Georgia Faces Tough Competition for 5-Star OT Mark Matthews with $825K NIL Value
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The Georgia Bulldogs have been hard at work building up their 2027 recruiting class. Kirby Smart and his staff have landed six commitments, ranking fifth in the SEC and 12th in the nation, per Rivals.
Headlining the group is five-star running back Kemon Spell, who committed to the Bulldogs on Feb. 2. However, Georgia is working on bringing in yet another one of the cycle’s top players.
Out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Mark Matthews is a five-star prospect, the No. 1 offensive tackle and the No. 6 player in the nation, according to Rivals Industry Rankings. At 6-foot-5 and 302 pounds, he already has impressive size for a high school junior.
The pass protector is set to announce his commitment decision on Friday, with the Bulldogs, Miami Hurricanes, Texas A&M Aggies and LSU Tigers as the four finalists. Unfortunately for Georgia, Rivals’ Hunter Shelton reports that the battle for Matthews is essentially a two-team race between Miami and Texas A&M.
“Miami and Texas A&M have been the two programs wrestling for momentum in Matthews’ recruitment this spring,” Shelton wrote. “The Hurricanes were the team trending in the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine entering the spring, but A&M currently has the edge following a quartet of predictions.”
Losing out on Matthews would be a major blow for the Bulldogs, but it may also help save some money. With an On3 NIL valuation of $825,000, he’s become one of the most valuable high school players in the country.
Georgia still has several days to turn things around, though, to try and make Matthews their third offensive tackle commitment in the 2027 cycle. They’ve already landed four-star Kelsey Adams and three-star Ty Johnson.
Related: Georgia Football Loses Recruiting Battle for 4-Star LB to SEC Rival
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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