), Troy Bowles (No. 63) and CJ Allen (No. 78) ranking as the third, fourth and fifth best linebackers in the class. Could it be the next great trio?

Immediate impact: Safety Joenel Aguero

With Christopher Smith graduating, the safety position opposite freshman standout Malaki Starks becomes a concern for the Bulldogs in 2023. David Daniel-Sisavanh and JaCorey Thomas are in line to fill Smith's role, but they're sure to be challenged by Aguero and his hard-hitting prowess. Could he make the same impact in Year 1 as Starks?

Future Star: Wide Receiver Tyler Williams

Wide receiver might have the most depth of any position on Georgia's roster, so Williams will have plenty of time to ease into a spot on the gridiron and learn UGA's playbook. That might be good for an outstanding athlete still finding his stride at receiver after playing quarterback for a bit in high school. The four-star from Lakeland, Florida, is athletic, and he proved that by also kicking field goals and starring on his high school basketball team. In due time, he will find his way onto the field. His size, 6-foot-3, 205 is a lot like that of George Pickens, which should open some eyes when he steps on campus.

Looking at February: Tight End Duce Robinson

Georgia is known to favor big tight ends on the west coast, and Phoenix, Arizona's Duce Robinson fits the mold of current Bulldogs Brock Bowers (California) and Darnell Washington (Nevada). Robinson is big, 6-foot-6, and he caught 84 passes for 1,614 yards last season. He might be leaning toward the west coast (USC is favored to scoop him up), but it's likely down to the Trojans and Bulldogs when he commits in February. The Bulldogs already have two top tight ends in the class in Lawson Luckie and Pearce Spurlin, but a player as talented as Robinson would have Smart and tight end coach Todd Hartley salivating.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: UGA football 2023 recruiting class Samuel M'Pemba, Raylen Wilson, Aguero