Georgia’s bye week got a recruiting boost Monday morning, and it came from one of the top junior college defensive linemen in the country.
Christian Mays, the No. 1 JUCO defensive lineman in the 2027 cycle, announced on his personal X account that he was backing off his Tennessee pledge and committing to Georgia instead. Mays had been tied to the Vols since June 6, but after what he described as “a lot of thought and prayer and deep conversations with my family ,” he changed course and pointed to Athens.
“Just wanted to express how thankful I am for the whole Tennessee program for recruiting me and believing in me. After a lot of thought and prayer and deep conversations with my family , I’ve decided to decommit from Tennessee and is now committed to The University of Georgia.…”
Mays is a Colorado native who currently plays for Northeast Mississippi Community College, one of the JUCO heavyweights. At 6’4 “, 285 pounds, he’s been lining up at nose tackle and has built his reputation on a mix of size and movement that has made him a target for major programs.
Through eight games this season, Mays has totaled 17 tackles and one sack. He’ll finish the year at NEMCC before heading to Georgia in December.
The flip comes as Georgia works through its bye week after suffering its first loss of the season to Auburn on Saturday, a defeat that also snapped the Bulldogs’ seven-year run without losing to an unranked opponent. Even with the setback on the field, Kirby Smart’s staff appears to be making noise where it matters most in the middle of a season: on the recruiting trail.
In Other News...
Auburns Georgia Stunner Carried An Emotional Twist Tigers Fans Will Love
Auburns win over No. 1 Georgia in Athens already stood out as one of the seasons biggest shocks, but the finish made it feel even more memorable. The Tigers snapped a long drought with their first victory in Athens since 2005 and their first over Georgia since 2017, and they did it with a last-minute 34-yard field goal that sent the visiting sideline into celebration.
Alex McPherson has been through far more than a pressure kick at the end of a rivalry game. The Auburn kicker battled inflammatory bowel disease and underwent surgery before returning to the field, and head coach Alex Golesh made sure he got the game ball afterward, praising his leadership and perseverance as much as the winning kick itself. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Still Has One Big Xavier Atkins Problem Heading Forward
Xavier Atkins was nowhere to be found when Auburn knocked off No. 1 Georgia on Saturday, and his absence was one of the quieter storylines inside an upset that will be remembered for a long time. The All-SEC linebacker has been central to what Auburn wants to do defensively, so losing him for a game of that magnitude only adds to the uncertainty around a unit that managed to come through anyway.
By Monday afternoon, there still was no update on Atkins status, leaving Auburn to carry the win while also waiting on one of its most important defenders. For a team that just took a major step forward, the lingering question is whether it can keep building on that momentum without knowing when one of its top playmakers will be back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Just Got Snubbed After One Of The SECs Best Wins
Auburns resume got a major boost with its upset of Georgia, and the kind of win that usually changes the conversation around a team in the AP Top 25. Instead, the Week 8 poll left the Tigers on the outside looking in, a decision that only sharpened the debate over how the rankings are weighing head-to-head results, strength of schedule and the weekly churn that comes with the SEC.
From Auburns perspective, the omission feels especially hard to justify when other two-loss league teams remain in the mix. The win in Athens should have carried real poll value, and it leaves the Tigers in the uncomfortable spot of having one of the weeks most impressive results without the ranking that would normally follow it. [Read more 🡒]