Georgia, Kirby Smart Receive Huge News From Nation's No. 1 JUCO Player

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.C. Shelton | Last updated Apr 15, 2025 7:13 PM ET

Head coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are making a push in the class of 2026 after receiving some major news from the top junior college player in the nation.

The Bulldogs are coming off a significant recruiting weekend after hosting their annual G-Day spring scrimmage. Smart and Co. try to get the most out of the event by hosting a plethora of key recruits in Athens.

Georgia already held a commitment from Butler Community College defensive lineman Seven Cloud, who announced his pledge on Dec. 12.

Georgia and defensive line coach Tray Scott kept in contact with Cloud throughout his JUCO career and extended an early offer on Sept. 4.

Despite his commitment in December, it wasn't certain that Cloud would end up in Athens given the interest from other major programs.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound lineman holds offers from multiple Power Four schools and recently added offers from LSU, Miami, Florida State and North Carolina.

However, Cloud has shut down his recruitment, according to an announcement on Tuesday.

Godawgs #recruitmentclosed
— Seven Cloud (@_SevenCloud7) April 15, 2025

Cloud has had an interesting journey since coming out of McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia. He originally committed to UGA in the class of 2023 before ultimately taking the JUCO route.

After a season-ending injury derailed his 2023 season, Cloud fought back and played well in 2024. He racked up 48 total tackles (9.5 for loss) with 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a pass breakup and three blocked kicks.

Cloud is rated as the No. 1 JUCO player in the country (247Sports). It's a big recruiting win for the Bulldogs, who prioritize line of scrimmage talent above all.

UGA previously signed the nation's No. 1 defensive lineman (Elijah Griffin) and the No. 1 EDGE (Isaiah Gibson) in its second-ranked class of 2025.

The defending SEC champions will kick off the 2025 season at home against Marshall on Aug. 30.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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