WATCH: Junior highlights for new Georgia pledge Shamari Earls
Georgia picked up a commitment in the 2025 class on Sunday when Thomas Dale (Chester, Va.) cornerback Shamari Earls flipped to the Bulldogs from South Carolina. UGA is up to 18 commitments for the current class and now have two defensive backs.
At 6-foot-2 205 pounds, Earls is ranked as the No. 105 overall prospect and the No. 12 cornerback in America per the On3 Industry Ranking, a weight-average that includes all four website that publish recruiting ratings. He’s the No. 4 player in Virginia.
Three of those four websites, including On3, have him ranked among the 75 best overall prospects in the country. On3’s in-house rankings view him as the No. 69 overall player in the country and the No. 8 cornerback. His junior highlights show why he is ranked so highly and why Georgia made him a major target after getting an in-person look at him this spring.
The speedy defender has thrived in all three phases of the game at the high school level. Earls plays receiver on offense where he caught 29 passes for 715 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior. He also totaled 172 yards and a touchdown in the return game while adding 25 tackles and three interceptions on the defensive side of the ball.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Tony Bennett retires
Virginia coach abruptly steps down
- 2
Herbie rips OSU fans
Kirk Herbstreit defends Will Howard
- 3Hot
Travis Hunter vs. Ashton Jeanty
Buffs star compares himself vs. Ashton Jeanty
- 4
Highest Paid CFB Coaches
USA Today ranks Top 25 highest-paid college football coaches
- 5New
Isaiah Bond
Steve Sarkisian addresses injury update on Texas star WR
In addition to his stellar play on the football field, Earls is a successful sprinter and jumper on the track team. He has recorded a personal best of 6.36 seconds in the 55-meter dash. He’s also a state championship long jumper with a personal best of 23 feet, 10.75 inches, which was one of the top 10 jumps in the entire country.
Earls is just the second Georgia commitment in this class who projects as a defensive back. Last month the Bulldogs reeled in Valdosta (Valdosta, Ga.) athlete Todd Robinson. The Bulldogs were looking at him as a running back at one point in the process but after working him out at safety during an on-campus camp, they begin recruiting Robinson as a safety/STAR prospect.
Georgia is coming off a 2024 class that ranked No. 1 nationally and defensive back was a major strength. The Bulldogs landed the nation’s No. 1 cornerback in Ellis Robinson. They also got the No. 1 safety in KJ Bolden. Demello Jones ranked as the nation’s No. 46 overall prospect and No. 7 cornerback. Nashville native Ondre Evans finished the cycle ranked No. 102 overall and No. 13 at cornerback.
