Makiya Tongue, who is ranked as one of the nation’s top “athlete” prospects, came back to see Georgia this weekend.
The 4-star recruit from the state of Louisiana had already made his official visit to UGA last month. The return trip offered the son of former NFL defensive back Reggie Tongue another look at the Bulldogs.
The elder Tongue spent 10 years in pro football with four different teams. It was a good weekend for the Tongues. Makiya camped well and secured his place in Georgia’s class if he wants to be there.
Well, it is safe to say he wants to be there.
Tongue revealed his verbal commitment on Sunday night via his Twitter account.
He will spend his Saturdays to come in that newly-opened $65 million west end zone expansion.
The 4-star athlete from University Lab ranks as the nation’s No. 15 athlete for 2019 on the 247Sports composite rankings. That also places him on that listing as the nation’s No. 211 overall recruit for this cycle.
He is the 15th commitment for the Bulldogs for this cycle. Tongue also becomes the second highly-rated prospect from Louisiana to commit to Georgia on Sunday.
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Makiya is already bigger and faster than his father. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder can clock the 40-yard dash in about 4.5 seconds. He’s physical and fast, and he will start out at receiver for the Bulldogs.
That’s the initial position fit for a prospect coming out of University Lab in Baton Rouge, La. If that doesn’t work, then he will make his mark on the defensive side of the football. His position preferences go receiver, safety and then linebacker in that order.
His all-around game and versatility do fit his position designation as an athlete heading into his senior season.
How does Makiya Tongue feel about the fit in Athens?
It all starts with just clear and open communication.
The Bulldogs made it clear this weekend that they really wanted Tongue to join the program.
It allowed the Bulldogs to secure Tongue’s commitment from a top 3 which also includes Arizona State and Texas.
Reggie Tongue will give UGA credit for its transparency.
“They are just honest about it with us,” Reggie Tongue said. “They tell us where they want to use him and he can come in and play multiple spots. Kirby [Smart] liked the fact that he can come in and play more than one thing. He can play receiver, safety or outside linebacker. He can turn into a tight end. Kirby just wants him on their team because Makiya makes them better at whatever position he wants to be.
“He’s chosen receiver so it is like ‘Go out there and make it fit’ and if that doesn’t work out then come on over to defense and make a fit. Wherever. He just likes his versatility pretty much.”
Makiya was already feeling at home at UGA on his official visit earlier this summer. There were a lot of positives to track on that trip and there’s also the strong possibility of playing for a national championship during his time in Athens.
“There were a few things,” Reggie Tongue told DawgNation earlier this year. “I don’t know if I can just focus on one. But one thing was their attention to detail. They don’t let anything fall through the cracks. Everything is accounted for. What’s that big guy? [director of player development] Jonas [Jennings]? He’s the one that seems like he is the right guy for all the players.
“Then the fact that they tend to really use their resources a little better than most. Whereas on staff at some other schools, you will have 10 tutors in the tutoring building. Where at Georgia, they will have 18 or so. Then they have three guys that are specifically there to make sure they get to class. If they miss a meal, they will have a guy there to bring them a meal after they get out of class because the campus is so big. All the things that kind of fall through the cracks sometimes and the kids have to just figure it out, they don’t really have to figure it out over there. They just make it extremely easy. You have to try really hard to fail at any Power 5 school but it seems like Georgia makes is especially hard to go astray over there.”