Georgia adds top OLB Justin Williams to 2024 recruiting class - ESPN

Five-star outside linebacker Justin Williams committed to Georgia on Monday night.

Williams, the top-ranked outside linebacker in the ESPN300 and the No. 14 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle, adds to the Bulldogs' top-ranked class by becoming the third five-star recruit to agree to play for Kirby Smart's program, joining cornerback Ellis Robinson IV (No. 1 overall) and quarterback Dylan Raiola (No. 2 overall).

Williams, who hails from Oak Ridge High School in Conroe, Texas, chose Georgia over Oregon. He visited the two campuses for official visits on successive weekends in June.

«It was just learning about technique, just how to improve your game, with linebackers coach (Glenn) Schumann and everything,» Williams told ESPN about what went on during his official visit from June 23-25. "(Player development assistant) Coach (LeJacque) Martin, we were talking about just where I fit in with the program and stuff like that. Coming in as an early enrollee, just talking about my faith in God and stuff like that and all the coaches have given me a lot of fundamentals that I can use just to improve my game."

With Williams now in the fold, Georgia now has 10 top-100 prospects as part of a class that features 18 ESPN 300 pledges and the top two outside linebackers — Williams and Demarcus Riddick.

Georgia isn't resting on its laurels after claiming back-to-back national championships and seeing its defense end the last two seasons in the top two nationally in scoring defense — first in 2021 (9.5 PPG) and second in 2022 (12.8 PPG).

Williams could eventually plug into a group that ended last season ninth in the country in total defense (292.1 YPG) and second in 2021 (253.9 YPG). The Bulldogs' top two tacklers, juniors linebackers Smael