DT “Moose” Johnson is commitment No. 7 for UGA
UGA DT commit "Moose" Johnson (Photo courtesy of 247sports.com)
After getting his “dream offer” from UGA about three weeks ago, DT DeAndre “Moose” Johnson didn’t see any reason to wait any longer to commit.
The 6-foot-3, 311-pounder from Northgate High School committed to UGA among his dozen offers, which included Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Wake Forest, Purdue, Southern Miss and Mississippi State. Georgia Tech was Johnson’s second favorite school.
“I had been thinking about everything my coaches were saying, how Georgia was probably only going to offer a few guys at my position (noseguard),” Johnson told the AJC. “I’ve been wanting to play for Mark Richt for a long time. Now that I had the chance, I didn’t want to take a chance on somebody else taking my spot at Georgia, so I committed.”
Johnson informed Richt during a Tuesday phone conversation. “Coach Richt asked if I was coming up there for [Junior Day] this Saturday and everything. He asked how recruiting was going, and if I had picked a top few schools. I told him I had made my decision already, and I wanted to be a Dawg.
“Coach Richt was really excited when I told him that. He said he couldn’t wait for me to get back up there so he could give me a hug. It made me think that he really wanted me and everything.”
Finally, we had to ask: How did Johnson get the “Moose” nickname? “When I was in the seventh grade, one of my football coaches gave it to me. I really have no idea why. All my friends and family kept calling me that, and it just stuck. I’m fine with it. I like it.”
“Moose” is commitment No. 7 for UGA’s 2013 recruiting class.
UGA commits for 2013
- RB Derrick Henry, 6-3, 241, Yulee, Fla.
- QB Brice Ramsey, 6-3, 190, Camden County HS
- S Tray Matthews, 6-2, 205, Newnan HS
- DB Shaq Wiggins, 5-10, 160, Sandy Creek HS
- DB Steven Nelson, 6-0, 185, College of Sequoias JC (Northside-WR HS)
- DT Chris Mayes, 6-4, 295, Mississippi Gulf Coast JC (Spalding HS)
- DT DeAndre “Moose” Johnson, 6-3, 311, Northgate HS
SINCE THE LAST TIME YOU CHECKED YOUR LAPTOP …
- Robert Nkemdiche: Could Ole Miss pull off recruiting UPSET of century?
- “Moose” is commitment No. 7 for UGA’s 2013 recruiting class
- Steve Spurrier on recruiting success: We’re 8-0 vs. UGA, Florida, Tennessee and Clemson
- Kentucky appreciative to win “trust factor” with ex-Alabama commit Justin Taylor
- Nick Saban to UGA recruit: “I’ll offer you, if you commit … TODAY”
- UGA and Georgia Tech are “duking it out” for one of state’s top OL
- Mark Richt on UGA Junior Day: “We’re always recruiting, brother”
- Derek Dooley defends decision to sign ex-UGA target Deion Bonner
- JC DB commits to UGA over Houston and Middle Tennessee State
INSTANT AJC RECRUITING CLASSICS
- Nick Saban mails 105 letters in ONE DAY to Atlanta RB
- Lane Kiffin gets a good laugh about Tennessee’s blame game
- “The story that won’t go away” … Alabama’s grayshirt scandal
- Derek Dooley rips anything & everything to do with SEC’s new over-signing rules
- Robert Nkemdiche: UGA may be close to cracking Top 5 for nation’s No. 1 overall prospect
- Justin Taylor and his coach blast Alabama
- Mark Richt goes to jail for recruiting
- Avery Young’s coach: NOT part of UGA “package deal” with 5-star OL
- Meet the Bulldogs (UGA’s 2012 class)
- Meet the Yellow Jackets (Georgia Tech’s 2012 class)
– By Michael Carvell, AJC Recruiting Blog
Got an item? mcarvell@ajc.com
- So much is happening so fast. Have you missed anything over the last few days? Catch up with our feed by CLICKING HERE
- BOOKMARK the NEW AJC Recruiting homepage here
- Want to see a list of the top 125 prospects state of Georgia who signed with D1 schools? It’s looong. Go here.
Note: Inappropriate BLOG comments and personal attacks will NOT be tolerated. We love the lively discussions but hate-filled, harassing and irresponsible comments are unacceptable.
Please Follow me on Twitter @RecruitingAJC + Please be my Facebook friend here
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
291 comments Add your comment
Confetti & Crystal
February 28th, 2012
3:37 pm
Bama wasn’t interested. Ga takes leftovers.
Snoop Dawg
February 28th, 2012
3:42 pm
Richt is picking up the leftovers. Even Miss State and Vanderbilt are cleaning our clock. The talent is leaking out of Georgia like a flood. Alabama, South Carolina, FSU, Auburn, Florida are all divying up the talent. Richt and Bobo are complete idiots.
Oh yeah…. They are getting contract extensions and big salary increases… Unbelievable…
George Stein
February 28th, 2012
3:45 pm
Good for him. Hope he enjoys his four years there.
G-Dawg
February 28th, 2012
3:46 pm
Great pickup for the Dawgs. Kid is a haus!!!
Things Dawgs say ...
February 28th, 2012
3:47 pm
Moose is why Nkemdiche doesn’t have us in his Top 5. He knew Moose was coming to UGA, and it scared him. I knew there was a reason!
Reason
February 28th, 2012
3:48 pm
Anyone who says UGA loses players out of state doesnt follow recruiting. It is fluid. You get some out of state and you lose some instate.
RMI Major
February 28th, 2012
3:48 pm
Leftovers? Shaq, Mathews. What about those guys? Give Ruben a little time and he’ll be joining his buddy Mathews in Athens. Go Moose and Go Dawgs! Winning the right way.
bravos0516
February 28th, 2012
3:49 pm
@snoop dawg
Since there will probably be 200 D1 recruits out of GA for 2013 of course those schools are going to get some. UGA will have a great class for 2013 no doubt about it.
Bama #1
February 28th, 2012
3:49 pm
Will Mark Richt show up at Junior Day this weekend?
RomeGADog
February 28th, 2012
3:49 pm
Im sure bama will offer him now and nick saban will do his commit on the spot routine. Real coool…..
YOU DUMB BUNCH OF MORONS
February 28th, 2012
3:50 pm
Kid is a non stop, never turn off his motor beast. Will play nose guard at UGA. Bama got beat to the punch by Richt because the hot seat talk is over.
confetti and snoop are 2 more idiots that hopefully did not reproduce
SUCCESSFUL BLACK MAN
February 28th, 2012
3:51 pm
THE AJC IS BETTER AT BREAKING THIS STUFF THAN SCOUT AND RIVALS.
nolabigdawg
February 28th, 2012
3:51 pm
Hey snoopi, you are not supposed to drink the bong water!!! geesh what a tool!!!
Bandwagon Bammer
February 28th, 2012
3:52 pm
Dude, if Saban wanted he’d get him. We got Forrest Gump away from Tennessee.
bravos0516
February 28th, 2012
3:53 pm
Should be done at NT for this class with Moose and Mayes out of JUCO. Good couple of guys to clog the middle the next few years.
Mountain Dawg
February 28th, 2012
3:53 pm
I LIKE this kid! No prima donna here. He WANTS to be a DAWG and he is HUGE! Good combo!
Go Dawgs!
Flo-Ri-Duh
February 28th, 2012
3:54 pm
Bummer didn’t want him? Saban called him personally and asked him to come to Bummer’s Jr. day. Not saying he was going to get an offer but if Saban calls he is interested.
Wha???
February 28th, 2012
3:54 pm
So, he had UGA as his first choice, but his Johnson likes GT? Interesting.
Taco Meat
February 28th, 2012
3:54 pm
I can here the 92,000+ yelling “MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE” when the big fella gets a sack! Go Dawgs!
GTPee
February 28th, 2012
3:55 pm
I’m sure he’ll be happy to join these guys: http://www.campusmack.com/article_posts/162
RomeGADog
February 28th, 2012
3:55 pm
Just like bama got shaq right?
Reggie Ball
February 28th, 2012
3:55 pm
“Georgia Tech was his Johnson’s second favorite school.” Man, Ice cream boy do you even look at you article before you submit it. Was his Johnson’ favorite school South Carolina??
Zoli
February 28th, 2012
3:56 pm
Give the young man his props. You guys are complete losers with your leftover comments. You don’t know him, have never seen him play, or have a clue what your are talking about. Congrats Mr. Johnson to joining the world wide family of DAWGS!
Flo-Ri-Duh
February 28th, 2012
3:56 pm
Georgia’s not done at nose tackle – still holding one spot for someone special. Moose can play other positions including OL and DE and so can Mayes.
Firefighter(out of Macon)
February 28th, 2012
3:57 pm
wow. 300 Plus pounds “left overs” ? You guys have some nerve talking about this kid. Plus I do think his buddy Tray Matthews pretty excited having him up there on the D-line.
59bulldawg
February 28th, 2012
3:57 pm
Glad to have you on the side of the good guys DeAndre! Can wait to see the Moose on the loose between the Hedges!
George Stein
February 28th, 2012
3:58 pm
Why would he commit to Bama now? He’d just end up being told that they’re out of scholarships and that he’d have to grayshirt.
1eyedJack
February 28th, 2012
4:00 pm
“Georgia Tech was his Johnson’s second favorite school.”
Mine too!
Mrs. Saban
February 28th, 2012
4:02 pm
I told little Nicky I’m not feeding that boy, and if he said yes to Bama, my hope was he’d get hurt his senior year and end up at Kentucky or some where. Nicky has way to many boys lined up to come by the house to meet me and for me to feed them and i’m getting a little tired of it. I ask Nicky if he was supposed to stop at 35 or 40 boys, and he told me to keep smiling and cooking. i hate it when their mama’s call here when it doesn’t go just as Nicky planned, and he tells me to them them I’m sick in bed. Oh well.
DAWG
February 28th, 2012
4:02 pm
Left over’s are not bad and I don’t put much stock on players with all the stars, Georgia has had three star player who turned out to be darn good players. The one player that comes to mind is David Pollack. So for all you people who are giving Georgia a rash of crap about players that are left over and you know who I am talking about your day is coming.
1eyedJack
February 28th, 2012
4:03 pm
Mrs. Saban, what else are you cooking up for them boys?
Mrs. Saban
February 28th, 2012
4:04 pm
Something little Nicky used to like
Meat
February 28th, 2012
4:07 pm
Gotta love a recruit name “Moose”……
ToccoaDawg
February 28th, 2012
4:07 pm
Can’t wait to chant MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-se at a Georgia Game.
Firefighter(out of Macon)
February 28th, 2012
4:08 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84FNUviLNaY sure is happy he is a “left over” and he is still growing
bravos0516
February 28th, 2012
4:10 pm
@Flo-Ri-Duh
Who you think we would be holding a spot for at NT?
okay
February 28th, 2012
4:12 pm
I’ve been wanting to play for Mark Richt for a long time. Now that I had the chance, I didn’t want to take a chance on somebody else taking my spot at Georgia, so I committed
finally, when you get the offer you want, take it, play around to long and you end up somewhere you don’t want to be.
Glad to have you MOOSE!
Morgan
February 28th, 2012
4:12 pm
Moose, WELCOME to Georgia!!! You are going to do well and all the fans appreciate your commitment! Get after ‘em and keep your exceptional drive strong!!
ESPN
February 28th, 2012
4:13 pm
When are in the process of scheduling Bama LSU III for the national national championship, and even if Bama doesn’t play the game they will still win, because we want them to win.
sammiamm
February 28th, 2012
4:13 pm
Firefighter –
Thanks for the link.
Clearly not a “leftover”. Heftover more like it. He takes two lanes and thre players out of the play, and still finishes fast/strong.
Like him.
Let’s keep him.
TECH RULES
February 28th, 2012
4:14 pm
well at least he did have us at his number two spot……..
BamaGuy
February 28th, 2012
4:15 pm
He said he couldn’t wait for me to get back up there so he could give me a hug.
What, No Kiss? Talk about a feel good story…
realitycheck
February 28th, 2012
4:17 pm
George Stein……….But he could be part of a NC team at Bama and that’s something that no Bulldog will ever see under the Mark Richt regime. Every other SEC school is salivating at the fact of an extension for Richt.
sammiamm
February 28th, 2012
4:17 pm
Marlon Brown had five stars. Malcom Mitchell four.
Ya never know…
Cdpridg
February 28th, 2012
4:18 pm
Wow! 311 lbs! GATA!!
Tweedle Dee
February 28th, 2012
4:19 pm
I wish a lot of other high school players had their heads on straight and thought like “Moose” does. UGA wants good players who want to play for UGA. With a bumper class in ‘13, they had better lock down their first choice while the openings are still available. I’m tired of the “hat trick” drama anyway.
Lakedawg
February 28th, 2012
4:19 pm
Just another example of the Dawgs and Coach Richt beating Bammer and Saban/Smart to another top prospect
Expect the if you commit right now I will offer trick.
Voice of Reason
February 28th, 2012
4:21 pm
WELCOME MOOSE! Oh and UGA coaches please hurry up and offer Raekwon McMillan 2014 before Alabama does. He is just as good as Foster at LB if not better. Just watch his youtube highlights
Trojan
February 28th, 2012
4:23 pm
Moooooose is going to be a DGD.
URnotUA
February 28th, 2012
4:23 pm
Watch how you get outworked