After receiver A.J. Green, linebacker Justin Houston was probably the early draft entrant who left the biggest void to fill on the Dawgs' roster. As of now, Georgia has only two LB commitments for 2011, but both are poised to make an early impact.
Amarlo Herrera, a 6'1", 224-pound ILB from North Clayton High School in College Park, has impressed numerous coaches with his strength and size, enough to get offers from Florida, Auburn and Ohio State. He's had some trouble reading play-action looks, but he hits hard and relishes the opportunity to wreak havoc in opposing backfields. If he can pick up Todd Grantham's defensive scheme, he could be a very early contributor to Georgia's efforts to replace Houston's sack production, and he has the quickness to play a valuable role on special teams as well.
Beneath the Busta Rhymes dreadlocks, Tampa's Ramik Wilson combines size with remarkable athleticism -- the 6'3", 218-pound ILB flies to the ball yet still has room to add the kind of strength and bulk that would make him dangerous on both the inside and the outside. Like Herrera, he has the speed to get to opposing quarterbacks in a hurry, but he's also seen some playing time at tight end (he caught 20 passes for 310 yards his junior year), so with hands like those he could also present a threat when dropping back into coverage. He, too, attracted interest from a wide range of top-tier programs, including Florida, Arkansas and Southern California.