Want to attack every day with the latest UGA football recruiting info? That’s what the Intel brings. This entry gives an early sophomore year update on 2023 DL target Justin Benton of Newton High School. Benton is the son of former Bulldog LB Phillip Benton.
If you don’t know much about Justin Benton yet, then this summer 2020 DawgNation profile will provide some informative reading.
The 6-foot-2, 245-pound sophomore explained in that piece why Georgia felt like “Home” even if he’s not ready yet to make an early college commitment. It is a wise move. He’s far too early in the discovery phase of his recruiting cycle to feel he has to make a choice anytime soon.
Especially in the virtual age of COVID-19 recruiting.
But that doesn’t mean he’s not right at the center of things for the 2023 class. Benton has long been a part of a 2023 group chat which includes at least 30 very forward-thinking members of the 2023 class.
There are two members of that thread, Pearce Spurlin III and Treyaun Webb, that are now already committed to Georgia.
Spurlin’s recent commitment to Georgia was interesting. Especially hearing how Benton came to learn how his good friend in the 2023 class made that commitment public.
“I feel great,” Benton said. “I’m just trying to focus on football season right now. But as far as Georgia goes I feel great. My boy Pearce committed. He was on the phone with me actually when he dropped it [his commitment] on Twiter and things like that. Pearce, he’s a great dude. Georgia is going to get a great tight end in Pearce.”
Benton wore Clemson gloves last weekend for the McEachern game. That’s due to a good relationship with former Newton Ram Darnell Jefferies. Jefferies is now a redshirt sophomore at Clemson.
How does he feel about Georgia?
“My love for Georgia runs deep,” Justin Benton said. “My Dad played there. I’m just trying to weigh out my options right now and try to focus on football season more.”
He wants to just see more of each school he is closely considering.
“It kind of broke my heart when they extended the dead period,” Justin Benton said. “I’m just trying to wait and see and sort of weight my options but of course Georgia is one of my top choices.”
Spurlin is grinding to get him to join the class at UGA.
“He’s just like ‘Come home’ I mean ‘Come home.’ His Dad went there. I believe his people went there. My people went there. That’s his big thing.”
They will remember that phone call.
“He was ‘turnt’ up when he did it,” Benton said while giving respect to the proper term there. “He was turnt. I mean he told me you need to come on and do it, too. It was a good day. I’m glad UGA got that commitment.”
Has Benton been tempted yet to do the same?
“A little bit,” he said while smiling. “But Nah, not that much.”
Spurlin was clearly happy to be a Bulldog.
“I just knew he was excited,” Benton said. “That’s his dream school and where he wanted to play at. Everybody has dreams. That was one of his biggest dreams and he accomplished that.
Benton relayed that the 2023 group chat was “lit” by the Spurlin news last week.
“They already got two commitments in that Georgia class so I mean I tweeted out [last Thursday] that somebody is going to have a special class. That class is going to probably be Georgia.”
Check out the rest of our conversation with Benton in the featured video slot at the top of this post. It is also embedded below.
SENTELL’S INTEL
(the recent reads on DawgNation.com)
- Surging in-state prospect Oscar Delp was told by UGA he’s the No. 1 TE for 2022
- What’s the latest with 5-star LB Smael Mondon Jr. and his decision timeline?
- Nyland Green: Pregame Skittles, a Chucky doll and a big upcoming decision
- Georgia football Freshman Report: UGA 27, Auburn 6
- Check out the recruiting tale of the tape between Georgia and Auburn
- History book shows a trend about Georgia’s all-time great teams and a so-so debut
- Nation’s No. 2 safety Terrion Arnold describes the 2 things that stand out about UGA
- Jonathan Jefferson: UGA pledge blessed by Dad’s health after “bad case” of COVID-19
- BREAKING: 6-foot-6 sophomore TE Pearce Spurlin III commits to UGA
- Elite 2022 DE Christen Miller says “the vibe is immaculate” with UGA
- Freshman Report: UGA 37, Arkansas 10
- Stetson Bennett: Poor dirt farmers and why the Arkansas win was so special
- Kickoff Freshman Report: Predicting the impact Bulldogs for 2020
- Dylan Lonergan: Surging 2023 QB gets long-awaited UGA offer
- Marquis Groves-Killebrew: What he means and will mean to Georgia football
- Amarius Mims: The tall tales that go beyond a Georgia boy’s 5-star ranking
- How 5-star DT Maason Smith revived Georgia’s recruiting shot