Georgia lands quarterback Bailey Hockman for 2017 class

Georgia football coach Mark Richt greets fans prior to last season's game against Clemson. Richt and new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer landed a big recruit for their 2017 signing class Friday when McEachern High School quarterback Bailey Hockman committed to the Bulldogs. University of Georgia Photo.
Georgia football coach Mark Richt greets fans prior to last season's game against Clemson. Richt and new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer landed a big recruit for their 2017 signing class Friday when McEachern High School quarterback Bailey Hockman committed to the Bulldogs. University of Georgia Photo.

Georgia now knows its quarterback who will follow Jacob Eason.

Bailey Hockman, a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from McEachern High School in the Atlanta suburb of Powder Springs, committed to the Bulldogs on Friday morning. Hockman is Georgia's first commitment for the 2017 signing class and the first quarterback to receive a scholarship offer under new Bulldogs offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

"Coach Schottenheimer is a pretty cool guy, and I think I would fit really well in that system," Hockman told 247Sports.com. "If I want to get into the NFL, I think that is the place. He is also a very personal guy, more than some coaches who are all about football and not getting to know you."

Hockman picked the Bulldogs over scholarship offers from numerous schools, including Alabama, Florida State, Miami, South Carolina and Tennessee. One of his McEachern teammates, Julian Rochester, is a consensus top-five defensive tackle in the 2016 class and committed to Georgia late last month.

Among Hockman's favorite targets is receiver Tyler Simmons, an uncommitted 2016 recruit who has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Georgia Tech.

Hockman is rated by 247Sports.com as the No. 2 pro-style quarterback and the No. 43 overall prospect in the '17 class. He will be following Eason, a 6-5, 207-pounder from Lake Stevens, Wash., who is the highest-rated quarterback nationally in '16.

"Jacob Eason is going there, and he is obviously a great, big-time quarterback," Hockman said. "We would have to just go in and compete and see what happens. Taking a quarterback every year is pretty normal, so anywhere I go I will be competing."

Georgia will enter the 2015 season with just three quarterbacks on scholarship - Brice Ramsey, Faton Bauta and Virginia graduate Greyson Lambert - following Thursday's announcement that Jacob Park has elected to transfer.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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