Elite defensive lineman PJ Dean commits to Georgia

Clemmons (N.C.) West Forsyth four-star defensive lineman PJ Dean has committed to Georgia, he told On3’s Hayes Fawcett on Monday.

He chose the Bulldogs over South Carolina and Ohio State, as well as more than 25 other reported offers. Each of his three finalists got him on campus for an official visit in June, but the Gamecocks got him back to Columbia again one last time the weekend of June 20 for an unofficial.

Ultimately though, it was UGA who won out. They battled the Gamecocks down to the wire, according to On3’s Steve Wiltfong, who said that both programs felt good about their chances going into the decision.

But Georgia’s defensive pedigree and the strong connections Dean has to the program were key in their efforts. His older brother, Jared Wilson, was a four-year player from UGA from 2021-24 before being drafted in third round of this year’s NFL Draft.

Dean nearly took a different path, but will instead don the Red & Black next season.

He is the No. 78 overall prospect and No. 5 DL in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 6 player in North Carolina.

On3 is higher on him than other services though, tabbing him as the country’s No. 45 prospect and No. 4 defensive lineman.

Dean adds to a stout defensive class for Georgia

Originally listed as an interior offensive lineman, Dean began to get recruited as a D-lineman by each of the top schools in his recruitment after dropping more than 40 pounds during the offseason. The Bulldogs in particular made a big move in his recruitment when they started pursuing him to play in their vaunted defense.

“It really is just that they see me as an all-around athlete, a two-way killer,” Dean told DawgsHQ.com earlier this year. “It’s like, just knowing that they see that in me, that I should play defense there.  I was kind of scared, to be honest. It was kind of scary that schools wouldn’t look at me because I’ve been dropping weight so much. I was afraid my defensive film wasn’t good enough. I was just hearing that from them and I just didn’t believe in me.”