Georgia lands priority EDGE target Darren Ikinnagbon for 2025
The Georgia Bulldogs did well in New Jersey in the Class of 2024, and today, they landed one of the best in the country from the Garden State for 2025, as four-star EDGE Darren Ikinnagbon announced his intentions to be a Bulldog.
Ranked as the nation’s No. 112 overall prospect in the Class of 2025 per the On3 Industry Ranking, the 6-foot-5, 240 pound Ikinnagbon becomes the seventh pledge of the cycle for the Bulldogs. He is the nation’s No. 14 EDGE prospect and No. 2 prospect in New Jersey per the Industry Ranking. He hails from Hillside High School in Hillside, New Jersey.
Georgia overcame the likes of Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and perhaps most notably, Ohio State for his commitment. Ikinnagbon plans to see the Buckeyes for an official visit this summer, in addition to his planned official visit to Athens.
The Bulldogs had positioned themselves well going into this weekend, however, leading to their success.
“Yes, it is (No. 1),” Ikinnagbon told DawgsHQ earlier this week. “They just have that winning mentality. It’s Georgia. They do a good job recruiting. I really mess with the coaches there…They’ve taught me a lot about the game through the film they’ve sent me. Our relationship is good. We’re still building it. Me and Coach [Chidera] Diribe talk almost every day. He’s a good person, and he wants the best for his players. He wants to see them succeed.”
A visit earlier this year helped to put Georgia into that position, and the relationship blossomed ever since.
“Their interest level was high,” Ikinnagbon told DawgsHQ in February. “Coach Diribe has been to my school every week. We just talked ball. He was at my school on Thursday. We talked about the visit…Coach Diribe and me are just building a personal connection. He’s a nice down-to-earth person. He just wants what’s best for me. He keeps it real.”
Darren Ikinnagbon becomes Georgia’s first EDGE commit of the Class of 2025.
The On3 RPM nailed the story on Darren Ikinnagbon
DawgsHQ’s Jeremy Johnson, On3 Vice President of Recruiting and Transfer Portal Steve Wiltfong, and On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons all previously logged picks for Georgia and Ikinnagbon.
“Chidera Uzo-Diribe has Georgia have Darren Ikinnagbon as a top of the board prospect and dating back to the February visit to Athens they’ve been the one to beat,” Wiltfong said at that time. “From the staff, to the vibe, to meeting Coach Smart and talking ball, seeing how UGA wants to utilize him, those are all enticing things to Ikinnagbon.”
