Georgia snags nation's No. 2-ranked tight end
Georgia's recruiting fortune during the inaugural national early signing period continued with yet another top-tier commitment.
The Bulldogs snagged a pledge from Luke Ford, the No. 2 ranked tight end out of Carterville, Illinois. According to the 247Sports.com composite, Ford is the 49th-ranked prospect nationally. A four-star recruit, Ford figures to add depth to the position with Georgia losing tight ends Jeb Blazevich and Jordan Davis at the conclusion of this season.
During a commitment ceremony, Ford signed his national letter-of-intent, which Georgia received and announced. Soon after, the Bulldogs received a national letter-of-intent from four-star linebacker Channing Tindall, who verbally committed to the program Wednesday night. Georgia now has now signed 20 commits in the early signing period and holds a total of 24 commitments for the 2018 class.
Ford will pair up with fellow tight end recruit John FitzPatrick, a Marist product who signed his national letter-of-intent Wednesday. FitzPatrick said he was hopeful for Ford to sign with Georgia and that the two would make a great tandem in the years to come.
“I would love to have him as a teammate,” FitzPatrick said. “We could be a great duo together.”
FitzPatrick will get his wish with Ford joining the fold. Ford was originally slated to wait until February to sign his letter-of-intent but had a change of heart and announced he would hold a ceremony at 4 p.m. EST to announce his decision.
Ford chose Georgia over Auburn, Alabama, Illinois and Texas A&M.
At 6-foot-6 and 248 pounds, Ford will enter the college ranks with a big frame suitable for the college level. It should help Ford acclimate to blocking for Georgia's run game, considering that's what the Bulldogs have done all season long. While the tight ends haven't been too active in the passing game, they have been utilized often as run blockers.
This story was originally published December 21, 2017 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Georgia snags nation's No. 2-ranked tight end."