4-star UGA football legacy set to choose between Georgia Tech and Bulldogs

ATHENS — When given the chance to watch four-star defensive lineman Anthony Lonon Jr. in a practice setting, the standout theme of his game is confirmed quickly.

“AJ” is always moving.

When he wraps up an interview and his Clarke Central D-line group is working 200 yards away, he’s on the hop to get there. That hustle translates to big plays in his game film.

“When you chase down the ball from the other side of the field at my size, people are like, ‘Dang, that boy can run and he’s big,’ and that’s one of my favorite parts of the game, just pursuing the ball,” he said.

Lonon, who ranks as the nation’s No. 38 DL and the No. 294 overall prospect for 2026 on the 247Sports Composite, is set to announce the winner of his recruiting battle between Georgia and Georgia Tech on Aug. 2.

Lonon’s recruiting story has also been quite the climb, even though his dad was a national recruit back in his day, who played at UGA.

“Around, I want to say, eight months ago, I had zero offers,” Lonon said. “No stars or anything. I want to say most of my recruiting really just came from me sending out film. I sent film to at least a hundred schools. ... Emails. Twitter DMs. Everything.”

“I started getting offers. Everything. It came up, and within seven months, I had 28. So I feel like that was the main thing that really got my stock up.”

Lonon’s commitment ceremony will take place at his high school, located less than two miles from Sanford Stadium. There’s certainly a hometown pull as his mother was also a “Double Dawg,” earning two degrees at UGA.

Georgia Tech has still made this one interesting. The Yellow Jackets have been buzzing in his ear since they offered him on April 23.

If the Jackets win this in-state battle, it will be because of defensive line coach Jess Simpson, who has coached extensively at the high school, college and pro level.

“If I chose the Yellow Jackets, it is because of coach Simpson,” Lonon said. “He was with Grady Jarrett on the (Atlanta) Falcons and has developed players on the Baltimore Ravens right now. So I feel like that would be the main reason, knowing that, OK, I have a clear path over there.”

Georgia didn’t offer until June 3. That offer came from edge coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe, who is recruiting him alongside defensive line coach Tray Scott. Lonon could wind up in either room depending on how his body develops over the next few years.

Lonon played most of last season at well under 240 pounds, but he’s up to 265 now. Despite the weight gain he’s packed on his 6-foot-2 frame, his quick twitch off the line remains the same — especially in short spaces.

If he chooses Georgia, it will be an interesting fit. The way he slips past blockers and knifes into the backfield isn’t something Georgia asks much out of its DLs. When he was lighter as a junior, there were some moments where it was hard for him to hold up at the point of attack in the red zone in the run game.

But that was about 30 pounds ago.

“Coach Scott told me that the way they want to build for the future is with players who are twitchy,” Lonon said. “That’s the new game. Like (10-time Pro Bowl selection) Aaron Donald. Those types of players. That’s what he wants to build at Georgia. A player that can play anything from a nine-tech to a three-tech because of their size and speed along the defensive line.”

That’s an intriguing thought to look out for with Georgia defensive line recruiting.

“My style as a football player is heavy on persistence and being slippery,” he said. “My goal is to always be at the ball.”

Lonon set his commitment date to give out-of-town family members time to attend, plus it was a good fit for the facilities at Clarke Central.

“I pretty much know, but it is not official yet,” he said. “I will know, for sure, 100 percent on August 2.”

Clarke Central coach David Perno was effusive in his praise for the character Lonon has shown.