Just about a week ago, North Atlanta 4-star EDGE shared with DawgNation that he was feeling “lost” regarding his college decision.
Linton had been committed to Rutgers since early June, but a recent offer from UGA had started to sway his thinking.
He mentioned to DawgNation that UGA was now on his mind, along with other “confidential” schools in the ACC, Big Ten, and SEC that had reached out to him.
This afternoon, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior began to clear up some of the uncertainty in his recruiting process. Linton announced on social media that he is reopening his recruitment and has decommitted from Rutgers.
His reasons made sense. The young EDGE, who enjoys old-school music like New Edition classics before games, also holds a traditional view of the word “commitment.”
To him, the word carries significant weight.
“It’s really hard to think about other schools if a commitment means no talking or visits,” he told DawgNation on Saturday.
He felt it wasn’t right to consider or communicate with other schools while he was still committed.
“Exactly,” he said. “It’s been weighing on me.”
Linton mentioned that he already has a game visit planned for later this month.
“I’m going to the UGA-Clemson game,” he said.
The past three weeks have been eventful for Linton. After his official visit to Rutgers in early June, he thought he was done with his decision and committed. That was his only official visit.
However, just before that trip, he worked out for UGA in Athens. His electronically-timed 4.6-second sprint caught Georgia’s attention.
When he returned to UGA last month, he participated in another workout. This time, the drills were different, including shuttle drills and other linebacker exercises.
It was during this visit that Georgia EDGE coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe extended an offer from the Bulldogs.
“It was really exciting at first, but after about five days, other schools started reaching out to me,” Linton said. “Then I was like, ‘God, I’m right back in it.'”
Georgia is now firmly in the race for Linton.
“They see him as a ‘Jack’ backer and a third-and-long pass rusher,” said North Atlanta coach Jamie Aull. “They like his athleticism, speed, ability to bend the corner, and his length. They think he’s an instant pass rush threat.”
“They’ve made it clear they want him and are coming hard to get him. That’s the message I’ve received.”
Last Friday, Linton told DawgNation that he was considering another visit to UGA—not just for a workout or camp, but to get a better feel for the school.
“My plan is to visit Georgia again so I can stop overthinking and figure out what I want to do,” he said. “Right now, I’m kind of lost. I’m talking with my family and trying to understand everything. Hopefully, I’ll make a decision soon.”
He also mentioned to DawgNation that he’d like to reassess and finalize his college decision soon.
“Eventually,” he said in response to a follow-up question. “Within one month, I’d say.”
When asked what stands out to him about the Dawgs, Linton highlighted a few key factors.
“The distance from home,” he said. “That’s one of the main things. Obviously, their program—back-to-back ‘Natties.’ That stands out. And the way their coaches hold themselves and present themselves really stood out.”
That’s a strong highlight reel. Linton mentioned that “relentless” is the word he hopes people think of when they watch him play.
“From first through fourth down, I’m not going to stop until I win,” he said. “Relentless.”
The plays seem to get more impressive as the reel progresses, but the best play he’s made so far is on his sophomore highlight tape.
During that game, he made a strip sack against Lovejoy in the playoffs, sealing the win. One of his teammates recovered the ball in the end zone, shutting down a series. Lovejoy had started that drive with a long touchdown, which was called back, and could have at least tied the game.
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