Georgia football fans have gotten very used to dominating their rival Florida both on the field and on the recruiting trail. More often than not it's UGA coming out on top when both Georgia and Florida want the same recruit, but unfortunately there are examples where that is not the case.
One recruit both Georgia and Florida are after is four-star defensive lineman Valdin Sone. According to 247Sports, Sone is the No. 45 overall player in the country. He also is the No. 4 defensive lineman in the 2026 class and the No. 3 player from his home state of Virginia as well.
The Bulldogs were once thought of as the leader in this recruitment, but a recent update from Dawg Post insider Matt DeBary tells a different story.
"The Bulldogs have six current defensive line commitments, but sources say the staff would make room for Sone if he wanted to jump on board," Matt DeBary shared via dawgpost.com. "Sources say the Florida Gators may be in the best position to land him at the moment, but don’t count out the Dawgs here. A decision could come within the next two weeks."
Losing 4-star Valdin Sone shouldn't worry Georgia fans
While losing any recruitment to Florida isn't fun, especially one for a player as talented as Sone, Georgia fans shouldn't be too worried about this. The reason that is the case is because the Bulldogs already have six defensive lineman committed to their 2026 recruiting class. This includes the No. 1 defensive lineman in the country in James Johnson who committed to UGA a week ago.
So if Sone wants to go to Florida than so be it. It would still be nice to win this recruitment so Georgia can continue their dominance over the Gators, but Sone looking elsewhere at this point makes a lot of sense.