Top recruit Thomas County Central DE Ray Drew will be a member of the 2011 Georgia Bulldogs class, the five-star reverend announced Friday. In a well-attended ceremony at a meeting room near his high school’s gym, in front of Yellow Jackets (his high school's mascot!) banners bearing his name, the six-foot-five, 243-pounder picked UGA over the LSU Tigers, Auburn Tigers, Clemson Tigers, and sundry other tigers.
Guests in the house included David Pollack and Mike Bobo. Leading up to the announcement, the buzz was all but unanimous that he’d end up in Athens. This is a huge validation for Mark Richt’s “Dream Team” pitch. Next up: Isaiah Crowell.
Drew had made a game for himself of his highly publicized recruitment process, sending “War Damn Eagle” and “How bout them Dawgs!” messages with equal measure. He once posted online, “I just farted and it smells like Bulldogs,” then told an Atlanta radio show he didn’t like Georgia’s 3-4 scheme. This sense of audience and suspense will serve him well in his presumable post-football career as a megachurch pastor.
The Dawgs will just have to hope they don’t have a LeBron James on their hands. At least he didn’t go to South Beach to play for the Miami Hurricanes, who were in the running until late in the process.
Rivals considers Drew the nation’s second-best defensive end, the No. 2 player in the Peach State, and the No. 9 player overall nationwide. He had offers from oh gosh like every school you’ve ever heard of.