Cornerback Marcus Washington Jr., one of Georgia‘s top committed players in the Class of 2023, is skipping his senior year of high school and joining the Bulldogs’ incoming freshman class.
Washington, ranked the No. 84 prospect and No. 10 cornerback in the 2023 ESPN 300, will enroll at Georgia in a few weeks. He announced his decision on Twitter.
Next stop ✈️ Athens, GA ✌🏾
Officially reclassifying to the class of 2022!@GeorgiaFootball @KirbySmartUGA @FranBrownUGA @CoachWMuschamp @CoachSchuUGA @Mansell247
Thanks mom and dad @selett50 @gawga_boi044 pic.twitter.com/Dd8cG56CEx— Marcus “Da Menace” Washington Jr (@MJ_Washington04) May 17, 2022
Washington, from Grovetown, Georgia, is the son of former Bulldogs linebacker Marcus Washington, who played for former coach Mark Richt from 2005 to 2009.
Georgia has to rebuild its secondary after losing starting safety Lewis Cine and cornerback Derion Kendrick to the NFL draft. Four other defensive backs — Lovasea Carroll (South Carolina), Latavious Brini (Arkansas), Jalen Kimber (Florida) and Ameer Speed (Michigan State) — left via the transfer portal.
Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said building depth in the secondary was one of his concerns coming out of spring practice.
“We’ve got to get better in the secondary to go where we’re going to go, and we’ve got some guys coming, but we’ve got to get the guys that are here to go to here, and that’s our job as coaches,” Smart said.
The Bulldogs, who won their first national championship in 41 years in 2021, signed five of the country’s top defensive backs in the last recruiting cycle: cornerbacks Daylen Everette, Julian Humphrey and Jaheim Singletary and safeties Malaki Starks and JaCorey Thomas.