Georgia has two early enrollees in its 2010 class of football commitments, with one having the potential to start right away and the other realizing it might take time.
Safety Jakar Hamilton arrived in Athens this month after two seasons at Georgia Military College, and he found both starting spots vacant following the departure of Bryan Evans and the early departure of Reshad Jones. Hamilton admitted the depth chart played a role in him picking the Bulldogs over scholarship offers from Alabama and Auburn.
"It's great," Hamilton said Wednesday. "I found out Reshad was leaving, and I was real happy for him making the decision. That right there just let me know I had to come out here and work hard every day on and off the field to get the coaches' respect and their trust to come out on the field and be a starting safety."
The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder from Edgefield, S.C., is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 2 junior-college prospect nationally behind Blinn (Texas) Community College quarterback Cam Newton, who enrolled recently at Auburn. Hamilton played two seasons at GMC, so he will have three years to play two seasons for the Bulldogs.
Offensive guard Kolton Houston knows there is a mass of humanity between him and a starting position this fall, as Georgia will return its starting front from last season and has Trinton Sturdivant and Tanner Strickland returning from injury. Rated by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 21 guard prospect, the 6-5, 270-pounder from Buford High School may be asked to redshirt.
"I wouldn't be offended at all," Houston said. "For now, I just hope to gain an experience this spring and do the best I can. That's all I can do."
Houston is one of two Buford High prospects to enroll early in the SEC, joining Auburn outside linebacker Jessel Curry. Georgia guard Dallas Lee enrolled early last year out of Buford, as did Florida defensive tackle Omar Hunter in 2008.
Hamilton believes he could be a natural fit at free safety alongside Bacarri Rambo, who was a redshirt freshman strong safety this past season.
"Rambo weighs 10 or 15 more pounds than I do, so I'd probably consider myself a free safety because I'm faster and can jump a little higher," Hamilton said. "So that would give me the opportunity to catch more interceptions helping the corners."
Joining the mix this summer will be Newnan High's Alec Ogletree (6-3, 210), who Rivals.com pegs as the nation's No. 3 prep safety.
"He won't be the free-safety type, because he doesn't have a lot of speed," Hamilton said. "From close range, he'll knock your head off. I can see him playing strong (safety) or either an outside linebacker, because he's got the height and the weight."
Odds and ends
The G-Day spring game has been set for April 10 and will have either a 1 or a 2 p.m. start. It will overlap with The Masters in Augusta but not with Easter, which is April 4. ... Guard Justin Anderson (shoulder), fullback Fred Munzenmaier (shoulder) and defensive end Jeremy Longo (knee) underwent surgeries last week. Longo will miss spring practice, while the others will be limited.