Mike Bobo got some well-deserved attention for his recruiting efforts, but I want to talk about Todd Grantham. Georgia’s defensive coordinator was named one of the nation’s 25 best recruiters by Rivals.com.

The gusto with which Grantham has approached recruiting has been noteworthy. It’s especially so if you think about how foreign and distasteful recruiting can seem to someone coming from the NFL. Recruiting isn’t pleasant – if you believe the talk, it’s a part of the reason why Van Gorder left the college ranks. I don’t know if it’s unusual or not, but it surprised me to see Grantham jump out there with enthusiasm shortly after he took the job and start laying the groundwork for the Dream Team class. I’m sure it registered that he’d need players to make his system successful, but becoming a recruiter again still had to be an adjustment.

Entering his third season, Grantham now has a couple of things working in his favor that he didn’t have when he arrived: first, he can point to results to establish legitimacy. It was one thing to connect the dots to DeMarcus Ware and NFL success, but now the current Georgia defense is its own advertisement. Second, he now has the lay of the land. He spent a lot of time in first year visiting high schools across Georgia. The relationships are in place, and he needs no introduction now. He should have a better idea where the players are that he’ll need to run his system.

With a strong recruiting staff including Garner, Bobo, and Lilly working alongside him, Grantham should be expected to remain one of the top recruiters in the nation and keep the Georgia defense stocked with talent. Given the needs of the 2013 class, it’ll be his biggest recruiting challenge yet.