The Bulldogs landed a key recruit at cornerback in Georgia’s 2025 recruiting class
It didn’t take long for Stanley Pritchett to realize he had someone better-than-most with Jontae Gilbert.
The now 6-foot-1, 185-pound cornerback joined a team that had been struggling, and immediately helped turn it around. As a freshman, he already was one of the biggest impact players on the team.
“It was his ninth grade year. We went 1-9 his freshman year, but he shined. He made some plays in a tough region that showed you who he was. He led the team in interceptions, so he just stood out making plays and handling that adversity,” Pritchett told Dawgs247. “His sophomore year, I saw the growth from the first year. He made his plays his freshman year, but you really saw him jump that second year. He took the whole side of the field away from teams. To see that growth, it was like, OK, this guy’s arrived.”
Since that arrival, Gilbert has been a national recruit, once committing to Ohio State and getting recruited at some point by just about everyone else. On Saturday, he made the decision to commit to Georgia after the Bulldogs’ increased push this summer. That’s a major addition for Georgia, adding a top-20 cornerback in the country.
In this article, Dawgs247 spoke with Douglass-Atlanta (Ga.) head coach Stanley Pritchett about what the newest Georgia defensive back will bring to the class.
Here’s what we learned about the newest Bulldog pledge.
Intangibles: Ever-present leader
Pritchett: “Jontae, what he brings is consistency. He’s a guy that’s going to be there every day. He’s never missed a practice in four years. He’s going to work hard every day. He’s dedicated. He’s just a student-of-the-game. He loves it. He loves to work on his craft.”
Position fit: Any position on the back end
Pritchett: “It’s really according to the school. Some schools see him at corner. Some schools see him at safety. I feel like he can play wherever. He’s an athlete who’s going to make plays. He’s going to put in the work and do whatever’s asked of him.”
Athleticism: Tall, physical cornerback
Pritchett: “He’s a long 6-1. He came in like 150 and right now he’s 185. He’s working out every day. He’s always working on his 40, and I know that’s a big reason Georgia pushed for him in the end. He’s got the speed. He’s got everything you can ask for at corner. I think his physicality. He’s very physical at the line of scrimmage. He likes to bump. That’s one of the things he does well. That’s why a lot of the schools are recruiting him so hard. He can do that, so the sky’s the limit for him.”
