No. 1 defensive recruit in 2028 visits Southern schools with ACC and SEC stops
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The No. 1 defensive prospect in the country by Rivals, Goodyear (Ariz.) Desert Edge five-star edge Jalanie George, packed in a month’s worth of visits into about three days.
Joining three teammates, 2027 prospect Yahzeen Zion and 2028 prospects Nekhi Lambeth and Jaelyn Easterling-Flores, George took in visits to Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
The first stop of the tour took George to Georgia Tech.
With their flight landing in Atlanta, they got right to Georgia Tech and the Jackets offered him.
“I liked Georgia Tech, it was right there in the city,” said George. “I spoke with Kyle Pope, he coaches the ends, and we sat up in the room and watched tape. He wants his players to play with violence. I liked a couple of things I saw there and I like that coach a lot.”
From there, it was off to Athens to visit Georgia.
“Athens is a different environment, it’s more country for sure than Georgia Tech,” said George. “I spoke with the defensive coordinator (Glenn Schumann) and defensive line coach (Trey Scott). We saw their film from spring. Going way back, all the championships they’ve won, they develop a lot of elite defensive linemen so I’m definitely looking forward to going back there.
Then they visited Auburn.
“At Auburn, I talked to the new head coach, coach (Alex) Golesh and he’s very serious and very honest,” said George. “The defensive line coaches talked about the players they’ve coached and developed.
The following day was a trip to Mississippi State where head coach Jeff Lebby offered him.
“I was in the film room with their defensive line coach (Ty Warren), and he was more straight and direct. He’s very direct with what he wants from his guys and what he’ll do with his guys. I’m looking forward to going back there.”
George also visited Ole Miss and the Rebels also offered him on the visit.
“Ole Miss was really nice,” said George. “I liked the facilities and I got meet the new head coach (Pete Golding). He was real honest, he said he didn’t want the job, like to go out of his way for it, but that the job came to him and it was something new and he ran with it. He loved my film and what he saw and said I’m definitely one of their top prospects.”
The coach Golding replaced, Lane Kiffin, went to LSU, and he also got to Baton Rouge.
“Coach Kiffin is definitely a big name but the highlight for me was that I got to speak with Lamar Brown,” said George. “I can’t wait to see what he does there and he was just great to talk to. They were doing some construction on their facilities and are really doing a lot there.”
The final stop took him to College Station for a visit to Texas A&M, where two of his former Desert Edge teammates, Jamar Beal-Goines and Cam Hamiel, play.
“That was the last visit for me and it was great,” said George. “I got to talk with Cam and Jamar and it was good to see them both. I talked to both defensive line coaches (Elijah Robinson and Tony Jerod-Eddie). Coach Robinson, he had just came down back to Texas A&M and he said he wants to get me and Yahzeen back down.”
George said he doesn’t have any visits planned for the immediate future but said he expected spring to be busy at Desert Edge.
“I already have a lot of offers and it’s a blessing,” said George. “I think possibly Florida State and South Carolina could be next.”
Last week upon the release of the Rivals300 for 2028, George was named the No. 2 prospect in the country by Rivals, the No. 1 edge and No. 1 prospect in Arizona. The Rivals Industry Ranking, – an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services – has George higher- as the No. 1 ranked prospect in the country.
“I’m blessed, but I know others will be coming for it, so I can’t just sit back and I have to keep on working,” said the 6-4, 255-pounder.
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