Returning to the beginning Kirby Smart teaches signing classes in...

Examining the stats to identify the best recruiting hauls for Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs.

Another National Signing Day has passed, and Georgia Bulldogs fans had plenty to celebrate.

Georgia signed a 28-man class on Wednesday, marking the third time in Kirby Smart’s tenure as head coach that the Bulldogs have landed the nation’s top class. The flip of five-star safety KJ Bolden was the highlight for Georgia supporters, but it was a day in which the Bulldogs got some of the top players at practically every position on the football field.

“I think someone told me on here — I was looking at this before I came out here — that 24 of 28 guys worked out with our coaches on our campus.” Twenty-five of the twenty-eight men were multi-sport athletes. There are 13 distinct states. “I’m probably the best player in four or five states,” Smart claimed on Wednesday. “More importantly, it’s the type of kids they are. I’m looking forward to having them come in and work.

“We’ve gone with the model of developing players through the high school ranks.” According to current projections, 40 percent, 50 percent, or possibly 60 percent of our roster next year will be in their first two years in the program. With that, you must have spring practice. You must work on your development.”

Georgia has accumulated talent year after year, which has resulted in the Bulldogs securing the No. 1 class on three separate times (2024, 2020, and 2018). Those earlier classes were not devoid of ability, with the Bulldogs finishing no lower than sixth in the class rankings under Smart and no lower than fourth with a class that Smart had a complete year to put together.

During his tenure as Bulldogs head coach, Smart has had excellent recruiting success. Here’s a breakdown of his top six classes at Georgia, starting with No. 6 and working our way up to No. 1:

NO. 6: 2019 CLASS

Total Players Signed: 24

Signing Class Point Total: 309.48

Average Signee Rating: 93.45

5-stars: 5

4-stars: 16

3-stars: 3

National / SEC Class Ranking: 2nd / 2nd

Overview: While Georgia did not win the No. 1 class in the country, it did bring in the building elements for a championship run.

The Bulldogs excelled by enrolling in a class comprised primarily of students from the Southeast. Savannah native Nolan Smith (No. 1 player in the country), Thomaston native Travon Walker (No. 5 player in the country), Horn Lake, Mississippi’s Nakobe Dean (No. 21 player in the country), and Hoover, Alabama’s George Pickens (No. 41 player in the country) were among the valuable additions. This class also included safety Lewis Cine, offensive tackle Warren McClendon, and running back Kenny McIntosh.

Oh, and Stetson Bennett, a junior college quarterback.

NO. 5: 2020 CLASS

Total Players Signed: 25

Signing Class Point Total: 313.16

Average Signee Rating: 92.95

5-stars: 4

4-stars: 15

3-stars: 6

National / SEC Class Ranking: 1st / 1st

While Georgia still signed a lot of homegrown players in this class, this could be considered the point at which the Bulldogs finally went national.

Smart’s second No. 1 recruiting class included significant players from across the country. Whether it was Scottsdale, Arizona cornerback Kelee Ringo (No. 7 in the country), Las Vegas tight end Darnell Washington (No. 34 in the country), or Calabasas, California wide receiver Jermaine Burton (No. 58 in the country), the Bulldogs looked far and wide for the best players and got their fair share.

Having said that, Georgia’s traditional recruiting locations were also fruitful. This class also included Apopka, Florida defensive tackle Jalen Carter (the country’s No. 9 talent).

NO. 4: 2022 CLASS

Total Players Signed: 30

Signing Class Point Total: 318.34

Average Signee Rating: 93.01

5-stars: 5

4-stars: 17

3-stars: 8

National / SEC Class Ranking: 3rd / 3rd

Georgia was in the midst of a national title run when it assembled the 2022 signing class. Despite finishing behind Texas A&M and Alabama, the Bulldogs are pleased with their performance.

Georgia’s five-star class included Jefferson safety Malaki Starks (No. 4 in the country), Columbus defensive end Mykel Williams (No. 7 in the country), Bradenton, Florida cornerback Daylen Everette (No. 18 in the country), Ft. Lauderdale, Florida defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. (No. 21 in the country), and Salisbury, North Carolina linebacker Jalon Walker (No. 26 in the country).

The class once again included a number of candidates from across the country, with several of them already committed.

NO. 3: 2024 CLASS

Total Players Signed: 28

Signing Class Point Total: 315.22

Average Signee Rating: 93.58

5-stars: 4

4-stars: 20

3-stars: 4

National / SEC Class Ranking: 1st / 1st

Overview: The Bulldogs’ most recent recruiting class includes some of the highest-rated signees in Georgia history.

Georgia’s top five signees come from four separate states, with Oak Ridge, Texas teammates Justin Williams and Joseph Jonah-Ajonye bridging the gap. The Bulldogs’ class includes athletes from Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Indiana, Missouri, and Illinois, but it also includes nine Georgia natives.

The Bulldogs topped the recruiting road once more, this time landing Bolden over fellow contenders Auburn and Florida State. We’ll see how quickly these Bulldogs make an impression, but there’s no disputing that the newest generation of Dawgs is highly good.

NO. 2: 2023 CLASS

Total Players Signed: 26

Signing Class Point Total: 315.68

Average Signee Rating: 94.06

5-stars: 5

4-stars: 17

3-stars: 4

National / SEC Class Ranking: 2nd / 2nd

Although the 2024 class finished first, the 2023 class actually has the advantage in terms of signing point total and average signee rating. The team ranking metrics are clearly affected by how the other clubs do in a given year.

In 2023, the Bulldogs pounced on the Sunshine State, signing their top-rated athlete (defensive tackle Jordan Hall), second-best player (linebacker Raylen Wilson), sixth-best player (outside linebacker Damon Wilson), and eighth-best player (inside linebacker Troy Bowles). Georgia signed nine Florida prospects in total, with only five from the state of Georgia (linebacker CJ Allen, tight end Lawson Luckie, offensive tackle Bo Hughley, offensive guard Kelton Smith, and offensive tackle Jamal Meriweather).

Several of these newcomers flashed

NO. 1: 2018 CLASS

Total Players Signed: 26

Signing Class Point Total: 323.31

Average Signee Rating: 94.23

5-stars: 7

4-stars: 15

3-stars: 4

National / SEC Class Ranking: 1st / 1st

In terms of statistics, Smart’s first No. 1 class at Georgia remains his finest.

Georgia brought in seven five-star recruits in this class, with six of them making significant contributions as the Bulldogs edged closer to breaking their national title drought. On that list are offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer (ranked eighth in the country), cornerback Tyson Campbell (ranked 12th in the country), running back Zamir White (ranked 13th in the country), outside linebacker Adam Anderson (ranked 27th in the country), and inside linebacker Quay Walker (ranked 31st in the country).

This class had signees from eight different states, with Georgia having the most (15). It also includes a number of high-profile transfers, including five-star quarterback Justin Fields, four-star defensive end Brenton Cox, four-star offensive tackle Cade Mays, and four-star outside linebacker Otis Johnson.