The Georgia Bulldogs rank No. 2 across the nation in the top 25. But landed a No. 1 move on Tuesday morning. Head coach Kirby Smart and his staff reeled in Cal cornerback commit Alius Mayo, who’s the nation’s top-ranked junior college football talent.
Georgia pulled off the flip following Cal’s loss to Clemson. Plus capitalizes on the Golden Bears‘ second recruiting loss. Wide receiver/tight end from Westlake Village, California Charles Davis reopened his recruitment before the Mayo flip.
So Georgia plucks from California once again, this time out of Modesto College. But one insider revealed how the Bulldogs masterfully pulled off this flip.
Georgia Assistant Works Magic Here
Rivals recruiting insider Allen Trieu revealed that Smart isn’t the one who earns sole credit for landing Mayo.
Nor even defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann.
Trieu points out another pivotal member of the staff who rises as the reason behind the flip. And a coach who happens to share a JUCO background with the newest member of the Georgia 2027 recruiting class.
“Associate head coach and defensive backs coach Donte Williams was a big part of Mayo’s recruitment. Williams being a former JUCO guy himself, having played at Pasadena City College, was mentioned as a reason Mayo initially felt comfortable with him and feels good about his knowledge of the journey from JUCO to the highest levels,” Trieu writes.
Georgia Continues to Lean Into Prominent Recruiter
Williams over the years has garnered a reputation for establishing himself as one of the nation’s strongest recruiters.
He’s a big part of why Georgia landed the nation’s No. 3 recruiting class in 2025. Four-star cornerbacks Jontae Gilbert and Dominick Kelly rose as Williams recruits through the last cycle. Class of 2026 talents Caden Harris and Justice Fitzpatrick are two more four stars who Williams helped lure to Athens.
Williams even got named top 10 national recruiter by Sports Illustrated in 2015. He established his recruiting acumen at San Jose State, winning Mountain West Conference Recruiter of the Year by 247Sports.
He once led USC as an interim head coach once Clay Helton was fired midseason. Williams is now a dominating recruiter and assistant in SEC country. All while maintaining his California and junior college connections.
So where do the Bulldogs rank nationally now that Mayo is heading to them?
Georgia sits at No. 14 overall per On3/Rivals with 21 total verbal commits. The Bulldogs have swept up their home state strongly too, with 52% of their recruiting class hailing from the Peach State.
Running back Kemon Spell stands as the highest ranked recruit as a five-star. Tight end Jaxon Dollar follows him as the second-highest ranked five-star verbally committed to Georgia.
Safety Adryan Cole leads the defense as the strongest rated recruit as a four-star. Mayo now joins him in that same defensive room.
Insider Reveals How Georgia Masterfully Flipped No. 1 JUCO Recruit From Cal