ATHENS – Thanks to the recommitment of a former de-commit, the Georgia Bulldogs are back at the top spot in the national recruiting rankings.
Bear Alexander, an All-American defensive lineman who attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., committed to the Bulldogs for a second time Thursday. He made the announcement on his Instagram account.
“Bulldawg Nation I’m coming home. No interviews please. I want to enjoy this moment with my family and focus on my season. #1000%committed,” Alexander wrote.
The 6-foot-3, 325-pound Alexander – whose given first name is Keithian – is a 4-star prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite ranking. But he gets a 5-star rating from Rivals and is considered the sixth-best defensive lineman in the country overall.
Alexander’s commitment pushes Georgia past Alabama to the No. 1 position in the 247Sports Composite national team ranking for the Class of 2022. Alexander is the 21st commitment overall for the Bulldogs, and fourth prospect to carry a 5-star rating.
Alexander’s commitment comes less than 24 hours after Georgia landed Mykel Williams, a consensus 5-star defensive line prospect who hails from Columbus and previously committed to Southern Cal. It comes 48 hours after the Bulldogs lost the nation’s No. 1-ranked receiver Luther Burden, who committed to Missouri.
Alexander joins a Georgia class that includes defensive back Mikal Starks, a consensus 5-star prospect from Jefferson, as well as running back Branson Robinson of Madison, Miss., and quarterback Gunner Stockton of Rabun County, who hold 5-star evaluations from Rivals.
Alexander was one of the Georgia’s earliest pledges for the 2022 class. He committed Feb. 3, before the Bulldogs had closed the book on their 2021 class.
But Alexander’s recruitment took a turn when UGA defensive analyst Nick Williams, who had built a relationship with Alexander in Athens, left in May to join Jimbo Fisher’s staff at Texas A&M. It was not considered a coincidence when Alexander decommitted from the Bulldogs the next month.
Alexander continued to take visits to Alabama, Miami, Texas A&M and Georgia. But other than naming Texas A&M and Georgia his finalists in August, Alexander’s recruitment hadn’t advanced.
Until Thursday.
Alexander visited Georgia for the Arkansas game Oct. 2. Both he and Tony Jones, the high school assistant coach who accompanied him, raved about that visit. That appears to have been the turning point in getting him to favor the Bulldogs again.
“That defense is wild,” Alexander told Andrew Ivins of 247Sports. “Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, Jalen Carter, those guys are wild. … (Defensive coordinator Dan) Lanning and Kirby (Smart) are great guys and, of course Tray Scott, too. I feel like those are guys who like where they are.”
Alexander is a native of Denton, Texas, and played his junior season there at Ryan High, where they won the Texas 5A D-I state title. Over the summer, Alexander transferred to IMG Academy for his senior season.
“The decision, this journey, has been on hell of a ride,” Alexander wrote in his post. “I’ve had the opportunity of a lifetime to be recruited by some of the most prestigious universities in the world. My heart led me to Georgia, but I wanted to see more and needed to be sure I was making the right decision.”
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