Kirby Smart and Georgia miss out on crucial recruit who could help defensive depth where they need it

Georgia's failure to secure a commitment from Zavion is a major blow, especially given their current needs at the edge position. Georgia's edge rusher depth has been impacted by several key departures. Notably, Mykel Williams, a standout for the Dawgs, was selected 11th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

This marked Zavion's second commitment to UNC after he initially pledged to the program under former head coach Mack Brown but reopened his recruitment following Brown's departure. The arrival of longtime New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick as UNC's new leader played a significant role in Zavion's recommitment. He was impressed by the NFL-like operation and the emphasis on player development under the new coaching staff.

"They made a big leap," Griffin-Haynes said, via Rivals. "From spending time with the staff, getting to know everyone better, sitting down and having talks -- it was great overall," he continued. "Sitting down with Coach Bill and (Mike) Lombardi -- they're excited and they aren’t recruiting any guy like they’re recruiting me and that stands out."

Griffin-Haynes, a 4-star edge rusher from Rolesville High School in North Carolina, is ranked as the No. 256 overall prospect nationally and the No. 21 edge defender according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

His brother and three-star linebacker, Jayden Griffin-Haynes, also committed to the Tar Heels. 

Georgia Bulldogs 2026 Commits

Georgia currently boasts the nation’s No. 6 recruiting class and has 12 players committed to their recruiting class of 2026:

• 4-star Wide Receiver Vance Spafford
• 4-star Cornerback Justin Fitzpatrick
• 4-star Defensive Lineman Carter Luckie
• 4-star Wide Receiver Ryan Mosely
• 4-star Safety Jordan Smith
• 5-star Quarterback Jared Curtis
• 3-star Offensive Tackle Graham Houston
• 4-star Tight End Lincoln Keys
• 3-star Safety Kealan Jones
• 3-star Defensive Lineman Seven Cloud
• 4-star Safety Zech Fort
• 3-star Wide Receiver Brady Marchese