ATHENS - Georgia finally has a defensive back in its 2012 recruiting class.

Sheldon Dawson, considered the top recruit out of Tennessee, committed on Monday to the Bulldogs, according to several web sites.

Dawson, from Memphis, had been committed to the University of Memphis, but Georgia pursued him heavily over the past few weeks. He is rated a four-star recruit by the major recruiting services.

Georgia didn't have a defensive back recruit until Dawson, so his commitment was considered important for the class. He will have a chance to play right away, although the Bulldogs also have a number of defensive backs from the 2011 signing class (Damian Swann, Nick Marshall, Corey Moore, Chris Sanders) who will compete for time.

Dawson is the 17th commitment in Georgia's 2012 class. The other major targets are expected to announce their decisions on Wednesday.