OL Zykie Helton stays home, commits to Georgia: 'You can feel the pride and tradition everywhere'

He grew up a fan of Alabama. A lot of his family loves the Crimson Tide and Zykie Helton was at one time committed to the program in Tuscaloosa, but after backing off that early commitment over a year ago and taking some visits, the offensive lineman out of Carrollton (Ga.) has committed to Georgia.

“Georgia feels like home for me,” Helton told On3. He chose the Bulldogs over Alabama, Florida State and Georgia Tech. That official visit to Athens earlier this month had a big impact on his decision.

“Georgia definitely made a move on the visit. Georgia’s always been up there for me, but that visit gave me a new level of confidence about what they could offer. It helped me picture myself there, and that’s a big deal.

I spent a lot of time with coach Stacy Searels and coach Kirby Smart. Their message was clear: they believe in my potential and think I can make an impact in their system. They didn’t sugarcoat anything, which I respect. It felt like they were really invested in me, not just as a player, but as a person. That meant a lot.”

That recent visit to Athens was his 10th. Each time he felt better about the program and the 6-foot-2 1/2, 285-pound three-star is excited to play for the Bulldogs between the hedges.

“Georgia is a great place,” Helton said. “They coach hard and they have great people there. I have the clearest picture of what life would be like there as a player and student at Georgia.

‘The energy on campus is real and you can feel the pride and tradition everywhere. It is intense [at Georgia], but that is the best way. Everyone’s locked in, and you can see why they win at a high level.”