Georgia Bulldogs lose out on an elite 2028 prospect that they needed more than their rival who landed him
The Georgia Bulldogs were among the final choices of 2028 linebacker Tysir Young, but Alabama landed him instead.
The Georgia Bulldogs aren’t the only program watching elite defensive talent head to Alabama. The Crimson Tide landed four-star linebacker Tysir Young, a 6’3, 215-pound prospect from Middletown High School in Delaware who chose Alabama over Miami, Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia, and Rutgers.
Young is the No. 7-ranked linebacker in the 2028 Rivals Industry Rankings, a 91.70 composite-rated player, a top-100 prospect in the 2028 recruiting class, and the No. 1 player in the state of Delaware. This is a notable loss for the Georgia Bulldogs, even if it’s not exactly a stunner when you look at the details.
Georgia may not have been as close as originally reported
The original reporting listed Georgia as a finalist for Young, but when you look at the Rivals Industry Rankings, it doesn’t appear the Bulldogs were even in his top five. According to Rivals, Young’s top five consisted of Alabama, Penn State, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Ohio State.
His visit history tells a similar story. Young took seven visits to Penn State, six to Rutgers, two to Syracuse, and one each to Virginia Tech, Ohio State, West Virginia, Alabama, and Georgia. With only a single visit to Athens, it feels like the Bulldogs didn’t have much of a chance in this recruitment.
Whether Georgia actually wanted Young or had already moved on is something we may never know. Maybe the staff backed out early because they didn’t see themselves having a real shot. But regardless, this is a player they should have wanted. Young is versatile, agile, and has great sideline-to-sideline speed. He could end up being a guy who plays very early in his career.
Alabama’s 2028 class is off to a hot start
Alabama has gone off to a strong start in 2028 recruiting. Unlike many programs, the Crimson Tide already have seven commitments in the class at a time when a lot of teams don’t have any. Young becomes their first 4-star linebacker in the cycle, joining 3-star Dustin Henry and unrated Raekwon Butler to give Alabama three linebackers in the class.
Georgia, by contrast, only has two commitments in its 2028 recruiting class: 5-star quarterback Jayden Waite and 4-star tight end Asa Wall. The Bulldogs don’t have a single defender committed yet, which makes losing out on a player like Young sting a bit more.
Young could be a future 5-star
Young is the type of prospect who could climb even higher in the rankings before he arrives on campus in 2028. He’s a top-100 player nationally, the best prospect in Delaware, and the kind of athletic, versatile linebacker that coach Kirby Smart could have put to good use in his defense. Alabama is getting a player with legitimate early-impact potential, and Georgia will need to find answers at linebacker elsewhere in this cycle.