Rivals300 safety Ta'Shawn Poole dreams about playing at Georgia

Howard (GA) defensive back Ta’Shawn Poole is in a unique situation entering his junior year at the high school level.

Poole grew up a Georgia fan, living less than two hours from Athens in Macon. He already has an offer from the Bulldogs. The four-star prospect for 2027 grew up supporting the in-state school due to his father’s influence.

“Playing at Georgia would mean a lot to me because I looked up to Georgia,” Poole told UGASports. “My dad is a Georgia fan when I was younger, so playing for Kirby (Smart) would be a lot for me. It would also mean a lot to my family.”

Georgia offered to Poole, the nation’s No. 64 player, back on Febuary 20. He described it as his “dream offer.”

Poole is big on development, comparisons

Poole has visited Athens since, attending a spring scrimmage and a 7-on-7 camp with his high school team.

Poole saw the Bulldogs up close and personal at the scrimmage, and safety KJ Bolden caught his eye. He’s also watched how the Georgia staff has developed former safety Malaki Starks over the past three years.

“They produce a lot of great kids, like KJ Bolden and Malaki Starks,” Poole told UGASports. “I look up to all of them.”

Since Poole is a 2027 prospect, the staff can’t communicate with him much, but when they do, they compare him to Starks due to his versatility in rotating various positions and his 6-foot-2, 185-pound stature.

Development is essential to Poole, who approves of the Bulldogs’ approach to cross-training defensive backs.

“A majority of the coaches say I’m like Malaki Starks since he played all around the (secondary),” Poole said. “

Poole trains with current Georgia defensive back commit Jordan Smith, who lives nearby in Warner Robins. He’s learned a few tips and tricks for Smith, a four-star prospect and the nation’s No. 63 player in 2026.

Poole hears a lot about how Georgia wants to rotate Smith around the secondary, and he likes that plan.

Leadership, being coachable, is key

Like Smith, Poole considers himself a leader on and off the field, which is why he thinks college coaches are drawn to him.

“I enjoy being a great leader, especially since I’m younger than most of the seniors,” Poole said. “While most of our starters are seniors, many of them look up to me because colleges are coming to look at me. They want to get the same kind of attention and everything like that. I bring leadership and I’m a great teammate.”

While visiting Georgia, he’s had conversations with the coaches about his ability to lead. They also appreciate how he communicates effectively with his teammates on the field.

“At free safety, I come downhill great and make an impact on the run game. And when it’s a pass, I can go sideline to sideline,” Poole said.

Poole knows there’s room for improvement. He wants to play for a coach at the next level who pushes him. Poole believes Smart is all about that, having seen him live at a practice.

“He’s a great coach. I went to one of their spring practices. He’s a disciplined type of coach; he gets on them for sure,” Poole said. “And I like how hard he coaches.”

What’s next?

Poole is only a 2027 prospect, so he’s not ready to make a decision anytime soon. However, he said that Miami is contacting him the most at the moment. Poole expects the communication from Georgia to pick up “real soon.”

Poole also has offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, and several other schools.

Poole wants to return to Athens sometime soon and strengthen his relationship with the Bulldog staff.