Georgia football has been making a lot of final lists for many of the top recruits in the 2026 recruiting class. That was the case once again on Sunday as the Bulldogs found themselves in the top five for one of the top safeties in the country.
But their competition for this recruit is fierce, and the leader in this recruitment is a school many might not initially expect.
FINAL FIVE5️⃣... Where's Home 🏠❔@Rivals @247recruiting @On3Recruits pic.twitter.com/HLylIzSwFV
— Tamarion (T.Wat) Watkins (@Tamarion_Wat1) April 6, 2025
4-star safety Tamarion Watkins
Tamarion Watkins is a four-star safety from Rock Hill, SC. According to the 247Sports composite rankings, Watkins is the No. 306 overall player in the country. He also is the No. 25 safety in the 2026 class and the No. 8 player from South Carolina.
Watkins announced his top five schools on Sunday, and Georgia made the cut for the talented safety. Alabama, Miami (FL), Texas A&M and South Carolina also made the cut for Watkins as well.
The schools Georgia is up against in this recruitment are very intriguing, especially when you look at two of the programs. Alabama has been the one team that UGA has been unable to officially overcome during Smart’s tenure, even though Georgia did beat them in the National Championship game. Then there is Miami who continues to steal players from Georgia including Carson Beck and former 2026 UGA commit Jontavius Wyman, who just decommitted on Saturday.
But even though those two schools are formidable foes, it’s actually the hometown school in South Carolina that Georgia needs to look out for the most.
As it stands today, it’s the Gamecocks that have all the momentum as they have two predictions in their favor on 247Sports. Obviously things can change, but Kirby Smart and his staff will have to work hard to convince Watkins to leave South Carolina and head to Georgia.