Georgia lands commitment of five-star EDGE Samuel M'Pemba
The pursuit was long, but in the end, the Georgia Bulldogs got their man, as five-star EDGE Samuel M’Pemba announced his commitment to the Dawgs on Sunday evening.
A 6-foot-3, 255-pound pass rusher out of Bradenton, Florida’s IMG Academy by way of St. Louis, Missouri, M’Pemba becomes Georgia’s twenty-third commitment of the Class of 2023 and bolsters the nation’s second-ranked class in pursuit of the leading Alabama Crimson Tide.
M’Pemba ranks as the No. 23 overall player per the 2023 On3 Consensus. Additionally, he is the nation’s No. 4 EDGE prospect for the senior class, as well as the No. 6 player in Florida per the Consensus.
Georgia’s continued focus ended up making a major impact for the coveted defender in the end.
“Definitely, I consider myself a priority with just the amount that I talk to them, how much (of a) relationship I developed with the guys, from the staff to everybody,” M’Pemba told On3’s Chad Simmons in September. “… I can see the respect they got for me and the love they got for me.”
And aside from the football aspect, the Dawgs went out of their way to develop a close, personal relationship with the standout senior.
“It’s really about coming up there and being part of the family and coming up there and developing,” M’Pemba told On3’s Jeremy Johnson. “They just won a national championship… It’s just love. Coach Kirby (Smart), he’s a really down-to-Earth guy. We just talked about football and about the team and the development there.”
SCOUTING REPORT ON SAMUEL M’PEMBA
Of M’Pemba, On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power offered the following:
“Physically-developed two-way athlete, with the highest projected ceiling as an EDGE prospect. Played as a pass rusher and wide receiver at his initial high school prior to transferring to IMG Academy as a junior. Primarily played as a tight end/h-back at IMG during the fall of 2021. A strong athlete with dip and feel for rushing the passer. Had considerable murkiness around his ultimate position. Practicing at EDGE in the spring for IMG and looks primed to make an impact as a pass rusher. Measured at 6-foot-3.5, 240 pounds with a 6-foot-10 wing-span prior to his senior season. Tests as a solid to good athlete, clocking an electronically-timed 4.94 second 40-yard dash prior to his senior season. Would benefit greatly from a permanent move to defense as a senior, in our opinion.Practicing at EDGE in the spring and looks good there. Can continue to improve initial quickness but savvy and has natural pass rush ability.”
