The recruitment of ESPN 300 linebacker Roquan Smith has ended. On Friday the four-star prospect, ranked No. 29 overall in the 2015 class, signed a financial aid agreement with Georgia, choosing the home-state Bulldogs over Michigan, Texas A&M and UCLA.
"As you could imagine it's been tough lately," Smith said in a released statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "But I am relieved to say that I am officially committed to The University Of Georgia 100 percent."
The commitment ends a recruitment that has received plenty of attention since national signing day on Feb. 4. Smith initially committed to UCLA live on ESPNU, but did not sign and fax in his letter of intent. Instead, he backed off his verbal pledge and reopened his recruitment among the four schools.
He backed off the Bruins after hearing that UCLA defensive coordinator and primary recruiter Jeff Ulbrich was likely headed to the Atlanta Falcons, which ultimately happened on Monday. While Smith was already torn between the Bulldogs and Bruins the night before announcing and decided on the Bruins only the morning of Feb. 4, the uncertainty surrounding Ulbrich's status put an end to the chances Smith would fax in a letter of intent on national signing day.
The fact that Smith chose to sign a financial aid agreement instead of a letter of intent protects him from being tied to a university if the Bulldogs have any unexpected coaching changes before he enrolls in June.
With Smith in the fold, Georgia puts the icing on top of a class that ranked No. 8 before Smith's commitment. The Bulldogs now have 15 ESPN 300 prospects in the class, including nine on the defensive side. Defensive line and linebackers were the major need for Georgia in the 2015 class. Adding Smith means 13 of the 30 prospects in the class are on the front seven, helping stockpile future talent at the positions.
