Georgia commit Joenel Aguero named Massachusetts Player of the Year
Georgia commit Joenel Aguero was named Massachusetts’ MaxPreps Player of the Year earlier this week after a senior season that saw him help guide St. John’s Prep (Danvers) to a state championship. Aguero, who is listed as a safety according to On3, played on both sides of the ball, tallying nearly 600 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on offense. One of those touchdowns came in the title game against Springfield Central, that state’s highest-scoring offense as he also helped hold them to 0 points.
According to On3, Aguero, who comes in at 5-foot-11 and 191 pounds, is the No. 45 player in the country and the No. 4 safety as the top player in the state of Massachusetts. The On3 Consensus, an equally-weighted combination of the four major recruiting rankings, has him slightly lower at No. 49 overall, still the No. 4 safety.
Aguero is Georgia’s third highest-rated commit as of now behind a pair of fellow defenders. Five-star EDGE Samuel M’Pemba joined the class earlier this week while cornerback AJ Harris has been on board since June. Aguero, who prepped at IMG Academy until his senior season, committed in July.
On3 Director of Scouting Charles Power offers the following scouting report on Aguero whose NFL “Reminds Us Of” compares him to former Mississippi State safety and Oakland Raiders 2019 first round draft pick Johnathan Abram, now of the Seattle Seahawks.
“Head-hunting, twitched-up safety who is the biggest hitter in the 2023 cycle. Delivers crushing blows over the middle of the field. Explodes into ball carriers and receivers. A top athlete who tests very well in the combine setting. Ran a 4.48 electronically-timed 40-yard dash prior to his junior season. Was considered the top athlete on the loaded IMG Academy defense as a junior. At his best when he can use his athleticism and physicality to play fast and move forward as a cover down defender. More of a strong safety type at this stage. Not overly long and may not have much more room for growth on his 5-foot-11 frame. Will need to continue developing his man coverage skills.”
Georgia coaches and staff are currently in the thick of things putting the finishing touches on the Class of 2023, a group that currently sits at No. 2 in the country behind Alabama. The Bulldogs have four defensive backs (Aguero, Harris, Chris Peal and Justyn Rhett) on board as it stands. Overall, Georgia’s four-highest rated commits (M’Pemba, Harris, Aguero and Raylen Wilson) are all on the defensive side of the football. The Early Signing Period for the Class of 2023 begins on Wednesday, December 21st with major targets still on the table including Damon Wilson, Jordan Hall and Daniel Harris, all three of whom are on the defensive side of the ball as well.
