The Georgia Bulldogs hit the jackpot in the trenches with their 2025 recruiting class — as all of their top four recruits in the class came along their defensive front — including five-stars Elijah Griffin, Isaiah Gibson and Zayden Walker.
Of the bunch, Griffin was the headliner, as he was a top-five recruit in the Class of 2025 and a key pickup that is staying in his home state, rather than pursuing other serious contenders.
So what ultimately pushed the Bulldogs over the top?
“Honestly, the reason I chose the University of Georgia wasn’t because of the football aspect, it was the development key. Me as a man and as a person, you know, that’s what played a key role into my decision,” Griffin said while participating in events for Under Armour’s All-America game on Jan. 2. “Knowing that you have a coach like Coach Scott to put, you know, guys that play your position into where you want to be in the future, I mean, this speaks volumes.
“You know, he’s done it. He sent guys to the next level. And, you know, those guys are doing great. Devonte Wyatt, Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, you know, all those guys, they’re doing phenomenal in the NFL. So to have that coach to coach you, and I mean, that just speaks proof is in the pudding. So that’s pretty much it.”
Griffin also had a longstanding relationship with head coach Kirby Smart, who began recruiting the standout defensive tackle all the way back in eighth grade.
“Coach Smart [was with me] throughout this whole process” Griffin said. “It all kind of started in eighth grade for me. You know, throughout this process, he has not changed. He has been the same person as he was in eighth grade up to now. You know, he’s always told me to just keep the main thing the main thing. Focus and you could do anything you put your mind to.”
Griffin and the 2025 recruiting class are expected to be significant factors for the Bulldogs, not only as freshmen but throughout the next three to four years. And it helps that the group has already begun to forge a bond before even getting to campus.
“JJ Hanne coming in, we talk [a lot], and [me and] Isaiah Gibson, we go a long way seeing each other on visits years back, from our freshman year up to our senior year, taking USC [and] Miami visits together, and, you know, we talk all the time,” Griffin said.
While the star defensive tackle is excited to hit the field as soon as possible, Griffin understands there’s work to be done, starting with the weight room.
“Honestly, from what I expect [from my freshman year], I expect a lot of strength and conditioning from Coach [Scott] Sinclair,” Griffin said. “A lot of learning the playbook, a lot of studying and a lot of just dialing in and keeping the main thing the main thing, [and] just having tunnel vision. That’s what I expect.”
A scheme-independent player that can play a lot of roles, Griffin is ready to take the torch as the next elite defensive lineman to come out of Georgia, hoping to follow in the footsteps of a long line of first-round picks ahead of him.