UGA’s newest recruit, Rico Johnson, cried after was he was offered a football scholarship at Saturday’s Mark Richt Camp.
They were tears of joy.
“That was my dream school; I always wanted to go there,” Johnson told the AJC. “I told myself if I ever got an offer from Georgia, that would be the school I would go to.”
Mark Richt picked up a new commitment after losing two earlier this week (AP photo)
The 5-foot-11, 171-pound Johnson is a wide receiver and defensive back from Swainsboro High School. He picked UGA over offers from Appalachian State and Marshall. He was virtually unknown to recruiters because he was ineligible to play last season as a junior after transferring high schools.
On Saturday, Johnson earned an offer on the spot after a dazzling performance, including being clocked at 4.25 and 4.28 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
Toward the end of camp, UGA coach Mark Richt called Johnson over to speak. “He said ‘How would you like to be a Dawg?’ It made me cry. I went over and talked to my coach and my mom. Then I went back over to Coach Richt and gave him my full commitment to be a Dawg. He gave me a hug and said ‘Welcome to the Dawg family.’”
Even though Johnson is a little-known recruit, he was a big commitment for UGA – the Bulldogs had a rough week after 5-star RB Derrick Henry and WR Kyrin Priester de-committed earlier this week. UGA needed to regain some momentum, and got it with Johnson. He’s the reigning Class AA state champion the 100-meter dash.
UGA now has 19 commitments for its 2013 football recruiting class.
“I knew I had a great day at camp, but I didn’t know I was going to get an offer,” Johnson said. “What a day.”
UGA commits for 2013
CHECK BACK ANY MINUTE FOR ANOTHER COMMIT …
BEST OF THE REST
– By Michael Carvell, AJC Recruiting Blog

Got an item? mcarvell@ajc.com
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571 comments Add your comment
A person SMART enough to know......
June 17th, 2012
6:03 pm
Paddy………….what did you say to pee in the War Chickens Wheaties?
A person SMART enough to know......
June 17th, 2012
6:04 pm
Don’t get KingDaddy started………Mustang Sally will run over you in a 69 CJPI 428 Mach 1
kingdaddy
June 17th, 2012
6:07 pm
Hey gamecluck
Who did we beat last year? WELL, WE BEAT AUBURN, LMAOFF. YOU’RE LAME AND ALWAYS WILL BE. THE ONLY GOOD CHIC-KUN IS ON A PLATE WITH A SIDE ORDER OF GRAVY…BUG-GOOOOOOOOCK…..CAN YOU DO THE CHIC-CAN DANCE BOY??? BUG-GOOOOCCCCKKKK…
GtDawg
June 17th, 2012
6:10 pm
WOW that visit to UGA over the weekend made Tunsil do this…..
VIA ESPN tweets,
Laremy Tunsil also added that Oklahoma is out of the running for him and that he really doesn’t talk to #FSU anymore …
Its looking good for the Dawgs.
kingdaddy
June 17th, 2012
6:10 pm
Smartamus
was it something I said???
Paddy
June 17th, 2012
6:11 pm
A person Smart……I guess I am just being my logical self. It really tears up masses!!!!!!!!!
GtDawg
June 17th, 2012
6:12 pm
5-star tackle Laremy Tunsil says Georgia, Florida, and Alabama are his top 3 schools in no order. #Bama #Dawgs #Gators
HighTech
June 17th, 2012
6:14 pm
kingdaddy…grill the corn on the cob. Here is how I do it…
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-corn-on-the-cob/
This is the best way to cook it.
kingdaddy
June 17th, 2012
6:22 pm
Thanks HT, I’LL have to try it next time. I already feel like I got to a deadend, put it in park and just turned the motor off. I’m done for the day…Full as a tick on a Big Dawg…
AtlGamecock
June 17th, 2012
6:33 pm
Like I said the poor old Dawg fans cannot answer a simple question. U guys always live in the past.
We whipped yout butts last year and we have beat more top 25 teams that u have over the last fews years. By the way what is your record against the top 25 with Big Game Murray at QB????????????
kingdaddy
June 17th, 2012
6:37 pm
Chicky
Keep running that mouth, its all you got, lol…I’m out…
AtlGamecock
June 17th, 2012
6:40 pm
OK loser take off
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
June 17th, 2012
6:45 pm
Happy Father’s Day guys! Roll Tide
Game Changer
June 17th, 2012
7:06 pm
I would say that UGA football big weekend failed apparently. Is there a way to get a refund or do we wait for the ” unknown “, pitiful coaches, got to do better.
strickdawg
June 17th, 2012
7:31 pm
@Atlgamecock, the only people advocating firing CMR were people outside of the UGA fanbase. ESPN “analysts” and rivals created the hot seat illusion, not Georgia fans. And what is up with people thinking college football only goes back two years? SC won two games and now they “own” Georgia? Whatever makes you feel good buddy haha. If you want to believe that SC has a shot at winning anything because you beat UGA 2 years in a row, the first year being one of UGA’s worst seasons in decades, then by all means go right ahead. It just shows everyone on here how disillusioned you really are.
Tampa Gator
June 17th, 2012
7:31 pm
I think it is between Florida and Georgia for Tunsil….and my bet is on him picking the Gators to be close to home to play his college ball.
Tampa Gator
June 17th, 2012
7:33 pm
GTDawg….
He doesn’t talk to FSU anymore because that is what Gators do……don’t talk to FSU people.
Tampa Gator
June 17th, 2012
7:36 pm
Also…..I thought 3 to 5 commits were coming from this big weekend (including Tunsil). What happened? But you did get that fast WR who hasn’t played football in over a year. That was very big. Just having some fun, Dawg fans.
Hairy Dawg
June 17th, 2012
7:36 pm
I knews we get good players for the stinky ones that quit on Dawgs by canceling recruiting commits. We just needs a few more now to reload again with top players that got the talents for SEC speed. Once we kick Adams to curv then we can recruit without the pointy head restrictoins. Then we really show dominants and make other teams pay for trying to beat us when we own East.
Go Dawgs!
strickdawg
June 17th, 2012
7:40 pm
Hahahaha and a 3 point win off a fumble recovery in the last couple minutes of the game constitutes whipping somebody now? Georgia absolutely demolished SC last year and literally gave the game away. UGA beat SC in every single category except rushing (because of a 68 fumble return) and you “whipped” us? LOLOLOLOLOL
Gamecock in Georgia
June 17th, 2012
7:42 pm
Rico does not even have 1 star but he’s a great player?
GtDawg
June 17th, 2012
7:46 pm
Via ESPN tweets
When asked if Tunsil’s mom enjoyed her visit to UF, Tunsil responded: “She liked it, but she really liked Georgia a lot.”
Game Changer
June 17th, 2012
7:46 pm
@strickdawg
About the 2012 game that give south carolina the edge over us:
No more shty qb for south carolina but we will still be playing Murray: THUS– Edge Goes To USC
Game Changer
June 17th, 2012
7:47 pm
Gtdawg
Was a great weekend all the sudden: We got commits out of Rico and Mrs. Tunsil
GtDawg
June 17th, 2012
7:54 pm
Laremy Tunsil on his Georgia visit: “I love Georgia. It was real nice — I loved everything about #UGA.”
strickdawg
June 17th, 2012
7:57 pm
Murray threw for 4 TD’s and almost 250 yards against them. Yeah, he had a few costly plays including the stupid fumble that cost us the game, but he had a great showing. Also, this year we’ll have a solid running game to take some of the pressure off Murray. I’ll take UGA this fall, especially since Spurrier can’t rely on UGA having players suspended when we play them. And I realize I made a mistake in my earlier post about the 68 yard fumble return which was actually a fake punt.
GtDawg
June 17th, 2012
7:59 pm
As of now I see around 6 Top Olinemen favoring the Dawgs with 3 already committed. The Dawgs gonna be alright come signing day even with the past weeks Decommits.
Hairy Dawg
June 17th, 2012
8:00 pm
All these lame chickens know we goning put a hurting on them to show Visor Boy is washed up hack. We makes him pay for last years wins and then we won East anyways over SCar.
Brainiac:
June 17th, 2012
8:01 pm
Tech has a blog??????????????????????????????
chilidawg
June 17th, 2012
8:03 pm
Congratulations, Rico. Some thing tells me that this kid is not going to “step back and re-evaluate his options” later in the recruiting process. I don’t put too much stock into what the recruiting services have to say. Scout rated David Pollack and Tyrann Matthieu as 3 stars.
A person SMART enough to know......
June 17th, 2012
8:08 pm
Mrs. Tunsil saw all the Drunk Fake Blonde Pillow Biting Tramp Stamp White Chicks and realized she could have a Halle Berry, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys or Beyonce Baby in no time. LOL
A person SMART enough to know......
June 17th, 2012
8:11 pm
Brainiac: actually passed the GED? I guess even a 65 IQ in Georgia can get a diploma of some kind. Hell UGa football players actually get a Toilet paper Diploma too.
Thomas Brown
June 17th, 2012
8:14 pm
M. Mond June 17th, 2012 11:01 am
“Of course Bobby Jones played golf at GT……”
______________________________________
Not 1 golf ball did Bobby Jones hit for Georgie tek. Therefore, he ain’t a Nerd athlete. He played his college golf at Harvard, where he graduated and whom he led in golf during his college golf career.
Brainiac:
June 17th, 2012
8:16 pm
@ Smart:(1:27pm post)
Good point!!!!!!!
Hairy Dawg
June 17th, 2012
8:28 pm
The lame chickens not likening how we will unload the whooping can on them this year. They went to one and only GA Dome trip by getting lucky before spanking by Awful Burn and Cheese Dip coach. Now they won’t be getting back there evers again cause Dawgs own East. Rest of East is self destructoins from having the crummy coaches and no talents. Dawgs will show how we go to Dome for years now.
Go Dawgs!
Big Crimson 75
June 17th, 2012
8:33 pm
Happy Fathers Day to all the Dad’s!!
Big props to Bama Grad Michael Thompson this week @ Olympic Club!!
Well played Michael.
Roll Tide!!
1eyedJack
June 17th, 2012
8:37 pm
Mrs. Tunsil is good but I’d rather have Ricky Tidwell’s mama.
Brainiac:
June 17th, 2012
8:40 pm
@ Rick James:
My you are a touchy MF today. I was just agreeing with you but I was asking WHY HE HAD TO SIT OUT A YEAR because it doesn’t happen in all cases.
How do you find fault with that??? I thought we were on the same side in almost ALL cases!!!!!!!!!!
GtDawg
June 17th, 2012
8:50 pm
1eyedjack, I see what U did there, lol
Thomas Brown
June 17th, 2012
8:53 pm
lmao, we beat Auburn ?
Auburn LOST 5 games 2011 and made not 1 top 25 poll.
-were 27 teams 10-win season, not Auburn
-were 36 teams 09-win season, not Auburn
-were 48 teams 08-win season, Auburn one of top 48 teams won/lost
That’s our claim to fame ? That we beat an SEC team who did not even have a winning SEC record, and who LOST 5 games.
While we played 4 teams 2011 who made the AP Poll Top 25 and lost all 4.
While we played 5 teams 2010 who made the AP Poll Top 25 and lost all 5.
While we played 2 SEC teams 2011 who made winning SEC records, lost both
While we played 3 SEC teams 2010 who made winning SEC records, lost all 3
While we played 2 SEC teams 2009 who made winning SEC records, lost both
While we played 2 SEC teams 2008 who made winning SEC records, lost both
A person SMART enough to know......
June 17th, 2012
8:58 pm
Thomas Brown Bobby Jones ws on the 1922 tech Golf team you Idiot.
A person SMART enough to know......
June 17th, 2012
9:02 pm
Thomas Brown is STUPID STUPID STUPID………I said Bobby Jones the Tech Nerd Created the MASTERS but now you want to say he never player for TECH and you are just a STUPID PUNK…………………..
____________________________________________
Jones was highly successful outside of golf as well. He earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1922 and played for the varsity golf team, lettering all four years. He then earned an A.B. in English Literature from Harvard College in 1924, where he was a member of the Owl Club.
THOMAS BROWN is a FOOL and well you add the rest you AZZZZZZZZZZZ Born Baby.
Hairy Dawg
June 17th, 2012
9:06 pm
We won East. Not the lame chickens. This year we repeat and beat chickens heads up to. Visor Boy well be throwing his hat on ground again and again and againt as we pound QB and intrecepts ball. And then Aaron Murray have break out year as already best SEC QB.
Rick James
June 17th, 2012
9:07 pm
@Brainiac:
@ Rick James:
My you are a touchy MF today. I was just agreeing with you but I was asking WHY HE HAD TO SIT OUT A YEAR because it doesn’t happen in all cases.
How do you find fault with that??? I thought we were on the same side in almost ALL cases!!!!!!!!!!
———————————————————————————————————————————–
My apologies..Most people who’s handle mentions intelligence are usually Tech fans some I’m guilty of lumping you in with them..In Georgia whenever a kid tranfers he has to sit out a year unless he can get a wavier of some type.
A person SMART enough to know......
June 17th, 2012
9:10 pm
Hairy dWag………..you won the EAST without beating every team in the EAST! Kinda Hollow now ain’t it after LSU KILLED the Mutts. You should have let USCeast come to the DOME to save the Mutts embarrassment to start and end the year in the Dome.
Brainiac:
June 17th, 2012
9:10 pm
I live right up the road from Swainsboro and watched a couple of Swainsboro practices. Rico can take the snap in the shotgun formation, scramble around for a few seconds, throw the pass and go catch it himself, sometimes for a TD.!!!!!!
I’m thinking he will surpass Neon Deon’s time in the 40 because most athlete reach their peak speed around age 19 or 20 and Rico has just turned 17 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hairy Dawg
June 17th, 2012
9:13 pm
We beat the LUSer bungle tigers for 30 min before we had no depth. Now we stocked up depth and experence to fixes that.
A person SMART enough to know......
June 17th, 2012
9:14 pm
Rick James…………with that post containing no punctuation; we are not thinking your are a TECH fan for sure. I hope your Bentley’s voice command can understand your directions to the next McDonald’s.
WTF?……..My apologies..Most people who’s handle mentions intelligence are usually Tech fans some I’m guilty of lumping you in with them..In Georgia whenever a kid tranfers he has to sit out a year unless he can get a wavier of some type.
A person SMART enough to know......
June 17th, 2012
9:17 pm
Hairy dWag……….you didn’t have DEPTH to start the game so how did you then have no depth in the 2nd half?
Brainiac:
June 17th, 2012
9:23 pm
@ Rick James:
No apologies necessary. I know you are a Dawg Fan and thought I was attacking you but I seldom attack Dawg Fans unless they attack CMR and his staff with unfounded BS though most of them and their ilk are trolls with Single Digit IQs.
When we have a coach with the BEST won/loss percentage of all current SEC coaches(which just happens to include Saban and Miles), got to 100 career wins faster than any other current SEC coach, has won 2 SEC Championships and 6 SEC East Championships in 11 years and is a man of unquestionable integrity just who would they want to replace him?????????????
Rick James = DGD