4-star finalizes his UGA decision: ‘It felt right putting on that uniform’
Javon Wims stopped just shy of saying he was going to make his final decision and sign with UGA on Wednesday morning.
He kept saying “if I was to go to Georgia” as he spoke to DawgNation on Monday afternoon. He tried. The four-star junior college receiver really tried. He might have a future in the legal profession or even politics after he’s signed his letter-of-intent.
But then Wims finally confirmed it.
“I am going to sign with UGA,” he said.
The long-time UGA commitment, whose recruitment dates back to the Mark Richt staff, said his host over the weekend was Sony Michel. He said Michel played his recruitment just the right way. He just showed him UGA and let the campus and program speak for itself.
Was it a tough choice? It might have been, but the new UGA coaching staff made it easy for him.
“This wasn’t a tough choice at all,” Wims said. “It may have been a tough choice, but at the same time, the coaching staff from the school I am attending has remained loyal. That’s what made it easy for me They just weren’t honoring my commitment to the previous staff. They showed their loyalty. They let it be known that I was needed and wanted. I really appreciated that. Their actions spoke louder than their words.”
He called UGA offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, receivers coach James Coley and head coach Kirby Smart a “three-headed monster” in terms of their efforts in his recruitment.
“That coaching staff did an amazing job,” Wims said. “Coach Smart. Coach Chaney and Coach Coley were a three-headed monster who stayed in contact with me from day one when they were hired. Even the female hostess did an amazing job showing me what I needed to see at Georgia.”
The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder is rated as the nation’s No. 11 player in the junior college ranks for this year’s signing class. He said his decision was already made before the visit.
Then came one of best official visit recruiting stories imaginable through his relationship with Buford High School senior and young journalist Brandon Sudge. Wims said that Sudge was at times trying to play it cool and chill as his dinner guest, but then also helping Smart and
company locked him down tight along his official visit.
“Putting on the jerseys was really cool,” Wims said. “It felt right putting on that uniform. My best part of the visit was sitting down with all the coaches and talking about the offense and stuff. It was a great visit. It was my best one.”
Wims said he couldn’t wait to be on campus as a full-time student. He felt there wasn’t any other school out there which could match the potential going forward for the UGA program.
“I think by me going there they will have two great running backs that are going to be first-round picks in future drafts,” Wims said. “That is what will help me get singled up one-on-one on the outside.”
“No. I really don’t think any other school can fit me with where I see myself in their offense coming in,” he said. “I’m not a high school kid where I care too much about campus life and the parties and stuff. I have been there and done that before. I care about more the school aspect and the football aspect. It is strictly business with this for me.”
He was also excited by Michel’s stated goal for the team of winning the SEC Championship next year.
Wims will be one of the most grounded athletes at UGA when he arrives this summer. There’s that story with Sudge from this weekend, but also the impressive route he took from scant recruiting attention in high school to junior college football to UGA.
There’s also this. It sounds just like Wims. A source told DawgNation that Wims has already took it upon himself to reach out to Mark Richt at Miami and let him know that he was going to sign with UGA. Miami and South Carolina were two of his other options.
Why? Sure, maybe it will be because a player never knows who his future coaches might be going forward.
But that answer is easy with Wims. He did that because it is just the right thing to do.
Unless otherwise indicated, player rankings and ratings are from the 247Sports Composite.
Jeff Sentell covers UGA football and UGA recruiting for AJC.com and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow him on Twitter for the latest on who’s on their way to play Between the Hedges.
