UGA football received its first commitment for the 2022 recruiting class. Defensive back Marquis Groves-Killebrew chose Georgia over several power-five programs.
Wednesday, May 27 was a busy day for Grayson cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew. Numerous power-five programs, including Oklahoma, Penn State and Ohio State sent him scholarships, yet his mind was made up. Groves-Killebrew committed to UGA football Wednesday evening.
The 247Sports Composite rankings for the 2022 recruiting class aren’t out yet, but other recruiting sites are very high on Groves-Killebrew. He’s ranked No. 64 overall in the Top247 rankings, and he has a 5.9 (out of 6.1) score on Rivals.com.
According to Groves-Killebrew, Kirby Smart has recruited him heavily since he was in eighth grade. He’s called being in Athens a “good, home feeling,” and says he’s not sure how many times he’s actually visited UGA since Georgia began recruiting him.
Groves-Killebrew was just a sophomore last year, but he plays well beyond his years. He’s a very physical cornerback which is certainly a trait Smart and defensive backs coach Charlton Warren love. Groves-Killebrew also has great closing speed and a really good vertical leap which helps him break up passes he doesn’t seem to have a chance at.
Coming from Grayson, he’s in a pipeline that has produced numerous power-five players since opening in 2000. He also plays against some of the best athletes in the state. Region 8-AAAAAAA has no shortage of talent, and Grayson often challenges itself against other premier teams from around the state.
For Georgia, the cornerback position continues to be one of the program’s most successful positions on the recruiting trail. Eric Stokes was a hidden gem on the 2017 class and Tyson Campbell headlines the 2018 class. The 2019 class featured two elite corners in Tyrique Stevenson and D.J. Daniel, while Kelee Ringo was at the top of the 2020 class.