2027 No. 1 prospect LaDamion Guyton reclassifying to 2026 cycle

Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military five-star EDGE LaDamion Guyton is hitting the fast-forward button on his high school career and his recruitment.

The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder is reclassifying up to the 2026 cycle, On3’s Pete Nakos has confirmed. He has long been the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2027 cycle, according to Rivals, but will now be playing his last season at the high school level this fall.

Following his decision to reclassify, Rivals has tabbed him as the nation’s No. 17 prospect in the senior class.

Guyton committed to Texas Tech in early August, choosing the Red Raiders over offers from nearly every other major program in the country. Rumors swirled about whether he could reclassify, but at the time he didn’t give any indication that was the plan. Fast forward, and he is now less than two months from signing during the December Early Signing Period.

According to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, Guyton has been expected to visit Georgia this weekend for the Bulldogs’ showdown with Ole Miss. UGA was long considered the frontrunner to land him before a major push from the Red Raiders this summer.

Even after he committed, Georgia’s staff reiterated that they would continue pursuing him, and they’ve done exactly that.

“I mean, they understood it,” Guyton told UGASports.com last month. “At the end of the day, I have a family. But they were just letting me know that they weren’t going anywhere.”

The Red Raiders are one of the country’s hottest teams on both the recruiting trail and the field, though. And they’ve shown they’re willing to provide NIL opportunities that rival or surpass that of any other program in college football.

LaDamion Guyton Scouting Summary

Rivals’ Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power previously wrote this of Guyton as a 2027 prospect:

“The early favorite as the top EDGE prospect in the 2027 cycle. Explosive, powerful pass rusher with elite bend around the edge at an early stage. Flashes high-end first-step quickness. Stays very low while running the arc, dipping his shoulder to shirk offensive tackles. Converts speed to power with ease. Also shows early signs of good hand usage, quickly disengaging on contact. Plays with a high motor and pursues plays from sideline to sideline. Productive in his first two varsity seasons at Savannah (Ga.) Savannah Christian, totaling 33 tackles for loss while playing alongside Five-Star Plus+ defensive lineman Elijah Griffin. Transferred to Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military for his junior season. Can improve his finishing ability in the backfield, as his ability to disrupt doesn’t always manifest in dominant stats. Length and frame are average for the position.”