Georgia trending for elite defensive lineman after weekend visit

Georgia already holds the nation’s No. 1 football recruiting class, but the Bulldogs aren’t done pursuing elite targets just yet.

Over the weekend, UGA hosted one of the country’s best defensive linemen, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei star Aydin Breland.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder recently named Georgia, Miami and Oregon as his top schools. And coming out of the visit, On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons believes the Bulldogs are trending.

“This one could still go a couple of different ways, but Georgia is once again trending for the defensive lineman out of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei,” Simmons wrote on Tuesday. “He was back in Athens over the weekend, and entering that weekend, Oregon was the school I was hearing most about. Coming out of it, things have shifted back towards Georgia. Miami can’t be ruled out either, but Georgia and Oregon are battling for that top spot with a decision likely coming this fall.”

Bulldogs made a strong impression

After the visit, Breland gave rave reviews to the Bulldogs, who have been heavily pursuing him for much of the past six months.

“It was energetic, and the fans showed a lot of real love,” he told Simmons. “I’d say the fans definitely caught my attention, and seeing the coaches and players energy throughout the game was great to experience, too. I feel like the ‘Dawgs played good. They definitely brought it the second half, and they totally dominated on both sides of the ball.”

Aydin Breland Recruiting Profile

Breland is the No. 36 overall prospect and the No. 5 defensive lineman in the 2024 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He also ranks as the No. 3 recruit in California.

On3’s Scouting and Rankings team writes this about him as a prospect:

“Pass-rushing defensive lineman with rare movement skills for his size. Measured in at around 6-foot-4.5, 320 pounds in the off-season prior to his senior season. Has good length for the position with arms over 33 inches. Has a naturally large frame, with his weight fluctuating between 280 and 320 pounds for most of his high school career. Typically lines up at defensive end for SoCal powerhouse Mater Dei. Moves like a much smaller player. Pushes the pocket with his speed to power. Bowls offensive tackles into the backfield on contact.

… Has the strength to stack and shed linemen to make plays against the run. Tracks down plays with his notable pursuit athleticism. Punishes offenses for leaving him unblocked. Also participates in track and field. Turned in a personal best throw of 46-6 feet in the shot put as a sophomore. Works as a rotational player for Mater Dei and is not as productive as most other blue chip defensive linemen to this point. Finished his junior season with 24 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. Older for the cycle, turning 19 years old in January of his senior year.”