Smart: UGA's season provided recruiting momentum

ATHENS, Ga. - A late Wednesday night commitment by a top-ranked player in South Carolina should be the icing on the cake of a spectacular 1st early signing day for Coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Smart says Georgia's march to the College Football Playoff provided recruiting momentum that helped his staff sign 19 players Wednesday, including highly rated quarterback Justin Fields and running back Zamir White.

Fields, White, offensive linemen Jamaree Salyer and Cade Mays, linebacker Adam Anderson and defensive end Brenton Cox earned five-star ratings from 247 Sports to push the Bulldogs #1 in its College Football Recruiting rankings after a Wednesday evening flip.

Four-star cornerback Nadab Joseph of Miami’s Norland H.S. flipped from Alabama and signed with the Bulldogs after committing to the Crimson Tide two weeks ago.

On Wednesday night, South Carolina linebacker Channing Tindall tweeted “I am committing to the University of Georgia!” with the hashtag “rarebreed18”.

Georgia will play Oklahoma in the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl for a spot in the national championship game.

Smart told reporters Wednesday the season created a "tidal wave effect" in recruiting.

Salyer, from Atlanta's Pace Academy, and another Georgia signee, Trey Hill from Warner Robins, are rated by Rivals.com as the nation's top two offensive guards.

White, from Laurinburg, North Carolina, will enroll early. He is recovering from a knee injury and won't participate in spring practice.

Mays from Knoxville, TN., became Georgia’s 5th highly rated offensive lineman to sign when he committed on ESPNU’s live recruiting broadcast.

Later in the afternoon, ESPNU broadcast the announcement of Stockbridge H.S. defensive end Cox, who was a one-time Ohio State commitment.

ESPN had already ranked the Bulldogs #1 in their rankings before the Tindall announcement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report