4-star LB Joakim Gouda commits to Georgia football

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The Georgia Bulldogs have landed one of the best recruits from their own state. Four-star linebacker Joakim Gouda has committed to Georgia, according to Hayes Fawcett. He committed to Georgia over Florida, Texas, and Auburn.

Gouda is a four-star prospect from the class of 2027. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker plays high school football for McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia. He is the No. 14 linebacker prospect and No. 193 overall prospect in the nation. The McEachern star is the No. 21 recruit in Georgia.

The Bulldogs clearly prioritized his recruitment. “It was hard to beat Georgia,” Gouda said to DawgNation. “Let’s just put it like that. The coaches at the other schools knew that. They knew how much ‘Schu’ (Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann) liked me. It was very mutual between ‘Schu’ and I.”

Gouda is big on his Christian faith, and he attributes his decision to his belief. “I just needed some discernment from the Lord,” Gouda said. “Because he knows what’s best for you. So I just prayed to the Lord to give me a clear sign. I just prayed because I didn’t always know what to do. He gave me a clear sign. I knew the way I felt about Georgia, it was just a feeling. A feeling that I’m a Dawg. My faith played a big and humongous part in my decision.”

Georgia’s been on a roll this week. The Bulldogs secured four commitments in the past two days: Gouda, three-star wide receiver Taurean Rawlins, three-star offensive tackle DJ Dotson, and three-star edge Olayiwola Taiwo. As a result, they’ve jumped up to the No. 21 recruiting class in the nation. Georgia now has 12 commitments in the class of 2027.

Gouda’s commitment seems like a done deal, too. He posted on his social media that he will not be visiting any other schools except Georgia. “I will not be taking any more visits anywhere except for UGA,” he posted.

Joakim Gouda’s commitment announcement

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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Georgia football adds commitment from nation’s No. 14 LB

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