Georgia lands elite in-state DB Nyland Green
THE SITUATION: This one is finally over. Covering this one has been a tough task. Nyland Green has been leaning towards four, maybe five different schools over the last eight to nine months. He was on the verge of committing three different times to three different schools in that span.
His goal was to commit in November, but he didn’t quite squeeze that decision in, but early in December, the decision has been made and he has committed to Georgia.
The Bulldogs beat out Auburn, Clemson and Tennessee. Kirby Smart, Charlton Warren and the entire Georgia staff deserve a lot of credit here. They were in this early, and likely held the early, lead, but fell behind different schools at different times along the way. They never stopped or slowed down their recruitment, and in the end, it paid off. Their consistency helped keep one of the best in state and land a commitment from one of the premiere defensive backs in the 2021 class.
IN HIS OWN WORDS: ""I am overjoyed and relieved that this nightmare is finally over," said Green. "I thought this process was going to kill my parents. They were stressed out daily. They have never talked to so many coaches.
"I would say I was leaning towards different schools three or four times. This was no easy task. There was a lot of back and forth on both sides, between the schools and within my family. In the beginning, we all had different opinions on where I should go. We wanted throw our hands up and just pick, but our family never backs down from any challenge. We just grabbed the bull by the horns and pushed forward.
"I honestly thought I had this thing nailed down a few times, but would then go back to the drawing board until I made the decision last week. The key was praying and asking God to show me. I had to get in that quiet place to hear God's voice. It was not until then, that my decision was clear, and strangely enough, my parents knew the same. We sat down, and at the same time, we all said what the next journey would be. I am blessed to be attending Georgia.
“I am staying home and Georgia is 30 minutes from my house. If or when I need my family, they will be close to home, and that was one of the main reasons why I chose Georgia. It is also one of the best schools in the SEC, they are always competing at a high level, and they have great players there to compete with every day, so there are a lot of reasons I chose Georgia. It is really just Georgia.
“From the beginning, Georgia made me feel like a priority. They have always talked about how they love my size, my ability, and how I could help them. Not many are out there at cornerbacks with measurables, so they have talked about that, and what they could do with a guy like me in their defense.
“Coach Warren is a really good coach. We connect on the football side, we connect as people, and we have had a strong relationship since he got to Georgia. We talk smack, we talk football, we talk life — he is just a great guy I am excited about playing for.
“Kirby Smart knows defense and he knows my position, so he played a role too. He is about defense and I know he will coach me too. I like his style, I like his personality, and he is competitive like me. He wants to win, and I want the same, so coach Smart played a big role in this.
“I have visited Athens four or five times and it is amazing. I don’t know what more to say other than it is Athens. It is an amazing place with great fans, and it has that home feeling. It is a big college town and everyone loves Georgia football there.
"Go Dawgs!"
PLAYER BREAKDOWN: Green is a long and versatile athlete that could project at cornerback or free safety. He has great length, he is very athletic, his ball skills mirror those of a top wide receiver, and he is a player that leaves it all on the field. If you know Green, you know he is a team-first guy who competes hard every play until the game is over. He is the type that makes others around him better. Green has great size, and although he is lean, he will add muscle and become stronger on the next level. He is strong in coverage, and has shown the ability to play press or off at cornerback. He has played some safety too where he has great range and instincts on the back-ends. As talented as he is when playing the game, he is a selfless teammate that will do whatever it takes to help the team. He hardly came off the field this fall. He was starting at defensive back and wide receiver, then being used as a returner on kick-offs and filled in as the deep snapper on the punt team. Green is going to go in, compete, work, take coaching, and likely see the field next fall.
RIVALS REACTION: This recruiting race was full of twists and turns literally up until the final minutes. Green had many guessing until he announced his decision, and may have had himself wondering what school was best the last few weeks. This was a true battle until the end, and Georgia, the in-state school won the battle. This was a long-lasting battle Smart, Warren and multiple coaches in Athens were involved in. This is a big win for the Bulldogs, and with their need at defensive back, combined with Green's January enrollment, he could be a name you hear about in the fall of 2021.