Despite previous pledge to UGA, 5-star in-state prospect Justus Terry picks Texas
When five-star prospect Justus Terry was in middle school and ninth grade, he was told by Georgia defensive line coach Travion Scott that his recruitment was going to be a “marathon.”
Scott knew there would be twists and turns from the time the nation saw Terry, an AJC Super 11 selection, on tape.
While the Georgia assistant knew what was to come, his program didn’t hit the finish line first
The defensive lineman out of Manchester High School announced Friday that he would be playing for Texas — the day before the SEC Championship game between the Bulldogs and Longhorns. Friday is the last day of the early signing period for 2025 prospects.
Terry said none of the schools knew his decision, and they were finding out live with the rest of the nation.
Terry initially committed to Georgia in January 2023, before flipping that pledge to Southern California in March. He decommitted three months later, on the heels of official visits to Georgia and Florida State. He then took impactful visits to Alabama, Auburn and Texas, among others, in his senior season.
It seems like his official visit in Austin for the Texas-Georgia game made an impact.
As of Terry’s announcement Friday, Georgia had the No. 4 recruiting class in 2025, after previously being projected to have the top class, according to 247Sports. Georgia’s trio of five-star signees — Elijah Griffin, Isaiah Gibson and Zayden Walker — all come from the Peach State.
Terry plays Friday night in the GHSA state semifinals against Brooks County.
About the Author
Jeff Sentell covers UGA football and recruiting. He is a graduate of UGA's Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and has been a staff writer at news outlets in Alabama, Georgia and Virginia. Prior to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he was at The Birmingham News and AL.com. He was named the 2005 Georgia Press Association Sportswriter of the Year.
