ATHENS -- Coach Mark Richt rebounded from his first losing season at Georgia and solidified his shaky hold on his job by signing his ``dream team'' recruiting class.
Isaiah Crowell, a top-ranked running back from Columbus, signed with Georgia on Wednesday, giving Richt the final piece of the class. Crowell, from Carver High, picked Georgia over Alabama in an announcement nationally televised by ESPNU.
He is ranked as the nation's top-ranked running back by ESPN and Scout.com.
Crowell (6-0, 210) joins two Valdosta High players tight end Jay Rome and receiver/defensive back Malcolm Mitchell along with defensive end Ray Drew of Thomas County, one of the nation's top-rated defensive ends, as the cornerstones of Georgia's signing class.
The addition of Crowell lifted Georgia to the top six in the rankings by Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN of the nation's signing classes. Georgia signed 25 players.
Crowell put on a red Georgia cap and then was handed a white English bulldog puppy, which he held as he said Georgia ``just felt like home.''
Richt said he expects Crowell to contribute ``heavily'' as a freshman, including in the 2011 opener against Boise State in the Georgia Dome.
``I expect him to come in and compete right away,'' Richt said. ``I wouldn't be shocked to see him run that rock in the Dome against Boise State on the opening play if he does what he's supposed to do.''
Richt has had other highly ranked signing classes, including a 2006 class that included quarterback Matthew Stafford, running back Knowshon Moreno and defensive back Asher Allen.
Richt said he hopes this class ``will end up being the largest and most talented and the best bunch'' of his 11 years as coach.
This was an especially important class for Richt after a 6-7 finish in 2010, his first losing season. The coach also had to cope with several off-the-field incidents with player arrests and suspensions.
Richt said the recruits ``held firm'' during the poor season.
``It would have been real easy to run and hide about halfway through our season, and they didn't do that,'' Richt said. ``Over the course of their career, I'm hoping this is the best class I've ever signed at Georgia.''
Crowell won't be the only freshman who has a chance to play or start in 2011.
``I think everybody better hook it up and get ready to compete,'' Richt said. ``We're not giving anybody a 100-percent guarantee they have a job.''
Crowell and linebacker Kent Turene of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., were Georgia's only signees who had not given a previous verbal commitment.
Crowell is the only running back in the class.
Drew, Rome, Mitchell and others helped push the idea of Georgia landing the ``dream team'' of top in-state prospects.
In a year the state of Georgia was considered to be especially deep in top recruits, Richt signed six of the state's top 10 players, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, including the top three: Crowell, Drew and Rome.
``This is my dream team,'' Richt said. ``This is our dream team at the University of Georgia.
``We had targets we could shoot for and actually we nailed it pretty good. You never get them all but we came pretty close.''
Georgia's class includes 19 in-state players.
``This happened to be a top year for recruits in our state,'' said recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach Rodney Garner.
Rome joins an already deep tight end position. Richt said Bruce Figgins, who will be a senior, is moving from tight end to fullback.
Christian LeMay, the only quarterback in the class, and receiver Chris Conley enrolled for spring semester before the ``dream team'' idea gained momentum.
``I think it's a great concept,'' LeMay said, ``but we have to actively make that dream become a reality once we get here.''
Georgia football signees
Football signees announced Wednesday by Georgia, with name, position, height, weight, school and hometown:
David Andrews, c, 6-2, 275, Wesleyan School, Norcross
Sterling Bailey, de, 6-5, 260, East Hall HS, Gainesville
Devin Bowman, cb, 6-0, 175, Ridgeland HS, Rossville
Chris Conley, wr, 6-3, 180, North Paulding HS, Dallas
Isaiah Crowell, rb, 5-11, 210, Carver HS, Columbus
Watts Dantzler, ot, 6-7, 315, Dalton HS
Zach DeBell, ot, 6-7, 265, Tarpon Springs (Fla.) HS
Ray Drew, OLB, 6-5, 243, Thomas County Central HS, Thomasville
Quintavioius Harrow, db, 6-2, 200, Carver HS, Columbus
Amarlo Herrera, lb, 6-1, 224, N. Clayton HS, College Park
Christian LeMay, qb, 6-2, 195, Butler HS, Matthews, N.C.
Hunter Long, ol, 6-3, 293, Briarcrest Christian, Eads, Tenn.
Nick Marshall, ath, 6-2, 185, Wilcox Co. HS, Rochelle
Chris Mayes, dl, 6-5, 295, Spalding HS, Griffin
Malcolm Mitchell, wr/cb, 6-1, 187, Valdosta HS
Corey Moore, db, 6-1, 195, Griffin HS
Jay Rome, te, 6-6, 250, Valdosta HS
Chris Sanders, db, 6-1, 176, Tucker HS
Justin Scott-Wesley, wr, 6-1, 210, Mitchell County HS, Camilla
Sanford Seay, wr, 6-2, 200, Lee County (Ga.) HS, Leesburg
Damian Swann, db, 6-1, 170, Grady HS, Atlanta
Nathan Theus, ol, 6-3, 255, The Bolles School, Jacksonville, Fla.
Kent Turene, lb, 6-3, 225, Boyd Anderson HS Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
Xzavier Ward, ol, 6-7, 260, Colquitt County HS, Moultrie
Ramik Wilson, lb, 6-2, 218, Jefferson HS, Tampa, Fla.
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