Kirby Smart, Georgia win big on recruiting trail, land 315-pound defender

“It means a lot to me to stay home and play for Georgia,” Wooten told Rivals. “They valued me and took my family in from the beginning. I’ve been going up there since camps in eighth grade. The relationship I have with Coach Kirby and Coach Tray Scott is a great one-on-one situation. They are great guys, they offered me early, and I love how they value me.”

Georgia Bulldogs pitched Waylon Wooten on chance to play as a freshman

Wooten is ranked as the No. 92 defensive line prospect in the country, according to 247Sports. He's a big dude as a prospect, but he's more than just a gap-plugger.

In 11 games as a junior for Grayson High School, he totaled 32 tackles with 11 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits and three sacks. 

He can clearly get in the backfield and use his size to his advantage. Will that talent translate to the SEC, though?

Notably, the Bulldogs pitched him on the chance to play really early on in his college career.

“They showed me how I can come in as a freshman, get a role and play,” Wooten said. “I believe in my skills. I feel like I could’ve gone anywhere and made it to the league, but staying home was the best thing for me.”

Wooten is Georgia's eighth 2027 commitment. It's a class that's ranked No. 30 nationally, but that means little right now. Smart seemingly always has the Bulldogs in the top five of the recruiting rankings by the end of the cycle.