John Atkins and Leonard Floyd, the only two members of Georgia's 2012 signing class who did not qualify academically, are both headed to Virginia's Hargrave Military Academy this fall, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Atkins, a massive defensive tackle prospect from Thompson, Ga., and Floyd, a rangy pass rusher from Eastman, Ga., will count towards Georgia's 2013 class and plan to enroll in Athens in January should the pair raise their grades and test scores enough to qualify.
The detour might benefit both Atkins and Floyd in the long run. Atkins was likely to redshirt this fall with two All-SEC-caliber nose tackles in John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers ahead of him on the depth chart. Floyd, who's a raw and lanky player coming from a small high school (Dodge County), would have joined one of the more loaded position groups on Georgia's roster, with Jarvis Jones, Cornelius Washington, and newcomers Jordan Jenkins and Josh Dawson in the fold.
Now, they will not waste a year of NCAA eligibility (attending Hargrave is essentially like a fifth year of high school) and the duo will have five years to play four seasons provided they do eventually make it to Athens.
The move means Coach Mark Richt and his staff can take 34 in this fall's class, should the nine or so current verbal commits who've said they plan to enroll early do so. Georgia must stay under the 85-scholarship limit, but the Dawgs took just 19 in the 2012 class, with only 17 currently on campus.
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