Naim Mustafaa: 4-star LB commits to UGA over Georgia Tech
UGA beat out Georgia Tech for LB Naim Mustafaa in a rare head-to-head battle between the two in-state rivals.
“I made my decision about a week ago; I just had to come down to Georgia and tell them face to face,” Mustafaa told the AJC on Saturday.
“It just came down to where I wanted to be, really. Georgia Tech and Georgia are both great schools. I had to choose one.”
Son of former Georgia Tech football star commits to UGA (247sports.com)
This recruiting journey had a few twists and turns.
The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Mustafaa is the son of former Georgia Tech football star Najee Mustafaa (Reggie Rutland), who played seven seasons in the NFL. The younger Mustafaa was rumored to be on the brink of committing the Yellow Jackets, at one point or another.
Meanwhile, UGA did the improbable job of repairing its relationship with Mustafaa. UGA offered an early scholarship to Mustafaa and then stopped communicating with him on a regular basis – making him think the Bulldogs were no longer interested. At the time, Mustafaa took it all in stride, saying he “really wasn’t a Georgia fan.”
After Mustafaa’s comments went public, he was quickly contacted by UGA recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner, who made it clear that he was the team’s No. 1 target at outside linebacker. Mustafaa was satisfied enough from the conversation to put UGA back at the top of his list of favorites.
The 4-star linebacker from Alpharetta High School had more than 25 scholarship offers before deciding on UGA.
Mustafaa’s commitment was good news for UGA on the same day that OL target JP Vonashek surprisingly picked South Carolina over the Bulldogs.
UGA now has 20 commitments for its 2013 recruiting class, and could end up signing around 30 in February.
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
- WR Tramel Terry, 6-0, 185, Goose Creek, S.C.
- LB Johnny O’Neal, 6-1, 230, West Laurens HS
- WR Kyrin Priester, 6-2, 185, Brookwood HS
- OL Aulden Bynum, 6-5, 250, Valwood HS
- LB Ryne Rankin, 6-1, 231, Orlando, Fla.
- LB Reggie Carter, 6-1, 220, South Gwinnett HS
- ATH JJ Green, 5-9, 178, Camden County HS
- DB Reggie Wilkerson, 6-0, Citron, Fla.
- OL Josh Cardiello, 6-4, 280, Buford HS
- OL Brandon Kublanow, 6-3, 290, Walton HS
- WR Uriah LeMay, 6-1, 200, Matthews, N.C.
- WR Reggie Davis, 6-1, 155, Tallahassee, Fla.
- OLB Naim Mustafaa, 6-4, 235, Alpharetta HS
OVER THE WEEKEND
- How did Alabama visit go for … UGA’s TOP recruit?
- UGA edges out Georgia Tech in rare head-to-head battle for in-state recruit
- OL who appeared to be on brink of committing to UGA … picks South Carolina
- Steve Spurrier strikes again: Two Georgia commits in two days
- Nick Saban finally lands a Georgia QB for Alabama
- Robert Nkemdiche’s teammate will go west
AND THE RECRUITING NEWS KEEPS COMING
- Son ex-UGA player commits to play QB at LSU
- Notre Dame plucks away one of Georgia’s best prospects
- Should UGA be worried about 5-star RB Derrick Henry visiting … Alabama?
- Georgia Tech’s entire recruiting class gets GREEN LIGHT
- Hmmm … Florida and UGA agree to NOT host recruits for annual showdown
- UGA football signee forced to delay enrollment
- Georgia Tech FLIPS commitment of 4-star LB
YOU’VE GOT MAIL
- Nick Saban shares stamps; Recruit gets 52 letters in ONE DAY from Georgia Tech
- How would you grade UGA’s 2013 class so far?
- Did UGA hire Robert Nkemdiche’s coach to get No. 1 prospect??
- Mark Richt and Paul Johnson discuss Facebook and Twitter
- UGA offers top prospect after initially saying he was … “too weak”
- Mark Richt has a little secret
- Will Alabama sign BOTH of Georgia’s top football prospects?
- Robert Nkemdiche: No. 1 prospect officially delays his college decision
- Nick Saban on his Georgia recruiting success: “Well, I still have a home in Georgia”
– By Michael Carvell, AJC Recruiting Blog
- 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.
Got an item? mcarvell@ajc.com
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.
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361 comments Add your comment
A person SMART enough to know......
June 10th, 2012
4:22 pm
HIT him MARK Hit that punk
Dawg48
June 10th, 2012
4:23 pm
Bump and run
A person SMART enough to know......
June 10th, 2012
4:27 pm
Damn MARK had his chance…
Ghost
June 10th, 2012
5:14 pm
Rhall55, Do you actually think Friend is the one closing deals? His former players . players and those who coach with him speak very highly of him, have you ever met the man. He’s a good football coach and recruiter.Ever think Vonasheks offer had been pulled?
playa 3
June 10th, 2012
5:40 pm
black people carry guns and shoot people when their woman get disrespected? sho-you can’t be real?
engineer
June 10th, 2012
5:44 pm
another player who couldn’t make the scores needed to get in tech, so he picks the university of football in athens, where players get by for 2-3 years with mickey mouse classes, then they flunk out and transfer! congrats dogs.
bitter//dawgs insider
June 10th, 2012
5:46 pm
rhall55 a bamma turd–a person so retarded—a neckcar junkie, horrible page
bitter//dawgs insider
June 10th, 2012
5:50 pm
200 div 1 recruits this year in georgia and only 20 that can be considered quaility
non thugg type————-thats A.C.T. , SCORE ABOVE 50, non crimal record
—————-no girl friend issue’s————–general good person
Bama Boy
June 10th, 2012
5:54 pm
Another Georgie Bulldyke!Poor Kid! lmao
Buzz2011
June 10th, 2012
6:02 pm
Georgia Tech couldn’t use this Mustafaa anyway. He is a seven star player with a 1.2 grade point average. It sounds just like a Dawg prospect. What happens to those seven star players after they hit Athens? Sad………….
A person SMART enough to know......
June 10th, 2012
6:12 pm
Funny……all these FAKE TECH & UGa fans posting as the other team fans posting stupid crap trying to make each other look worse.
Y’all an just making everybody look STUPID and most kids already know not to read these blogs. You are not changing their minds either way.
not4tech
June 10th, 2012
6:12 pm
Tech fans just really do not get it!
AltamahaDawg
June 10th, 2012
6:15 pm
No TD, he was not. My point exactly. Now go lecture your tech buddies for bringing it up.
not4tech
June 10th, 2012
6:20 pm
gt= chop block u
Can not blame the kid for wanting to play in front 90k fans. Tech can not offer that.
WDE
June 10th, 2012
6:43 pm
Buzz2011 either your a moron or CPJ is because why waste time recruiting a kid that didn’t have the grades to get in?? So your pick big guy who’s the moron you or your head coach?? Oh and welcome young man to the Bull Dog Nation!
A person SMART enough to know......
June 10th, 2012
6:45 pm
not4tech…When will he play in front of 90k fans next year?
Maybe 3 times
Sat, Sept 1 vsBuffalo……Not a chance
Sat, Sept 8 @Missouri…Not a Chance
Sat, Sept 15 vsFlorida Atlantic…Not a Chance
Sat, Sept 22 vsVanderbilt…….doubt it but Maybe
Sat, Sept 29 vsTennessee……Yes
Sat, Oct 6 @ South Carolina……Not a Chance
Sat, Oct 20 @Kentucky….Not a Cahnce
Sat, Oct 27 vsFlorida*….Yes
Sat, Nov 3 vsOle Miss…Not a Chance
Sat, Nov 10 @Auburn….Not a Chance
Sat, Nov 17 vsGeorgia Southern…..not a Chance
Sat, Nov 24 vs Georgia Tech….Yes
A person SMART enough to know......
June 10th, 2012
6:47 pm
Sorry even the Florida v UGa game he will not play in front of 90k either
A person SMART enough to know......
June 10th, 2012
6:49 pm
WDE…buzz2011is a UGA fan posting as a Tech fan.
We all know Maim has the grades at this point and should have no problem scoring a qualifying score on the ACT or SAT.
DogM
June 10th, 2012
7:25 pm
no worries–richt will keep him eligible somehow—he’ll be a superstar!!
Game Changer
June 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
Chip Towers is nervous that UGA SPORTS INFORMATION will not open Monday leaving him wihout an article for the ajc. Chip Towers, grow a pair and write an article on your own and triple check it because your reporting on the contracts is not only poor, they are very inaccurate.
Game Changer
June 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
Chip Towers is nervous that UGA SPORTS INFORMATION will not open Monday leaving him wihout an article for the ajc. Chip Towers, grow a pair and write an article on your own and triple check it because your reporting on the contracts is not only poor, they are very inaccurate.
Game Changer
June 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
Chip Towers is nervous that UGA SPORTS INFORMATION will not open Monday leaving him wihout an article for the ajc. Chip Towers, grow a pair and write an article on your own and triple check it because your reporting on the contracts is not only poor, they are very inaccurate.
Game Changer
June 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
Chip Towers is nervous that UGA SPORTS INFORMATION will not open Monday leaving him wihout an article for the ajc. Chip Towers, grow a pair and write an article on your own and triple check it because your reporting on the contracts is not only poor, they are very inaccurate.
Game Changer
June 10th, 2012
8:15 pm
Chip Towers is nervous that UGA SPORTS INFORMATION will not open Monday leaving him wihout an article for the ajc. Chip Towers, grow a pair and write an article on your own and triple check it because your reporting on the contracts is not only poor, they are very inaccurate.
kerryb
June 10th, 2012
8:22 pm
He could have gone to Tech and not played in front of 90K combined for the whole year.
perk
June 10th, 2012
8:28 pm
DGDawg for Life!
A person SMART enough to know......
June 10th, 2012
8:28 pm
kerryb can’t do simple math. Will cover that like UGa by the second game.
heeldawg
June 10th, 2012
8:39 pm
@A person SMART enough…
Georgia’s stadium holds 92746 at full capacity. Auburn’s stadium holds about 250 fewer seats than Sanford. Every game sells out. The season opener against Buffalo will be over 90K in attendance, as will Vandy, UT, Ole Miss (Homecoming), Auburn, Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech. The Florida Atlantic game will sell out, but actual attendance may fall below 90,000 for that game. Williams-Brice Stadium at South Carolina holds ~80,000, the Gator Bowl holds 77,000, Faurot Field at Missouri holds 71,000, and Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky holds ~67,000, so those games will not be in front of 90,000. The SECCG in Atlanta will likewise not be in front of 90,000 plus as the Georgia Dome holds only about 65,000. So out of 13 potential games this season, not including bowl games, there will be seven, and possibly eight, games with over 90,000 fans, with the rest limited only by stadium capacity (Georgia-Florida and Georgia-South Carolina could each sell 150,000 tickets if the facility were that large, and the Georgia-Missouri game this season would be able to sell 90,000+ tickets if there were enough seats). Had this young man gone to Tech, he might see a stadium with over 90,000 fans once every other year–and that game would be the road game against Georgia, when everyone in the building would have been rooting against him. Georgia Tech’s average attendance last season, including the bowl game, was 44,700 per game. The largest crowd to see a Yellow Jacket game all season last year was 55,811 against Clemson; Tech’s stadium only holds about 56,000 at maximum capacity. So I think Mr. Mustafaa is relatively accurate when he cites playing in front of 90,000 as an option at Georgia–and not at Tech. There is simply no comparison between the football experiences for players at the two schools. SEC vs ACC? Tech versus Georgia? I’d pick the Dawgs every time, as well.
A person SMART enough to know......
June 10th, 2012
8:56 pm
Heeldawg………….try again. A SELLOUT is different than the number of people that actually show-up.
try again………….Jordan-Hare stadium reached its current seating capacity of 87,451 in 2004
You are crazy if you think there will be 90k+ butts in the seats for MOST of the games.
A person SMART enough to know......
June 10th, 2012
9:02 pm
The dawgs will have 90+ if they are winning and the games are not at noon-1 kickoffs against cupcakes.
kingdaddy
June 10th, 2012
9:55 pm
Smart
You’re clutching at straws, arguing just to argue. It is a moot point because you know what Naim means. So he’s off by a couple of thousand, its no big deal. The kid wants to play in front of SECcrowds, case closed. Anyway I don’t understand why these kids making a decision between several schools, causes such animosity and poor sports. One thing I know, you can never make everybody happy…
kingdaddy
June 10th, 2012
10:00 pm
Smart, something else, come Kick-off, I don’t care who we play, even Buffalo we’ll pull more than Tech would…
Blackoutanyone?
June 10th, 2012
10:43 pm
Derrick Henry looks pretty good in Crimson. http://instagr.am/p/Lob0EsumgQ/
As I said before… Saban will typically send a kid home to talk it over with his family before excepting a commitment.
Per Henry’s twitter account tonight:
“I will make a statement soon, After I talk it over with coaches & family.”
cdpridg
June 10th, 2012
10:59 pm
We have a big time juco ol possibly coming in for 2013…we lead for him. Big kid out of Warner Robins…..as for Henry he is ALL DAWG!
Big Crimson 75
June 10th, 2012
11:00 pm
Black…..good stuff.
If he’s talking things over with family and coaches, sounds like a switch to me.
cdpridg
June 10th, 2012
11:07 pm
Steven Nelson…4 star ol….Crimson 75….dont get to giddy from your boy black…..just a speculating troll…..no knowledge whatsoever. Henry is back in as Fla and has been quoted as saying He is as ll Dawg! Dont get to excited…..does not look good for you fellers
A person SMART enough to know......
June 10th, 2012
11:12 pm
JUCO from Warner Robins? sounds like another Exercise Science major.
Blackoutanyone?
June 10th, 2012
11:23 pm
Derrick Henry:
“I think their approach is a little unique, but I think it’s why they get good players.”
I don’t have any info to say he’ll switch for sure, but their are some “insiders” who feel confident that he will. Either way… Bama is LOADED at every position. Looking at depth charts… I could see this kid picking someone other than UGA or Bama in the end.
Bama Boy
June 11th, 2012
1:47 am
Why would anybody play between those ugly hedges
always steppin in dawgmess and your profs are trannys
gt4ever
June 11th, 2012
8:53 am
We can’t close the deal on this kid…. Amazing! Good Luck to this kid, but $#%& it’s just not the same anymore when you can’t get an alum’s kid to come play football… But hey, CPJ sure can recruit….
Ramblinwreck 1378
June 11th, 2012
9:07 am
You win some, you lose some. Example: UGA wins and gains commitment of Naim Mustafaa. UGA loses as their prized 5 star commit prepares to announce his reversal of commitment, and that he’s headed to Alabama.
Also, it’s June guys. This guy may have no idea what he wants to do, but was getting pressured. He has plenty of time to change his mind. I promise, we won’t stop recruiting him.
JM
June 11th, 2012
9:57 am
disappointing news for the Jackets.
gt4ever
June 11th, 2012
9:59 am
Times have changed…. My dad played for Bobby Dodd in the late 50’s… My dad didn’t have to pressure me to go to GT, it was understood… He would have disowned me for going to UGA… A true GT guy/gal understands this….
I’m sorry but if we can’t close the majority of these players, it’s a reflection of the current staff. Period!
old dog
June 11th, 2012
10:07 am
He wanted to play big-boy football, and MAYBE have a D-lineman or two to help him out, which y’all need to adddress. However, until our o-line takes it up a notch I won’t crow too loudly. The “cripple” option in todays game probably is not gonna bring ‘em out, though…….O or D-players
gt4ever
June 11th, 2012
10:37 am
@old dog
Give me a break with the big-boy football comment. You guys recruit some of the finest talent EVERY year and can’t beat anybody… Big-boy football my arse!
old dog
June 11th, 2012
11:00 am
@GT 4ever; We’ve beaten everybody but the big-two (Alabama and LSU) as opposed to the schedule y’all play; and I did mention we had fallen short on o-linemen, which has messed us up, because no matter how much talent you recruit everywhere else, the hosses up front count. By big-boy ball I meant he did not want to stake a future on the option, something y’all will (and already are) seeing more of. Yeah, we recruit some of the best talent and get less out of it because we let the o-line go south. However, right now y’all ain’t in the conversation with the big time….even a weak SEC east makes the ACC look lie midget league.
gt4ever
June 11th, 2012
11:27 am
@old dog
Spare me… UGA didn’t beat ONE good team on their schedule last year…. The good teams they played beat them… You SEC fans are all delusional… You have two good teams LSU and UA and you think you own the football world… The ACC matches up top to bottom with any other team in the SEC…
Just get some HELP… You CAN over come these delusions of grandeur….
old dog
June 11th, 2012
12:14 pm
@gt4ever,
Even at our worst, we have whooped y’all pretty good…….(which has doggone near taken the rivalry out of it.) I actually pull for y’all when you don’t play us. However, lets just see how far Coach Moobs and the option take y’all. And remember, conference or no, players or no, coaches or no we have whooped us some yellow-jacket tail. So, even if we are no good or there are only two good SEC teams, we are light-years ahead of y’all. It just happens that at this present time that ain’t sayin’ too much…………..
gt4ever
June 11th, 2012
12:35 pm
@old dog
I can’t argue with any of that…. You have owned us, and with this current coach in place GT football will get even weaker… Here is to hoping someone at GT comes to their senses and finds a coach that will make our program competitive…
old dog
June 11th, 2012
12:42 pm
@gt4ever,
Nice comment……believe it or not! Tech has too long and varied a history not to come back, and y’all will. I wish y’all were still SEC, even though folks may not like that……. And, you were right about us not being at the top of the SEC, and until we get the o-line right, we will have the same conversation next year.