This Sentell’s Intel rep on Georgia football recruiting has the latest with 3-star LB AJ Kruah. He ranks as the nation’s No. 59 LB and the No. 569 overall prospect for 2025 on the 247Sports Composite. The On3 Industry Ranking has him as the No. 57 LB and at No. 535 overall.
AJ Kruah is a big-time movie buff, but some of his days will like “Groundhog Day” to him.
Or maybe he’s Dr. Strange from “Infinity War” using the time stone to go over every possible future in his recruiting timeline.
It’s the same thing every day.
He committed to North Carolina in April. But that was before Georgia LBs coach and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann offered him the chance to be a Dawg.
But he hears the same thing every day around Marietta High School. He couldn’t even escape it when DawgNation dropped in on his Marietta High practice this week.
While answering a few questions on camera, a couple team members were walking by. That’s when they started in on him with the UGA cheers and chants.
Kruah could only shake his head as they called the Dawgs to him in the background.
Does he get that a lot?
“Yeah, every time I am walking the halls ‘you got to flip’ that’s what I hear,” Kruah said.
There’s a bit of inertia behind that topic.
The Tar Heels have lost three straight to James Madison, Duke and Pittsburgh. The Dukes put up 70 points on North Carolina. UNC has only had four LBs drafted by the NFL in the last 10 years. The highest of those was a single third-round pick.
Georgia is an LB factory that has only lost five games in the last five seasons.The Bulldogs have had five ILB drafted at least that highly since 2018, including a pair of first-rounders.
Kruah visited this past weekend for the Auburn game. What was that about?
“Just wanted to see the atmosphere of UGA,” he said. “The fans. How they support. I wanted to see coach Kirby [Smart] live coaching his team and also coach Schu also.”
He watched how the defensive staff coached in key situations. When a Bulldog messed up, Schumann and Smart would rush over to them for real-time feedback.
“I also love how he does that,” Kruah said. “That’s a really big thing to me.
Aside from that record, speculation has grown this year about the long-term future of the North Carolina staff. Especially given one of the game’s great coaches and ambassadors in Mack Brown will turn 74 next season.
Kruah was hoping to be back at UNC this weekend to embed himself within the program.
It feels like that will be a trip where he hopes to reaffirm his commitment. That said, it is still likely Kruah will return to Athens for another game this year.
It will likely be for the Tennessee game.
“I will definitely hit up Georgia again,” he said.
The Dawgs do have a chance here. That barn door has opened up because of that recent UNC three-game skid more than Brown’s age.
The in-state homegrown pull here isn’t as strong as with other in-state targets. Kruah didn’t move to Georgia until he was a sophomore in high school. He grew up just outside of Philadelphia.
The relationship with Schumman is another factor.
“Coach Schumann and I have definitley built a relationship over the time since that [UGA] offer in May,” Kruah said.
Where is he at with his recruiting right now?
“I would say that I am more of the UNC side because I definitely made that charge and pulled that trigger in April committing,” he said. “But you know UNC’s record and then thinking about some things.”
“You know, yeah, not too much to say about that one.”
If he did back off that decision, would UGA be one of those schools he’d be thinking about?
“Yeah,” he said. “For sure.”
Why would Georgia earn that consideration?
“So close to home,” he said. “A winning program. Great coaching staff. They’ve been together for a little while. They produce linebackers. I want to be produced.”
He didn’t have the UGA offer when he made that pledge to the Tar Heels. That’s a key point to rehash.
“Georgia is my dream school and I’ve been following Georgia for a little while but I also made that decision in April of where I committed to,” he said.
We have to give this young man some credit. His heart still feels aligned to UNC, but the results so far this season would give many of us a lot to rethink here.
“That’s definitely normal,” he said.
AJ Kruah: There’s good reason why Georgia football is interested here
Forget that 3-star stuff.
When watching him work this week, there aren’t fifty-something senior LB prospects in America better than him. That’s an easy eval.
Check out the senior film here.
He’s fast and he carries 215 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame quite well. He plays fast, physical and smart but just with a level of control and smoothness that reminds one a little bit of CJ Allen from the 2023 class.
Kruah is also a do-everything guy for a Marietta program that has just one win this season. He’s played the following positions this fall:
- Defensive end
- Linebacker
- Quarterback
- Running back
- Tight end
- Wide receiver
“AJ” has put together a season that includes the following stats: Forced fumble, Pick-6, Receiving TD, Rushing TD, Sack, Tackle and a Tackle for a loss.
He’s also flashed his speed at running back this fall taking an outside zone for a 70-yard TD. He’s still grinding for his first fumble recovery. (That also sounds a lot like CJ Allen.)
To put it simply, he’s a football player.
What does Schumman see in his game that he likes?
“Not going to lie,” Kruah said. “Schu, he praises my game a lot. That’s why I [could] fall into his arms. He compares me to his past linebackers so I’m like I know my playing style, I know my capability of playing so if I do go to UGA I will work my way up on the board.”
The Bulldogs currently only have one LB commit in this class. That’s 5-star Zayden Walker of Schley County. That total feels a little light after watching UGA sign back-to-back three LB classes in 2023 and 2024.
This season has reinforced within Kruah about why he plays this great game.
“Football is like life,” he said. “I’d say. We prepare for one game. Win or lose, you’ve got to wake up the next day and prepare for the next one. Everybody has got trials and tribulations in life they have to get over and then go on to the next one.”
“My favorite part of football is definitley the relationship I’ve built through football with my teammates and coaches and then staff, team Moms and all that. Relationships.”
What do the college coaches see as his Saturday future?
“Definitely a hybrid,” he said. “So I can play inside the box and also pass rush on third down. I’ve got a good toolbox of here and there. I can play vertical and I can play sideways.”
He chose North Carolina because of a strong push and a determined charge led by veteran LBs coach Tommy Thigpen. Thigpen knows ball, he’s a longtime veteran and is a strong communicator.
“They attacked me very hard and I went for a gameday visit right after my junior year with zero offers and they treated me well and they ran back to me when my recruiting started blowing up and I went back and was like ‘Let’s make this place home’ and I love Chapel Hill.”
His favorite Avenger from those Marvel movies would be Captain America. Kruah seems like a natural leader at practice trying to keep his team’s spirits up despite the way their season is going.
“I just love the sport,” he said. “I love my family. I do this for the man above. He blessed me with this ability to play football and shine bright and show his blessings on the field. I play for the grace of God.”
Kruah just comes across as a highly-likable prospect who would fit in among the strong culture of connection in Athens.
There’s also another movie he loves no matter how “shaky” his peers might say it would be. That would be “Moana” with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
“I love Moana,” he said. “That’s my comfort movie.”
When the sequel to that Disney flick drops, he’ll be there on release day. That will be November 27 of this year.
We’ll all have to wait and see which team he will be committed to when he’s putting away the popcorn for that one.
SENTELL’S INTEL
(check on the recent reads on Georgia football recruiting)
