UGA is looking for a few good men to play offensive line.
Actually 6.
Or at least that’s the number of offensive linemen that UGA has told recruits and coaches it hopes to sign in February.
The Bulldogs had three OL commitments, and added a fourth one on Wednesday when Mark Beard of Coffeyville junior college pledged to UGA over Mississippi State and Arkansas, according to 247sports.
There was a longtime connection between the 6-foot-5, 297-pound Beard and UGA OL coach Will Friend. Beard is from the Birmingham, Ala., area and was recruited by Friend while he was an assistant at UAB.
Beard will have three years of eligibility at UGA.
Rusty Mansell, National Recruiting Analyst for 247Sports, on Beard:
I think Beard gives Georgia immediate depth. Looking at film, he can bend well and has good feet at 295 pounds. Coming in to Georgia in January is a big plus for him because he can learn the system in the spring and fight for starting spot, all at the same time.
UGA’s other three OL commits are 5-star John Theus of Jacksonville, Chester Brown of Hinesville, and Greg Pyke of Baltimore, Md.. The Bulldogs now have 17 commits for 2012, but the future of two prep school players — DE Jalen Fields and LB Kent Turene — is undetermined at the moment. UGA could sign as many as 25 in February.
RELATED: Florida State is making a run at Georgia Tech’s newest recruit, QB Justin Thomas, who switched his commitment from Alabama to the Yellow Jackets on Tuesday. On Wednesday, FSU recruiting coordinator Demayune Craig traveled to Prattville, Ala., to make a sales pitch to Thomas. The Seminoles are “strictly” recruiting Thomas to play QB. Oregon and LSU are also in the mix. However, Thomas’ father told the AJC that his son only plans to visit Georgia Tech in January.
– By Michael Carvell, AJC Recruiting Blog

Got an item? mcarvell@ajc.com
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192 comments Add your comment
TerryDawg
December 14th, 2011
1:48 pm
First!!
TerryDawg
December 14th, 2011
1:50 pm
& welcome to the Bulldog Nation, Mark
DawginLex
December 14th, 2011
1:52 pm
Welcome Mark and bring some more big fellas with ya.
gameboy842002
December 14th, 2011
1:53 pm
They have 4 OL recruits now. Don’t forget about Greg Pyke.
DAWG4614
December 14th, 2011
1:54 pm
Actually that is four OL commits cause Greg Pyke is committed as well.
WnE
December 14th, 2011
1:54 pm
Not a uga fan or Grad but I’m sure “tide roll” gives his seal-of-approval to this commitment.
RRTDawgs
December 14th, 2011
1:56 pm
We needed this one great pick up with Beard hope to get Young also heard from Rusty Mansell that Yuri Wright will finally make the trip to Athens that is huge .
PR
December 14th, 2011
1:57 pm
lol @ WnE… I’m sure Tide Troll will be around here soon enough
DAWGinTN
December 14th, 2011
1:57 pm
Hey Michael,
Nice pick-up. Class is starting to close out nicely. A few rumblings out there….what is the word about Kenderious Whitehead’s interest in UGA? Thanks,
Daytona Dawg
December 14th, 2011
2:00 pm
Our offense is going to get better & better and the “D” next year is going to absolutely CRUSH!!
DawgFan Woof woof woof
December 14th, 2011
2:00 pm
Great news! Welcome to Athens, home of your 2012-2013 SEC Champions!!!
Michael Carvell
December 14th, 2011
2:01 pm
@DAWG4614, thanks will correct
Taco Meat
December 14th, 2011
2:01 pm
Welcome to Dawg Nation, Mark!
Louisiana-Monroe_Anyone?
December 14th, 2011
2:02 pm
Not going to be the only juco player to commit this season
WDE
December 14th, 2011
2:02 pm
Welcome to the Bull Dog nation young man, best of luck on the field and in the classroom!! Go Dawgs!
Scaley Dog
December 14th, 2011
2:05 pm
hellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll yeah
coachx
December 14th, 2011
2:05 pm
Booyah ! You even beat the paysites to the puch on this one.
Nice work and GO Dawgs !
Two teeth bubba
December 14th, 2011
2:06 pm
Roll Turd ROLL
1eyedJack
December 14th, 2011
2:06 pm
Put him at right tackle. I’m sure tide (tootsie) roll will approve, after of course, we have to read through the Chance and Rokevious bullshat.
Chester Brown
December 14th, 2011
2:06 pm
“His host and my host were together a lot so I got to talk to Brandon,” Brown said. “His mom was talking to my parents, saying that this is what she really wanted for him — to stay in Georgia since he is from Atlanta. She can’t really see Brandon leaving Georgia to play for another school out of Georgia. She can see him playing for UGA.”
coachx
December 14th, 2011
2:08 pm
I believe Beard is actually UGA’s 16th verbal.
Kendarius Whitehead
December 14th, 2011
2:11 pm
“I saw Brandon Greene and [Ukeme] Eligwe were there, and I asked them why they would be visiting Georgia if they were committed, and they just shrugged and said, ‘You never know,’ ” Whitehead said.
G-Dawg
December 14th, 2011
2:12 pm
If they can pull Greene from Bama…and Young…you’ll have to admit, this is a very very nice Oline recruiting year. Lots of size and skill sets.
Dog Warrior
December 14th, 2011
2:15 pm
This is just he beginning. Young is favoring UGA and Greene is thinking about switching. Do not forget that one of the DL recruits plays tight end (Atkins).
G-Dawg
December 14th, 2011
2:16 pm
Gonna be a crazy next two months!!
G-Dawg
December 14th, 2011
2:17 pm
Momma’s always have the final say!! LOL
johnny mack
December 14th, 2011
2:18 pm
thought we also had a OL named Greg Pike from up in maryland.
My Momma Said...
December 14th, 2011
2:19 pm
“My mom freaked out when she saw his dog, and she thought it was a bear and started kicking it,” Whitehead said. “It was a huge black dog, but it is just as friendly as can be. We then ate dinner with Coach Richt on Friday, and he is hilarious and a very family-oriented man. My mom enjoyed spending time with all of the coaches.”
TampaDawg
December 14th, 2011
2:19 pm
Also here that Atkins is switching to the OL .. his high school coach is saying that he has NFL talent on that side of the ball.
Kenderious Whitehead
December 14th, 2011
2:20 pm
“My mom will factor in my decision a lot,” Whitehead said. “We made a commitment to God to be thorough with the process and visit all of the top schools on my list. That is why I have not committed yet.”
RRTDawgs
December 14th, 2011
2:25 pm
If we get Young and Green that would be sweat we may also get Patterson the JUCO WR .
Ca dawg
December 14th, 2011
2:25 pm
Where is tide roll? This guy is his kind of OL. Great get for us. With malzahn leaving we’re the team to beat for Avery young as well. CWF has put a great OL class together.
Dawg48
December 14th, 2011
2:30 pm
Looks like he will be a great one!
Go dawgs
iceBULLDOGhot
December 14th, 2011
2:31 pm
We need these bodies and more atheletes for the special teams. Good to see the commodity of the GA brand back in full swing again.
Frank Lane
December 14th, 2011
2:34 pm
Good news indeed.
hairydawg
December 14th, 2011
2:36 pm
I would say with Avery Young eliminating Florida this week and leaving only UGA and Auburn, and then Malzahn leaving Auburn, Young should be UGA’s to lose. Get those two plus the others they are close with or already have and the Dawgs should be in good shape.
tide roll
December 14th, 2011
2:41 pm
THAT’S A GREAT GET.. Now who’s he going to back up? Dantzler, Debell, Long, Theus, Pyke or Houston? Why in name of all that is holy would BRANDON GREENE or AVERY YOUNG come to UGA!? All things being equal (and they’re not: Greene and Young are much better than any of those guys mentioned above, and y’all know it!). Yet for some reason they’ll back them up. It’s a GEORGIA THING and you’re problem is, GREENE and YOUNG understand it. Have you guys seen Dalvin Tomlinson? 6′3″290 lb(s) and looks thin. He played left tackle for Henry County and pushed Fla. commit Quenteze Williams all over the field. Y’all “conveniently” are recruitng him as a defensive lineman to protect your private school phenom and soon to be starting Center, Andrews. However, we see him as another Mike Pouncey except he’ll be playing center For BAMA! Thanks you so much Richt and Bobo. Look for your Christmas cards.We’ll mail them the day he commits to the TIDE!! 30 years and counting. Is it any wonder!?
Spike
December 14th, 2011
2:41 pm
He had no interest in Tech, huh? Imagine that.
G-Dawg
December 14th, 2011
2:42 pm
Good to see UGA recruiting guys with more size.
robodawg
December 14th, 2011
2:42 pm
Welcome Mark. This is great news! OL is an area of immediate need.
1970 Dawg
December 14th, 2011
2:44 pm
Since Marshall and Beard will enroll in Jan, do they count against the 25 limit on signees?
Pilfer Dawg
December 14th, 2011
2:44 pm
tide roll- your’e garbage spew on/off button broke off many years ago.
JDawg1785
December 14th, 2011
2:48 pm
GREAT news for the Dawgs! Welcome aboard, Mark!
D.Ellis
December 14th, 2011
2:51 pm
Tide Roll-Theus is more highly touted than Green and Young. You don;t know waht you speak of but your still entertianing none the less.
Brandon Green was in Athens on an official last weekend, and it seems to have done the UGA well with him…..guess we’ll see huh
Avery Young is down to Auburn and UGA with UF looking in at 3rd as of right now…guess we’ll see there as well
And I would venture to bet that Dalvin is being recruited by almost every single school to play DL….although I’m sure he could play OL
But keep posting your stuff it’s pretty entertaining….flase but entertaining none the less.
Troll Power Ratings
December 14th, 2011
2:53 pm
You guys do know that Tied Troll has openly admitted to being a TECHIE, don’t you?
TRUE FAN
December 14th, 2011
2:56 pm
TPP, isn’t it sad how much tech fans love UGA? Even we beat that azz they still talk sh@t like they’ve beat us 10 out 11. Sad
GF
December 14th, 2011
2:58 pm
I think it’s Dameyune and Prattville, instead of what you published.
TampaDawg
December 14th, 2011
3:02 pm
First Tide Roll, saying those two are better than Theus who is one of the top 2 or 3 lineman on virtually every board is just wishful thinking and YOU KNOW IT! And they aren’t going to start true freshman Pyke over true freshman Young .. and YOU KNOW IT!
Fact is, Young has UGA and Auburn in his top two and the Barners staff is self destructing which leaves Young with one LOGICAL choice .. UGA, and guess what .. YOU KNOW IT!
G-Dawg
December 14th, 2011
3:03 pm
1970…could be wrong, but think they count towards last years class.
BullDawg Rick
December 14th, 2011
3:07 pm
There cannot be enough “Big Uglies” in the trenches…
Hawgs to be good Dawgs!!