Zamir White, the nation’s No. 1 running back for 2018, told the AJC’s DawgNation.com on Sunday that UGA continues to be his leader. He said Tennessee and North Carolina were also among his favorites.
Some recruits want to make their decisions sound complicated. That’s not the case with White. He said UGA has a significant edge on the Volunteers.
“Georgia is my leader now by quite a lot,” White said, who’s also the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect for 2018. “I’m just a serious person with all of this. I just know what I want.”
Why does the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder like UGA?
“The Georgia run game is really powerful,” White said. “It has always been. It seems like it.”
The 5-star prospect said he’s been clocked at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash. The North Carolina native from Scotland County High School is already getting used to hearing comparisons to former UGA great Todd Gurley.
The sophomore standout was at the UGA-Alabama game and his journey to that game did not come easy. He was hoping to be in Athens earlier in the week, but couldn’t find a hotel room. So he opted to go to Notre Dame-Clemson instead.
Well, until he saw a hotel room open up. Then he was back in Athens.
“I just had to be at the Georgia game this week,” White said. “It was a rival game and a big game.”
UGA running backs coach Thomas Brown knew that story and brought it up when he met with him prior to the Alabama game.
“He told me he liked how I didn’t give up on coming to the game too easy,” White said. “He said he was glad I was able to make it and was impressed with my determination.”
He was one of many recruits in the ponchos on Saturday.
“The other thing I noticed from the game is how all the fans still supported the team in that weather,” White said. “It rained crazy on Saturday. It rained the whole game.”
White already hopes to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice. He chose jersey No. 34 after one of the SEC’s legendary backs, but it is not the one most might think.
“That’s because of Bo Jackson,” White said.
Jeff Sentell covers UGA recruiting for AJC.com and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow him on Twitter for the latest on who’s on their way to play Between the Hedges.
