Georgia lands commitments from Toneil Carter, Andrew Thomas

Georgia had a big day in recruiting with a pair of prospects pledging on the other side of the country.

Langham Creek (Houston) running back Toneil Carter and Pace Academy (Atlanta) offensive lineman Andrew Thomas both announced their commitments to Georgia on the final day of the Nike 7-on-7 camp The Opening in Beaverton, Oregon.

Carter, a four-star running back who is considered the fifth-best at his position in the country according to the 247Sports.com composite, chose the Bulldogs over Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and TCU. Thomas picked Georgia over Notre Dame and Clemson. Thomas is also a four-star prospect who is considered the 10th-best offensive tackle in the country.

Carter is the first running back in Georgia’s 2017 recruiting class. With the possibility of juniors Nick Chubb and Sony Michel declaring for the NFL draft after this season, it’s imperative for Georgia to add depth at the running back position. Head coach Kirby Smart has previously stated offensive tackle would be one of the biggest needs in this year’s recruiting class, making Thomas’ addition a key one.

Thomas, in his ESPNU interview, said the chance at early playing time is appealing.

“They didn’t sign a tackle last year in 2016 so it’s a great opportunity for me to start as a freshman,” Thomas said.

Georgia now has 15 commitments in this year’s class.

While Georgia was able to shore up these two commitments, it also made the cut into Grayson defensive back Jamyest Williams’ top five schools. Williams, originally from the Athens area before moving to Gwinnett County, lists Georgia with Clemson, Ohio State, South Carolina and Tennessee in his final group.

This story was originally published July 10, 2016 at 4:16 PM with the headline "Georgia lands commitments from Toneil Carter, Andrew Thomas."