Georgia Receives Strong Message From Coveted Star

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dave Holcomb | Last updated May 21, 2025 8:00 AM ET

It's not clear what the rest of the recruitment for one five-star offensive lineman will hold before he commits in the 2026 recruiting class.

But highly touted star lineman Darius Gray was rather blunt in his assessment of Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart after his weekend visit to Athens, Georgia.

“Coach Smart will die for his players,” Gray told On3's Steve Wiltfong. “Don’t find that often!”

The lineman was also complimentary of the school's atmosphere.

“The environment was great,” Gray added. “Had lots of fun! The biggest takeaway was the development that goes on here. They will get you NFL ready!”

The Bulldogs are in a recruiting battle with the LSU Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks, Clemson Tigers and Ohio State Buckeyes for Gray, who is the No. 1 interior offensive lineman on some ranking lists in the 2026 class.

Gray is one of only two five-star interior lineman in the class based on the 247 Sports composite rankings.

2026 4⭐️ OG Darius Gray @dariusgrayy_ from St. Christopher’s School (VA) on his May 16th-18th OV to Georgia: pic.twitter.com/sWRu41ccUH
— Bulldawg Recruiting (@bulldawgrecruit) May 20, 2025

Gray would be a significant recruiting win for the Bulldogs, especially after the program didn't land No. 1 offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell last week.

The tackle chose to commit to the Miami Hurricanes instead of the Bulldogs or Oregon Ducks.

Based on the 247 Sports composite rankings, Gray is the No. 2 interior lineman. Only Maryland's Immanuel Iheanacho is rated ahead of him.

According to the same rankings, Gray is the No. 2 Virginia recruit and No. 28 overall prospect in the 2026 class. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 285 pounds, Gray will play his senior high school season at St. Christopher's School in Richmond, Virginia.

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

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