The state of Georgia remains one of the premier recruiting hotbeds in college football. Kirby Smart and Brent Key have no shortage of blue-chip talent in their backyard, and the Peach State continues to produce elite prospects every cycle. Looking ahead to the 2026 football season and the 2027 recruiting class, that trend shows no signs of slowing down.
Georgia Recruits to Watch
5-star EDGE David Jacobs: Jacobs committed to Ohio State late in December, so nothing is official until he signs. Miami was pushing hard before the Buckeyes landed the commitment. He is a Georgia legacy. Texas A&M was high on his list, too. Jacobs will be one we watch to see if he takes visits.
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4-star safety Chance Gilbert: Alabama is a school to watch. Gilbert is from Alabama; he has family there, and he is high on the Crimson Tide. Clemson and Georgia and Georgia Tech have been heavily involved, and the new staff at Auburn is working to get the Tigers in the mix.
4-star EDGE KJ Green: South Carolina set the pace in the race for Green for some time. Other schools have entered the picture, and one is Alabama. The Crimson Tide is in the top group. LSU, Miami and Texas A&M are three more to keep an eye on.
4-star safety Kamarui Dorsey: Dorsey committed early, and late in the fall, he committed to Texas A&M. Leading up to that commitment, Georgia was the school leading the way, so if the Aggies have any concerns, it is likely with the in-state school in Athens. Dorsey is expected to take visits.
Biggest Recruiting Battles
Georgia and Miami for offensive tackle Joshua Sam-Epelle: Georgia has been in the driver’s seat here, and commitment has been on his mind at times, but Miami has slowed him down. The staff in Coral Gables is doing a great job, like the one in Athens is, and this could come down to Kirby Smart vs. Mario Cristobal.
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Georgia and South Carolina for linebacker Ja’Bios Smith: This is an SEC battle. Schools are working to make this a race with more schools involved, but at this time, it is Georgia vs. South Carolina for the four-star out of Swainsboro. He has visited both schools over half a dozen times, and has strong relationships with both staffs.
South Carolina and Alabama for EDGE KJ Green: At different times over the last six months, Alabama and South Carolina have been on top of KJ Green’s list. It is too close to call at this time, and there are other schools involved, but as we get going in 2026, there is a major battle brewing between the Gamecocks and Crimson Tide.
In-State Outlook
Georgia: Out of the 31 signees in 2026, 17 played high school football in the state of Georgia. Smart wants to keep the best in state home. In 2027, Georgia has five commitments, and two from the Peach State. Like 2026, Georgia will look to run it back in 2027, and they are off to a good start. Out of the top 20 prospects in Georgia, multiple are trending toward the Bulldogs or have them in their top three or four schools.
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Georgia Tech: Brent Key has really come in and changed the way Georgia Tech recruits the state of Georgia. They are more aggressive, they push harder, and they are in, and win more battles in their home state. They have one commitment so far this cycle, and it is from wide receiver Jordan Christie. The Yellow Jackets will build off this. Over a dozen Georgia high school stars signed with Georgia Tech in 2026, and they will look to build on that this cycle. Brock Burrus, KJ Caldwell, Ta’Shawn Poole, George Lamons and JJ Brown are names the Yellow Jackets are high on.
Sleepers to Watch
3-star QB Derrick Baker: Baker missed most of his junior season due to injury, so he will have a lot of eyes on him in the coming months. He is a dual-threat quarterback with a nice arm and the ability to hurt defenses with his arm and legs.
LB Blaize Battaglia: Battaglia is a leader of the Milton defense, and he is drawing attention early in the year, but he is still under the radar. Multiple Ivy League schools have offered, and he is hearing from schools like Clemson, Ohio State and Virginia. He had 100 tackles in 2025 and he will see his stock rise this spring.
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ATH Marquis Fennell: Fennell is a name to know. We saw him over the weekend at Battle Miami 7v7 and he will blow up in the coming months. He is an explosive athlete out of Valdosta with the ability to make big plays from anywhere at any time.
Parting Predictions
1. More Top 20 recruits leave the state than sign with in-state schools. Georgia and Georgia Tech will work hard to sign as much of the top talent in the Peach State as possible, but Georgia is one of the top states in the country when it comes to football recruits, so other schools spend a lot of time in the state. Out of the Top 20 prospects, four are committed. Two of those are to Texas A&M, one is to Ohio State and the other is to Georgia. When we look back at this time next year, out-of-state schools will have success in the Peach State.
2. Georgia legacy Andrew Beard will end up a Bulldog. David Jacobs, a Georgia legacy, committed to Ohio State late in December. Beard likes Tennessee a lot, but Georgia will end up keeping him home. His uncle is Garrison Hearst, one of the best to ever run between the hedges, and Beard will follow.
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3. Bowdon will not win a fifth state title in a row. They edged Lincoln County 35-31 last month to secure their fourth straight state championship. Only three other public schools in Georgia history have accomplished that feat. The program will be back in the title conversation again in 2026, but expecting a fifth consecutive championship would go against the odds
