This is one of the most prestigious distinctions a high school player can earn, and as far as we’re concerned, the quartet of Bulldogs who were chosen reflects some wise decision-making.
Speaking of elite high school talent in Georgia, 5-star edge rusher Ladamion Guyton, one of the top players in the 2027 class, announced his commitment to Texas Tech on Thursday.
This obviously feels like a continuation of what has been some aggressive NIL spending on the part of the Red Raiders, and given their penchant for high-dollar offers, Guyton could remain with Texas Tech all the way to signing day next year.
However, the hunch here is that this recruiting battle might not be over quite yet.
Check out the rest of our coverage below.
Trivia time
Which highly-anticipated UGA freshman did Guyton play with last season at Savannah Christian?
Answer is at the bottom of the newsletter.
AJC Super 11: Get to know 4 Dawgs a lot better
Four of the AJC Super 11 members have made pledges to stay at home and play for the Bulldogs.
That’s enough reason for many Georgia fans to get to know them better already. Throw in the fact that those four were dubbed some of the top recruits in the state, and you could be looking at future UGA stars.
Malaki Starks, Mykel Williams, Amarius Mims and Smael Mondon are recent examples of Super 11 selections that went on to do incredible things at Georgia.
So how about we meet the next four?
Below, we’ve attached links to Super 11 profiles for all four Bulldogs on the list. You’ll see descriptions, photo shoots and a short video introducing you to each player.
Saturday scrimmage preview and why it’s so important for Georgia
We won’t be allowed to observe, but DawgNation will bring detailed reports — along with news on Kirby Smart’s analysis — from Georgia’s first Saturday scrimmage of fall camp.
This is a big day. For the theater kids in class, call this the first dress rehearsal of the new season (but without the pretty uniforms).
“We’re going to try to introduce kicking game, see where our freshmen are, give everybody an opportunity to go out there and play,” Smart said on Wednesday. “Play three groups. I don’t see it being different. The outcomes have always been different, but not in terms of format.”
We’ll learn a lot about how complete of a team Georgia is in all three phases. We’ll also hear more about how Gunner Stockton is progressing and processing live game action.
“He’s getting more opportunities at the decision-making process with two-minute drives,” Smart said. “He hasn’t had that many of them. He’s getting more now every day — red area. He’s just getting more opportunities to make good decisions. He continues to do that. I think avoiding catastrophic moments is what’s important.”
Stay close to DawgNation throughout the next few weeks in general, but Saturday could be very telling for where the Bulldogs stand in early August.
How Brock Bowers is still helping UGA win
Few former Bulldogs can say they had as successful of a rookie year in the NFL as Brock Bowers did last season.
The former UGA superstar broke the league rookie tight end records for receptions and receiving yards. He also broke the all-around rookie record for receptions.
Bowers won’t ever catch another pass in a Georgia uniform, but he’s still helping the Bulldogs win on Saturdays by dominating on Sundays. Georgia tight ends coach Todd Hartley said he uses Bowers as a recruiting pitch with tight end prospects all the time.
“Do I use Brock? Yes,” Hartley said. “Do I use Brock a lot? Yes.”
Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo also sees Bowers’ combination of athleticism with the ball and his ability to do the dirty work as a blocker as the standard.
It would stand to reason that every Georgia tight end would want to play like Bowers, dominant in every aspect of a tight end’s game.
“We look at the tight end, the catches that they might have, or the unbelievable plays that Brock (Bowers) or some of these guys have made in the past,” Bobo said. “But they know that they’ve got to get dirty, and they’ve got a block, and they’ve got to put their face on them, on people, and (Hartley) has done a good job of creating toughness in that room.”
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Photo of the Day
Bowden tight end/wide receiver Kaiden Prothro was named to the AJC Super 11 for 2025.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Quote of the Day
Smart on what UGA’s next step needs to be in practice:
“We can play faster. We can get timing in the passing game. We don’t have to worry about mental exhaustion mistakes because they shouldn’t be heat-induced.
“They might be mentally tired from practice, but not the same as it would be. So the conditioning level may not have been tested like we want to, but it has allowed us to take more reps and do more two-spot and get more guys developing, which has been good.”
Wellness update for RB Josh McCray, P Brett Thorson
UGA coaches provided quick updates for two key UGA players trying to work back to playing health.
The first is transfer running back Josh McCray, who still hasn’t suited up with the Bulldogs in fall camp. Smart said McCray is dealing with an illness but doesn’t expect it to keep him sidelined for much longer.
“He was a little sick, under the weather,” Smart said. “We’re trying to get him back out there. So he’s been dealing with some sickness stuff.
“I think he’s going to be fine. Hopefully, with the weather conditions we’ve had, he’ll be back even faster because it’s not been as hot out there.”
Special teams coordinator Kirk Benedict (shoutout to yesterday’s trivia answer) updated the recovery of punter Brett Thorson. The senior tore his ACL in last season’s SEC championship, yielding the starting job to sophomore Drew Miller for now.
“I’ve been proud of him, the way that he has attacked the rehab, and how he’s really, really been proactive about getting after it into the training room, he’s been great,” Benedict said. “He’s on schedule, he’s doing great, he’s doing everything the training room has asked him to do, and probably more. But he’s eager, I know, and obviously the training room has certain guidelines they gotta meet and whatnot, so he’s right on track, he’s doing well.”
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Trivia answer
Elijah Griffin
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