BREAKING: Fast-Rising Defender Commits To UGA Football Over Florida Gators
ATHENS - For the third day in a row, Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs add another commitment in the 2026 class.
And more are coming soon...
This time they land a commitment from promising defensive lineman Corey Howard who chose the Bulldogs over the Florida Gators.
One of the fastest-rising prospects across the South, the Valdosta (GA) standout saw his recruitment take off this spring and earned from the Georgia Bulldogs back on May 8th. The Gators came in with an offer two weeks later.
Howard was on Georgia’s radar before earning an offer as the staff had him in town during their G-Day scrimmage in April. After watching him at a spring practice a few weeks later, they extended an offer and immediately became the team to beat in his recruitment. The Gators made things interesting, but in the end, Howard decided to stay in the state and give a verbal pledge to Tray Scott and the Dawgs.
Howard took his official visit to Georgia the weekend of June 16th and was back in town to work out in front of the staff last Friday.
Now, Howard is on the commit list, giving Georgia their third defensive line commitment in the 2026 class. He’s also Georgia’s 20th commitment this cycle and the 10th commit so far this month.
Don’t expect him to be the last either...
What will Howard bring to Athens?
Size, versatility and potential.
At 6-foot-4 245-pounds, Howard is a guy who played all over the line of scrimmage last season for the Wildcats. He can play standing up on the edge or with his hand on the ground. He even played in the middle of Valdosta’s defensive line at times last year.
His size and length stand out quickly, but when you turn on the tape, it’s easy to see the raw talent he brings to the table. He’s quick off the snap, plays with good leverage and can be tough to handle for just one offensive lineman. He’s quick enough to beat tackles off the edge and strong enough to take on blocks from opposing guards. He’s an active defender with raw talent, so while he may be a bit of a project, the Georgia staff clearly thinks they can work with him.
In a recruiting cycle where the defensive staff clearly wants to take high-ceiling kids with promise, Howard certainly fits that mold. He doesn’t have four or five stars next to his name, but he has size you can’t teach and the potential to turn into a really nice player if developed properly.
The Georgia staff likes him more than most, and if you trust Tray Scott and coach Diribe, two guys who know talent, it’s hard not to like this addition to Georgia’s class.
As a junior last season, Howard made 36 tackles, 10 TFLs and 4.5 sacks.