Nick Marshall to the Dawgs and the big winner is...

MARK FOX!

Yeppers, University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt's idea of a dream team, a recruiting class made up of the best-of-the-best in-state talent, netted Wilcox County QB Nick Marshall last night. Marshall was so dynamic last season in the playoffs, leading Wilcox to the title and looking like perhaps the best player in the state in the process. So after being a silent Tech commit, Marshall has openly declared that he will sign with Georgia as a defensive back.

And the best part, the 6'2 pure athlete has announced that he will moonlight on the hardwood for Fox's Hounds. Yep, this dude also led Wilcox's BBall team to the semis by averaging 25.7 ppg. (I know, I covered the playoffs for GPB).

So not only does Georgia keep Marshall (tailor-made for Paul Johnson's offense) away from Tech, but they get a DB with size (what Grantham wants) AS WELL AS the first true STUD for Mark Fox's recruiting class in 2011....and Fox doesn't have to use up a scholarship to get perhaps the best returning player in SoGeo. This is a great day not just for Georgia football, but for Georgia Basketball. This guy could have double-dipped at FSU or Tech, but he decided to do so at Georgia.

Yeah, I'll say that Richt owes some thanks to Fox, just as much as Fox owes Richt a thank you card. Fox is showing with Thornton, Williams, Brantley (sort of) and now Marshall that he can keep some of the top talent in Georgia. NC State, Memphis, Tennessee, Wake: your days of raiding the state for whomever you want are OVER.