Atlanta Weather

| Traffic

Search
AJC College Sports Recruiting

Rico Johnson: UGA gets commitment No. 19

7:38 pm June 16, 2012, by Michael Carvell

UGA’s newest recruit, Rico Johnson, cried after was he was offered a football scholarship at Saturday’s Mark Richt Camp.

They were tears of joy.

“That was my dream school; I always wanted to go there,” Johnson told the AJC. “I told myself if I ever got an offer from Georgia, that would be the school I would go to.”

Mark Richt picked up a new commitment after losing two earlier this week (AP photo)

Mark Richt picked up a new commitment after losing two earlier this week (AP photo)

The 5-foot-11, 171-pound Johnson is a wide receiver and defensive back from Swainsboro High School. He picked UGA over offers from Appalachian State and Marshall. He was virtually unknown to recruiters because he was ineligible to play last season as a junior after transferring high schools.

On Saturday, Johnson earned an offer on the spot after a dazzling performance, including being clocked at 4.25 and 4.28 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Toward the end of camp, UGA coach Mark Richt called Johnson over to speak. “He said ‘How would you like to be a Dawg?’ It made me cry. I went over and talked to my coach and my mom. Then I went back over to Coach Richt and gave him my full commitment to be a Dawg. He gave me a hug and said ‘Welcome to the Dawg family.’”

Even though Johnson is a little-known recruit, he was a big commitment for UGA  – the Bulldogs had a rough week after 5-star RB Derrick Henry and WR Kyrin Priester de-committed earlier this week. UGA needed to regain some momentum, and got it with Johnson. He’s the reigning Class AA state champion the 100-meter dash.

UGA now has 19 commitments for its 2013 football recruiting class.

“I knew I had a great day at camp, but I didn’t know I was going to get an offer,” Johnson said. “What a day.”

UGA commits for 2013

  1. QB Brice Ramsey, 6-3, 190, Camden County HS
  2. S Tray Matthews, 6-2, 205, Newnan HS
  3. DB Shaq Wiggins, 5-10, 160, Sandy Creek HS
  4. DB Steven Nelson, 6-0, 185, College of Sequoias JC (Northside-WR HS)
  5. DT Chris Mayes, 6-4, 295, Mississippi Gulf Coast JC (Spalding HS)
  6. DT DeAndre “Moose” Johnson, 6-3, 311, Northgate HS
  7. WR Tramel Terry, 6-0, 185, Goose Creek, S.C.
  8. LB Johnny O’Neal, 6-1, 230, West Laurens HS
  9. OL Aulden Bynum, 6-5, 250, Valwood HS
  10. LB Ryne Rankin, 6-1, 231, Orlando, Fla.
  11. LB Reggie Carter, 6-1, 220, South Gwinnett HS
  12. ATH JJ Green, 5-9, 178, Camden County HS
  13. DB Reggie Wilkerson, 6-0, Citron, Fla.
  14. OL Josh Cardiello, 6-4, 280, Buford HS
  15. OL Brandon Kublanow, 6-3, 290, Walton HS
  16. WR Uriah LeMay, 6-1, 200, Matthews, N.C.
  17. WR Reggie Davis, 6-1, 155, Tallahassee, Fla.
  18. OLB Naim Mustafaa, 6-4, 235, Alpharetta HS
  19. WR-DB Rico Johnson, 5-11, 171, Swainsboro HS

CHECK BACK ANY MINUTE FOR ANOTHER COMMIT …


BEST OF THE REST

– By Michael Carvell, AJC Recruiting Blog

Note: Inappropriate BLOG comments and personal attacks will NOT be tolerated. We love the lively discussions but hate-filled, harassing and irresponsible comments are unacceptable.

Please Follow me on Twitter @RecruitingAJC + Please be my Facebook friend here

  • Print

571 comments Add your comment

buckk

June 17th, 2012
12:37 am

Opinions please. Could the proverbial “fire” in Mark Richt’s belly be gone? Could it be the team is losing his message? Could it be that its just time for a change for Coach and our football team?

Woerner

June 17th, 2012
12:40 am

Rico cried. This guy is dying to play for the Dawgs! GUARANTEE you guys he will see a decent amount of playing time as a FROSH.

BS Patrol

June 17th, 2012
12:41 am

He cried. Oh yeah, he’ll be better than Henry/Priester combined. A wasted scholarship. He’ll never see the field at the cesspool. But at least you beat out Appalachian and Marshall. And take solace in the fact that SEC speed is preposterous.

dawgster

June 17th, 2012
12:44 am

Lakedawg, why not at least see how the season goes instead of making negative comments that your faith is waning…just what coach do you want in here that will give you that full satisfaction…you evidently forget or don’t know whwre our program was before coach richt…no he hasn’t won the BCS, yet, I’m dam* proud to have him as our coach…

Dawg Haus

June 17th, 2012
12:44 am

Great news! Congratulations and welcome, Rico!

nash

June 17th, 2012
12:47 am

congrat young man. It looks like Richt and company have found another diamond in the rough. Remember people Brice Ramsey had never taken a high school snap when he committed. Prestie was an unknown from Florida and, Vonn Bell as was unknown when UGA offered him. Heck UGA offered Henry before any of the Florida schools did.

He cried.

June 17th, 2012
12:50 am

BS BOY: 4.25…keep laughin!

dawgster

June 17th, 2012
12:50 am

Amen Nash…very good points…

boykin

June 17th, 2012
12:56 am

Agree Nash!

RED DOG 77

June 17th, 2012
12:57 am

Thomas Brown……….6/16……7:46pm…………My Dear Mr. Brown, You refered to someone who you seem to have a fued with as “Bipolar”. If you are a cold, heartless person you will just dis-regard what I have to say……………..My brother, who died a few short years ago was Bipolar. He had other mental problems as well. My family tried our best with the help of Drs. to assist him……….He suffered great pain in his life as did his family, friends and yes it caused me pain as well. I have a question for you mr brown: …………..When you question a persons football knowedge, do you say they must have brain cancer?…………..You see Mr. Brown, there is really no difference other than the fact they are different diseases……………I ask that you watch your mouth, and mabe think of others rather than your selfish little world that seems to frustrate you so much…………Thanks for listening, hope it did some good…………….RED

boykin

June 17th, 2012
1:08 am

RED DOG 77- good post! TBrown, we all know, is a blundering idiot.

mdr

June 17th, 2012
1:09 am

No one was reeling about losing a commitment from an undersized WR with very few offers. They saw something in the kid, so they offered him. He accepted and then later changed his mind. Life goes on.

BS Patrol

June 17th, 2012
1:10 am

Who the heck is Vonn Bell? He is still unknown. Rico is 5′6″, 150 lbs. I’m laughing at you, He cried.

Fidlin1

June 17th, 2012
1:11 am

I’ve got to trust the UGA staff, but no mention as to whether he can take a hit over the middle and wake up with the ball.

He cried.

June 17th, 2012
1:19 am

5′11′170s…4,25-4.4…Keep laughin uninformed one.

vonn scott soph

June 17th, 2012
1:20 am

Won’t know that till he gets on the field, Fidlin, will we?

BS Patrol

June 17th, 2012
1:27 am

5′6″ 150 lbs. Keep deluding yourself, funny man.

FallinLeadWeightTiger

June 17th, 2012
1:28 am

Vonn Bell-North GA 2013 DB recruit. 6 ft 1 in 190 lb db 4.4speed in 40 being recruited by many big schools

He cried.

June 17th, 2012
1:34 am

Always hatin…

Furyk2012USOpenWinnerforDawgs

June 17th, 2012
1:36 am

Yep, he’s 5′11″ 170’s ,BS Patron!

uh oh '91

June 17th, 2012
1:46 am

Only 3 OL in 2013 commits! Mark Richt at his best!

Mitchell

June 17th, 2012
1:50 am

Coach will have him playing DB like me one day.

Thomas Brown

June 17th, 2012
5:04 am

RED DOG 77,

Sir, when my post put the poster in question’s in quotation marks, that means that I did not say it. I am not in the habit of putting quotation mark’s around my own remarks, as no one would. Sir.

Here is the post you are so hyped-up about :

http://blogs.ajc.com/recruiting/2012/06/15/rough-week-uga-loses-second-football-recruit-in-three-days/?cp=all#comment-268471

Try clicking it, if you are going to make an entire blog post on the topic, when I already had put his quote from said post in quotation marks for you, to which I too – took EXCEPTION TO.

Posted by someone OTHER THAN BY ME : June 16th, 2012 7:15 am

“Mr. Brown, you and your brethen constantly trash Atlanta. Now you spout off this? You truelly are bipolar.”
______________________________________________________________________
CAN YOU REALLY TRULY NOT TELL THAT POST IS NOT BY ME MY BRETHREN ?
______________________________________________________________________
I did not, as you can see call someone bipolar. In fact, there is not 1 single post by me ever anywhere where I called anyone ever bipolar.

JEEZ LOUISE.
_____________________________________________
Now, if we can get back to football recruiting,

Our Recruit Rankings are NOT IN THE TOP 25 for average recruit. We are dangerously close to averaging a commitment from recruits who in fact average in the 2-star range. I have no idea what some fans in here are talking about either when they state that South Carolina has to prove it ON THE FIELD.

(1) South Carolina beat us in football, in fact Aaron Murray has not beat ANY South Carolina quarterback with his play yet in his entire career here. That, is proving it on the field. There is NO OTHER MEASURE of proving it on the field.

(2) South Carolina completed their season, including allowing us to then, therefore BACK INTO The SEC East Championship because as stated by South Carolina fans to this very blog all day long, we have not beat a single team starting with Kentucky game in 2007 who finished their SEC season with a winning record. That includes SPECIFICALLY AUBURN.

(3) South Carolina had to play Arkansas. Had we played Arkansas, the results of such a contest last season were obvious to even the most diehard lying hyping Richt Apologist. Arkansas ended up # 5 in the nation. That’s every single solitary poll # 5 in the nation.

(4) I believe we all know that # 2 LSU played # 1 Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game, thus prompting all this PLUS ONE + 1 discussion so that all the other conferences could INSIST on you had to be one of the conference champions to play in the plus one. They appear to be having a hard time making this stick, however.

(5) South Carolina actually, truly, indeed is the # 9 team in the nation. They also are the # 4 team in The SEC.

(6) Since we finished up # 19 in the nation in every poll, that makes UGA the # 5 team in The SEC 2011. (We also now for 2012, to cement this in your minds, are the # 6 SEC team in won/lost record after 2005.)

*1. Alabama
*2. Louisiana State
3. Oklahoma State
4. Oregon
*5. Arkansas
6. Southern Cal
7. Stanford
8. Boise State
*9. South Carolina
10. Wisconsin
11. Michigan State
12. Michigan
13. Baylor
14. TCU
15. Kansas State
16. Oklahoma
17. West Virginia
18. Houston
*19. Georgia
20. Southern Miss
21. Virginia Tech
22. Clemson
23. Florida State
24. Nebraska
25. Cincinnati

(7) We are NOT the # 2 team in The SEC 2011. Indeed, as he stated LSU beat 3 teams who actually achieved AP Poll Top 10 and Alabama beat 2 teams who actually achieved AP Poll Top 10.

(8) South Carolina beat Climpsum Farmers and Nebraska, both of whom made the AP Poll Top 25, while once again Mark Richt and his staff with his average 3.65 recruit, not average 3.11 recruit commitment for 2013, repeated our previous year’s efforts against actual AP Poll Top 25 teams, and LOST every game, again. As we always do nowadays, too.

(9) That doesn’t make us better than South Carolina that we LOST to EVERY team who made the AP Poll Top 25 again 2011 as have done since beating # 13 Georgie tek way back in 2009, before Aaron Murray brought his ballhog skills and deer in a headlight’s attitude against the in-fact top teams, while South Carolina beat Climpsum Farmers and Nebraska, 2 AP Poll Top 25 teams.

(10) We couldn’t beat any team who made any top 25 poll and South Carolina beat TWO (2) such teams.

(11) Arkansas is one of 5 teams who beat Auburn. Auburn made NO top 25 poll whatsoever, none, nada. 5-loss seasons in a 14-game season is NOT good, nor acceptable. See any poll of your choice.

(12) Arkansas beat # 9 South Carolina. Excuse me, we did not do that. We LOST to USCe.

(13) Therefore, according to EVERY POLL

SEC Team # 1 Alabama
SEC Team # 2 LSU
SEC Team # 3 Arkansas
SEC Team # 4 South Carolina
*****END OF LIST OF AP POLL TOP 10 SEC TEAMS************
distant
SEC Team # 5 Georgia

# 1 Alabama
# 2 LSU
# 5 Arkansas
# 9 South Carolina
_______________
# 19 Georgia

And, why is this ? Because Georgia did NOT beat a single team who made any top 25 poll, again 2011 as we have not since beating suspect # 13 Georgie tek in 2009 (and no others 2009 and 1 in 2008 Michigan State who themselves beat no team who achieved AP Poll Top 25 in 2008.)

We haven’t beat a team who made AP Poll Top 10, since beating # 9 Auburn in 2006 when we also lost to a 2-win Vandie team whose said 2 wins only were over 0-12 Duke and 1-11 Temple in 2006, but Vandie BEAT MARK RICHT’S COACHING STAFF 2006.

Thomas Brown

June 17th, 2012
5:16 am

__________________

boykin, is that you sir ?
__________________
boykin February 16th, 2012 7:32 pm

“Sanders Commings should be kicked off the team…what a moron”
_____________________________________________________

Thomas Brown

June 17th, 2012
5:18 am

RED DOG 77,

I will take your APOLOGY to me forthwith.

Paddy

June 17th, 2012
5:18 am

Big Day for Swainsboro……………Blake Adams is in 4h place at the US Open in his first ever major tourny. A damn good Dawg !

Thomas Brown

June 17th, 2012
5:42 am

2013 Recruiting by Commitments to-date (over half committed) :

4.56 Southern California
4.33 Oregon
4.00 Ohio State
3.93 Notre Dame
3.86 Michigan
3.73 Texas
3.67 Stanford
3.60 Texas A&M
3.60 Oklahoma
3.53 Florida*
3.50 Miami of Florida
3.50 Climpsum Farmers
3.42 Florida State
3.36 Pennsylvania State
3.33 Alabama*
3.33 Michigan State
3.31 Auburn*
3.30 Nebraska
3.29 UCLA
3.25 South Florida
3.17 Wisconsin
3.15 Mizzou*
3.14 Maryland
3.13 Virginia Tech
3.11 Georgia*

Every season Mark Richt’s claim to fame has been that he recruited the BEST IN THE NATION with an average before this recruiting season of 3.65 recruits, now we replace those 38 attrition of 3.65 with 3.11 recruits, when Mark Richt has been WHOLLY UNABLE to beat AP Poll Top 10 teams with 3.65 average recruits all 11 years of just 3 wins of 16 games to-date with 3.65 recruits.

3.11 recruits will have SAME 35 % ATTRITION Mark Richt always has with his recruits
_____________________________________________________________________

We are being out-recruited in our own state, again, where we have NONE of the top 8 recruits in-state. At every position where we have a recruit, all these other top teams have a better recruit commitment than we do at that position.

_________________________________________________
HEADLINERS 2013 RECRUITING CLASS WE HAVE NONE.
_________________________________________________

Dawgs2012

June 17th, 2012
6:12 am

2013 Offensive Lineman Laremy Tunsil(Florida) rates his visit to UGA a 10/10.

Ringleader

June 17th, 2012
6:31 am

Thomas Brown……………….

Why don’t you and Tide Roll chat to each other.

oakisland

June 17th, 2012
7:07 am

Hey Dawgster, welcome back.

Paddy

June 17th, 2012
7:43 am

ASKING……..5′6″???????? the article said he is 5′11″. What a Maroon!!!!!!!!

bitter//dawgs insider

June 17th, 2012
8:02 am

@paddy –he is 5′11 you dumb blonde———-T/Brown—take your meds

or jump off a bridge———–you stink, your goofy dia-tribes about this and that.

va tech makes a living recruiting 3 star playa’s, keeping them on campus for a full 5 seasons

THERE IS A NEW WORLD ORDER IN ATHENS———NO MORE RECRUITING THUGGS

ALSO KNOWN AS PRE–MO–DONNA’S

LIFE IS CHANGING IN ATHENS———–NOW YOU NEED TO CHANGE FOOL

We Run the East

June 17th, 2012
8:06 am

Dawgs like to sign as many 4.20’s as possible, but 4.25 will do. Just 5 minutes late to the party!

Kimmer

June 17th, 2012
8:07 am

Sorry you are bipolar Thomas Brown.

Delusional

June 17th, 2012
8:12 am

“Rico cried.” I’m sure he did, along with knashing his teeth and wringing his hands. The real question is…did his momma cry?

GT Fan

June 17th, 2012
8:14 am

LOL, I will take no pity in laughing at this recruit and UGA fans.

If this were any other team, UGA fans would be berating and bashing him.

This guy has ZERO stars, no offers (App st. and Marshall don’t count) and wait…who is this guy?

170 lbs. 5′11″ WR? Please. He’ll never see a minute of PT at UGA.

bitter//dawgs insider

June 17th, 2012
8:14 am

IF you chose a 5* thugg which athens has had there share, clarke county sherrif office stays bussy

So now the approch is for example —-josh harvey clemens—-4.0 student, a solid citizen

This year #1 recruit—-head case—need entire high school to play along side him

#2 recruit—-has baby at age 14—-another head case

—————-nether is welcome

bitter//dawgs insider

June 17th, 2012
8:18 am

@dumb a$$ trolls–MALCOM MITCHELL IS 5′11—————HELLO ANYBODY HOME

He is being compared to malcom—-so stop crying

Coach richt and coach gratham have a plan—–NOW GET ON BOARD DUMMIES

GT Fan

June 17th, 2012
8:21 am

lol…this little kid is being compared to MM? You are delusional. UGA=most delusional fan base.

GT

June 17th, 2012
8:25 am

How do you hide 40 times like that until the kid gets to camp? This has got to be the fastest kid in the state. What is wrong with him?

Holy Guacamole

June 17th, 2012
8:27 am

Heck, if nothing else, I would like to see UGA win it all this year just to shut “Thomas Brown” up for a change.

Real Problem

June 17th, 2012
8:28 am

Sure would be nice to see accurate times and height FROM ALL SCHOOLS….seems like the real truth can only be found at the NFL combine. Not to pick on Alabama players, but Julio was not 6′4″ he was 6′2&7/8″, the same for Donte Hightower and Trent 5′11″ was really 5′9″. All first round picks that played bigger than their reported heights.

Holy Guacamole

June 17th, 2012
8:32 am

So geniuses, Scott-Wesley is not a good receiver because he has blazing speed? Or Malcolm Mitchell for that matter? Boykin was not a good db because he is only 5′10″? Quick, tell the NFL before they give him a big contract.

Pete

June 17th, 2012
8:33 am

GameCOCK in SC. You talk real tough little man-Lets meet up as I see you ;live in GA and see how long you run your mouth!!!

bitter//dawgs insider

June 17th, 2012
8:40 am

@ALL HATERS–AKA BAMMA AND TECH TRANNIES

————–DAWGS HAVE THE GREATEST TALLENT which includes GPA–and good people skills

———–THAT HAS EVER BEEN ON CAMPUS—–led by RAY DREW, JOSH H. CLEMONS

——————-DIFFERENT APPROCH——-DIFFERNT RESULTS—-YOU WILL SEE

bitter//dawgs insider

June 17th, 2012
8:42 am

NO MORE THUGGS MEANS?—-NO MORE “RED NECKS////OR////BLACK NECKS

————————-DUMMIES NOT EXCEPTED ON UGA CAMPUS

Sad two way streets

June 17th, 2012
8:45 am

“My brother, who died a few short years ago was Bipolar.”

I’m sorry to read this about your brother. I know it’s a tragedy and you deal with it every day.
I lost my brother a few years ago too in a most horrific way. Not a day passes without thinking about him.
I made a post back then on these very blogs and was greeted with derision, laughter, ridicule and scorn. I was saddened by the lack of empathy and enraged that people could get pleasure from my pain. Not to mention that the person they ridiculed lived a life defending their right to make such statements. It really opened my eyes about the majority of these bloggers and the type of people they are.
Anyway, I learned not to take any of this serious. It is what it is and for some “anything goes”.
Again, my sympathies and stay strong. This is from a “bug, gnat, techie, etc.” God bless!

Sad two way streets

June 17th, 2012
8:47 am

Please continue with the regularly scheduled trash.

bitter//dawgs insider

June 17th, 2012
8:59 am

nICE TECHIE—————-LOST FOR WORDS———-YOU’LL ALWAYS HAVE THE

————————————-VARSITY

RHall55

June 17th, 2012
9:03 am

Will Friend!! Where are the OL?? UGA needs more OL and OT!! C’mon Gomer do your job!!

« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 12 Next » Show All