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Rumors began swirling Wednesday afternoon about Georgia Tech gaining a commitment for its 2017 class. Those rumors were confirmed on Thursday morning, as 4-star DB Gentry Bonds announced his commitment to Georgia Tech.
4-star DB Gentry Bonds has committed to Georgia Tech. He breaks down his decision here: https://t.co/JwBZ0Z7LzD pic.twitter.com/MLv12ghCrf
— Woody Wommack (@RivalsWoody) August 18, 2016
This is a big-time pickup for the Yellow Jackets, as Bonds becomes the the highest-rated recruit in the class (depending on which service is being considered). A native of Murfreesboro, TN, Bonds stands 6’1” and weighs in around 190 pounds. He plays for Riverdale High School, where he’s the highest-rated recruit in recent years. Bonds commits to Georgia Tech over the remainder of his top 5 — Clemson, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kentucky — as well as offers from Louisville, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt.
Bonds’ junior highlights show a very gifted, versatile defensive back. He plays both cornerback and safety, showing equal prowess in both man and zone coverage. Bonds shows good instincts, breaking on balls and reading quarterbacks very well. He also shows good hands, converting some tough interceptions off of tipped passes. It should be noticed here, too, that Bonds shows some very good physicality, using his larger frame to his advantage. In transitioning to college, Bonds will need to continue improving his athleticism and the fluidity in his hips, and needs to polish some of his coverage skills. That said, his versatility is a huge part of his value on the football field, and lends itself very nicely to his transition to the Flats.
Bonds is rated a 4-star recruit by Rivals (5.8) and a 3-star recruit by the 247Sports Composite (0.8545). Rivals rated him the #9 recruit in the state of Tennessee’s 2017 class in their spring rankings. He becomes the 11th commitment and 4th defensive back in his recruiting class, joining Dameon Williams, Jaytlin Askew, and OJ Tucker in the secondary. Including recent ratings updates from Rivals, the 2017 recruiting class now shapes up like this:
| Position | Name | Ht | Wt | Hometown | Rivals | 247Sports | Commit Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | Pressley Harvin III | 6-0 | 230 | Sumter, SC | 3-star (5.5) | 2-star (0.7965) | 3/7/2016 |
| OL | Connor Hansen | 6-2 | 320 | Tallahassee, FL | 3-star (5.5) | 3-star (0.8154) | 6/5/2016 |
| LB | TD Roof | 5-11 | 202 | Buford, GA | 3-star (5.5) | 3-star (0.8104) | 6/6/2016 |
| K | Joseph Bulovas | 6-0 | 205 | Mandeville, LA | 2-star (5.4) | 3-star (0.8054) | 6/10/2016 |
| DB | Dameon Williams | 5-10 | 170 | Norcross, GA | 3-star (5.5) | 3-star (0.8422) | 6/11/2016 |
| DB | Jaytlin Askew | 5-9 | 170 | Powder Springs, GA | 3-star (5.7) | 3-star (0.8646) | 6/16/2016 |
| OL | Zach Quinney | 6-6 | 260 | Savannah, GA | 3-star (5.6) | 3-star (0.8362) | 7/19/2016 |
| OL | Demetris Harris | 6-3 | 280 | Jacksonville, FL | 3-star (5.6) | 3-star (0.8207) | 7/24/2016 |
| OL | Michael Minihan | 6-3 | 285 | Honolulu, HI | 3-star (5.5) | 3-star (0.8265) | 7/26/2016 |
| DB | OJ Tucker | 6-0 | 190 | Ocala, FL | 3-star (5.5) | 3-star (0.8455) | 8/5/2016 |
| DB | Gentry Bonds | 6-1 | 190 | Murfreesboro, TN | 4-star (5.8) | 3-star (0.8545) | 8/18/2016 |
With just under 6 months until National Signing Day, Georgia Tech has 7 spots remaining in the class (prior to any early attrition from current team members).
Congratulations to Gentry, his family, and Georgia Tech’s coaching staff!