Georgia is rolling out the red carpet once again, hosting 18 elite prospects for official visits. That’s 37 visitors in just 2 weeks. However, Kirby Smart and crew aren’t playing around. This weekend is so packed, some recruits touched down early on Thursday night. Last weekend? Two instant commitments. This weekend? It could be more of the same. And one headliner is already committed to the G.
But in the wild world of NIL and the transfer portal, recruiting never sleeps. That’s why keeping your commits locked in is just as important as landing new ones. Kirby Smart gets it—and he’s playing it smart. Georgia is showing love to its future stars, especially one of the nation’s top JUCO defensive linemen. And they’re not just recruiting. They’re re-recruiting.
On June 8th, Georgia insider Jeff Sentell dropped a nugget Dawg fans will love. Seven Cloud—the 2026 three-star commit from Powder Springs—wrapped up a lengthy visit to Athens. And he made it loud and clear: he’s still locked in. The nation’s No. 1 JUCO prospect posted, “Thank you Georgia,” with snapshots from his time in the Classic City. Short message. Big meaning. And Cloud’s commitment? Still rock solid.
Nation’s No. 1 JUCO prospect. Originally committed to the Class of 2023 at UGA.
He’s now a vital piece of the 2026 class. https://t.co/KE9x7RB9Kq
— Jeff Sentell (@jeffsentell) June 8, 2025
Seven Cloud took the scenic route—but he’s still headed home. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound force originally committed to Georgia out of McEachern High back in 2021. Plans changed. He detoured through Butler Community College, where he leveled up in the trenches. Now, after grinding in the JUCO ranks, Cloud is back on track. And the Dawgs are ready to welcome him with open arms.
Last fall at Butler, Cloud racked up 48 tackles, 9.5 for loss, and 5.5 sacks. He wasn’t just disruptive—he was dominant. Add in three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and a recovery, and you’ve got a JUCO monster. On3 ranks him as the No. 6 overall JUCO prospect and the No. 3 defensive lineman in the 2026 class.
Right now, Georgia’s 2026 class is starting to stack stars. The Dawgs have 12 commits, and the foundation is strong. Seven Cloud is one of just two defensive linemen in the group so far, joining 4-star DL Carter Luckie. So, is that 2026 class star-stacked? It’s still early, but the answer’s trending toward yes. The future in Athens is looking elite. And Georgia’s troubles take a sharp turn. Because….
Kirby Smart’s QB1 is rising up as a locker room hero
With just over two months to kickoff, there’s a strange calm in Athens. Kirby Smart’s Georgia lost Carson Beck—their star QB—to Miami in a surprise $4 million NIL flip. Now, it’s Gunner Stockton’s show. And while national voices are unsure, inside the locker room? All in. “He’s always got a smile on his face, no matter what the circumstances are he’s always smiling. He’s a great guy to be around. He’s a great leader. I feel like no matter what’s going on he’s very poised, and I feel like he can control the room,” WR Dominic Lovett told the NY Times. He may only have 440 yards, but Stockton’s old-school grit—and that ‘84 Ford F-150 vibe—makes him one to watch.
However, off the field, Gunner Stockton is chill—quiet, calm, almost invisible. But on the field? He flips the switch. Tone setter. Pure fire. “He is a church mouse off the field… On the field, complete flip,” said former Georgia guard Tate Ratledge.
Ratledge recalled the SEC title game vs. Texas—Stockton lowered his shoulder on a corner, popped up, and started jawing. “He scrambles, runs, and lowers his shoulder on a corner[back], gets up and starts talking s–t to him. We were in the huddle like, ‘oh man, here we go’. He’s fired up. It’s the complete opposite (of his off-field persona). I think [Georgia] is in good hands with him back there throwing the ball around. He’s got that whole team behind him.” He finished that game with 71 yards on 12-of-16 passing and led Georgia to another SEC crown.
On the June 6 episode of Crain and Company, Dawgs HQ co-owner Rusty Mansell also praised Stockton’s growing leadership. Mansell, who has known Stockton since eighth grade, stated, “You look at him and he’s who you think he is. He checks all the boxes.”
He added, “Don’t let the skunk kind of personality you see from him. He’s got some –er in him.” Mansell recalled a specific moment at a seven-on-seven game where he heard Stockton speak, thinking, “Wait a minute. Okay, this guy, this guy’s cut a little differently right now.” This shows Stockton has a hidden edge. Mansell concluded by highlighting how Stockton’s personality earns him the locker room’s support: “He gets up and says some words. Now, that’s why that locker room is behind him because they know who he is.”
It’s Stockton’s personality that wins the locker room. Sure, he took 4 sacks vs. Notre Dame and 2 more against Texas—growing pains. But this is a guy who threw for 13,652 yards in high school. He knows how to sling it. Now, with new weapons like Zachariah Branch and Noah Thomas, he’s got a loaded WR room. Honestly, after leading the nation in drops last year, Georgia might finally have their guy—and their fix—in Gunner Stockton.
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