Georgia has quintet of industry 5-star signees in 2024 class

The rankings and ratings have been finalist for the 2024 class and Georgia’s No. 1-ranked haul is once again loaded with elite talent. Now that the dust has settled, there are five Bulldogs signees who have a five-star rating and all of them are on defense.

The On3 Industry Ranking is a weighted average taken from the four websites who issue recruiting rankings and ratings. Below is a breakdown of Georgia signees earned five-star status.

CB Ellis Robinson

On3 Industry Ranking: No. 2 overall, No. 1 cornerback, and No. 2 in Florida

On3 Evaluation: Ball-hawking cornerback with plus length, ball skills and refined movement skills. Has shown the ability to make high-level plays on the ball throughout his high school career. Measured close to 6-feet, 175 pounds prior to his senior season. Has plus length for the position with arms that measure a shade under 33 inches. Dominated competition in New York’s Catholic league as a sophomore, bringing in eight interceptions. Made several impressive, acrobatic picks. Moved to IMG Academy as a junior, where he looked like the top defensive back on the Ascenders’ loaded roster. Made strides as a junior relative to his technical skills. Pairs his length and ball skills with refined footwork. Understands routes and generally stays in phase. Embraces matchups against top receivers and is willing to get physical at the line of scrimmage. Also tests as a good athlete in the combine setting. While his speed is good, he does not register as elite for the position. Can continue getting stronger and adding good mass once in a college strength program.

LB Justin Williams

On3 Industry Ranking: No. 6 overall, No. 1 linebacker, and No. 2 in Texas

On3 Evaluation: Rangy linebacker with elite speed that makes him a near prototype at the position. Measured in at around 6-foot-2, 210 pounds prior to his senior season. Added very good weight as a junior. Owns plus length for the position with arms a shade under 33 inches. The fastest top linebacker in the combine setting in 2024. Backed that up on the track with a stellar 11.01 second mark in the 100 meters. Transfers that high-end athleticism over to the field. Originally a safety, he moved to linebacker full-time as a junior and had a very productive season, notching 105 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. Lines up as a mike backer for his high school. Shows the ability to stack and shed incoming blockers. Excels bringing down ball players from sideline to sideline and in the backfield. Flashes an elite first step and ability to close. Draws on his experience as a safety to aid in coverage and playing in space. Will need to continue adding mass and strength. A strong tackler in his first year as a linebacker but can improve the pop in his hands and overall play strength. Flashes considerable upside given his high-end combination of athleticism, length and range.

Safety KJ Bolden

On3 Industry Ranking: No. 14 overall, No. 1 in Georgia, and No. 1 safety

On3 Evaluation: One of more versatile athletes in the 2024 cycle with considerable upside as a safety. Measured in at 6-foot, 185 pounds prior to his senior season. Has good length with 32-inch arms. Posted strong track marks as a high school underclassman with a personal best of 10.76 seconds in the 100 meters. Also tests well in the combine setting. Plays both ways for Georgia powerhouse Buford High as a receiver and defensive back. Projects as a defensive back and likely at safety long-term, where his combination of athleticism and length makes him one of the nation’s best. Flashes outstanding play speed on Friday nights. Closes quickly with physicality in defending the flats. Has shown good deep range in coverage both on Friday nights and in 7-on-7. Played a bunch of offense as a junior. Shows good playmaking ability and overall athleticism on that side. While his ball skills are good for a safety, they would need to improve were he to play offense in college. Has not replicated his impressive track times later in his high school career. Has a relatively smaller sample size relative to some of his highly-touted peers on defense heading into his senior season.

DL Joseph Jonah-Ajonye

On3 Industry Ranking: No. 29 overall, No. 6 defensive lineman, and No. 6 in Texas

On3 Evaluation: Athletic, versatile defensive lineman with one of the higher developmental upsides at the position in the 2024 cycle. Measured at around 6-foot-3.5, 275 pounds prior to his senior season. Has a big frame and plus length with a 10.5-inch hand and arms that measure over 34 inches. An easy, natural athlete who moves like a much smaller player. Lines up at defensive end and inside on Friday nights. Flashes outstanding speed in pursuit, running down plays from the backside. Plays to the whistle and makes second effort plays. Shows quick hands at the point of attack. Is a mismatch due to his quickness and overall athleticism when he slides inside. Capable of overpowering offensive tackles as a edge setter against the run. Will need to continue honing his skill and growing as a player. Could stand to improve his pass rush. Born in Nigeria and did not start playing football until his freshman year of high school. Also extraordinarily young for the cycle, with a November birthday. Is the age of a 2025 prospect. Has notable upside based on his lower level of development and the room for growth relative to most other top 2024 prospects.

LB Chris Cole

On3 Industry Ranking: No. 32 overall, No. 3 linebacker and No. 1 in Virginia

On3 Evaluation: Big-framed, toolsy linebacker with some of the highest physical upside at the position in the 2024 cycle. Measured in at around 6-foot-3, 210 pounds prior to his senior season. Has a long, high-hipped build with a big frame and plus length for the position. Arms have measured at 33 inches and hand checks in at over 10 inches. Registers as a top athlete in the combine setting. Doubles as a good track athlete with some impressive marks in the 55-meter hurdles. Began his high school career as a safety before adding considerable mass and growing into a linebacker. Lines up at various spots in the back half for his high school – playing as a hang linebacker, a center field safety and creeping up to the edge. Experienced playing in space. Effectively uses his long arms to corral ball carriers. Lowers his shoulder and drives through his tackles. Flashes some striking power and pop on contact. Also shows solid instincts in coverage. Finished his senior season with 76 tackles and 11 tackles for loss. Also showed some encouraging coordination while playing receiver. A long-strider who can take a few steps to get up to speed. Will need to continue developing and adjusting to playing linebacker. May need time to adjust, but has considerable developmental upside.

Georgia has six prospects in its 2024 class who earned at five-star rating by at least one of the four outlets. The sixth is Swainsboro defensive back Demello Jones, who was labeled as a five-star prospect in the On3 in-house rankings on Monday. The Bulldogs are also in the mix to land Timpson (Timpson, Tex.) athlete Terry Bussey, who is the No. 11 overall prospect in the country and No. 1 athlete per the On3 Industry Ranking. He took an official visit to Athens this past weekend and is a five-star prospect per all four outlets.