Georgia Completes Heist of Cornerback Recruit from Rival During Week of Matchup

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The Georgia Bulldogs are headed into their rivalry game this week against the Auburn Tigers where they will try to make it a decade straight of domination in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry.

Before the game actually begins though — one which the Dawgs are heavily favored in — Kirby Smart and his coaching staff were able to secure a recruiting victory over Auburn by way of a flip. In a relatively weak 2027 class especially at defensive back, Smart just took away three-star cornerback Nash Johnson, who had been committed to the Tigers since May. 

An in-state recruit out of McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Johnson had been recruited heavily by the Bulldogs but ultimately chose Auburn, but clearly Georgia did not stop pursuing him over the last several months.

Georgia Securing Johnson is Significant Win for 2027 Class

The Dawgs have clearly emphasized landing at least one more defensive back prior to the arrival of signing day, and this has been highlighted by the pursuit of Preston Glasco over the last couple of months. This does not necessarily mean the Glasco pursuit is over, however it does seem like he is trending towards the Alabama Crimson Tide, which could explain why Georgia would pivot over to someone like Johnson.

Getting him to flip during the week of the game against Auburn is just the cherry on top though, and though he will never admit it, that had to make Smart smile a little bit. With the Tigers coming to town to try to pull off their first victory in Athens since 2005, they do it one future commitment lighter.

With Glasco set to commit at the end of the month, him indeed ending up at Alabama would explain away why the Johnson pursuit was in fact ramped up.

What Kind of Skillset Johnson Will Bring to Georgia

Johnson is ranked as the No. 65 player in the state of Georgia and the No. 59 cornerback in the nation, just outside the top-500 players overall in the country. While his recruiting status will not raise any eyebrows, nobody develops defensive back talent like the Dawgs, and if Kirby Smart wants him, there's a translatable skill set there.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 175 pounds, Johnson will likely have some work to do in the weight room when he does get on campus, but with some legitimate coverage skills, he is a potential future key piece of this secondary.

If they can hold onto him until signing day, Johnson is a name to watch over the next couple of years.

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