Bralyn Oliver chose his birthday to commit to Georgia.

The 3-star prospect from South Carolina tweeted out the news of his decision with a sincere message in regard to his family and the support they have lent him so far in his life.

He even referred to his mother as his “first lady” and his “backbone” in the tweet announcing his college choice.

Defensive coordinator Dan Lanning had been recruiting Oliver for quite some time. This decision makes Oliver the first public commitment to the 2021 class in Athens.

It appears that Georgia had been his choice for quite some time prior to today’s news.

“He told me that he wanted to wait and do it on his birthday,” Belton-Honea Path head coach Russell Blackston said.

It appears both Colorado and Georgia offered him on the same day this summer. That’s a clear indication of how long the Bulldogs have been tracking Oliver.

His reputation was already well-known to the former Bulldog staff members who joined former coordinator Mel Tucker out in Colorado.

This is also a very big moment for Belton-Honea Path football. Blackston said he has been at the school for 20 years.

“I’ve been at ‘BHP’ for twenty years and this will be the first that I have known we’ve haad go to the SEC,” Blackston said.

That statement alone is quite telling. What did the Georgia coaches say they like the most about Oliver?

“Well, they said his raw talent,” Blackston said. “That’s what they like. They like his speed. They like his size. They like what he is going to grow into. That’s what they tell me they like.”

Oliver rates on the 247Sports Composite for 2021 as a 3-star safety. That places him as the nation’s No. 27 safety and the No. 544 overall recruit in his class.

This appears to be a case where the rankings industry has not quite caught up with his ability. The size and speed are one thing, but he has also started on both sides of the ball since his freshman year.

He comes from a rural area of South Carolina in Anderson County. There is not a lot of exposure for a player like Oliver to really get noticed. At least not yet.

That said, he has camped at all the major schools. He was also at Clemson this summer.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder from Belton-Honea Path High in rural South Carolina lists a 4.45 time in the 40 on his HUDL prospect page.

Blackston verified that Oliver does clock a consistent 4.4-4.5 time at that size in the 40-yard dash.

“He plays corner for us,” Blackston said. “He plays safety for us. Plays wide receiver. Has been to all the camps. He’s worked hard. He is a good young man and I feel the future is still going to be the best thing for him. I don’t think he’s near his full potential yet and I think he’s going to grow as a player.”

“I’m very excited today for Bralyn.”

Why Bralyn Oliver chose UGA 

Blackston said that Oliver had camped at Georgia several times.

“He’s been thinking about Georgia a long time,” Blackston said. “He really has. He’s been thinking about Georgia for a long time. He went to their camp several several times and he fell in love with Georgia. He really did.”

“They are getting a good one. I am very proud for him and his future.”

The highlight reel shows that Oliver has the ability to play safety or the “Star” or “Money” positions in Athens. Except he will do so from a 6-foot-3 frame with 4.4 speed in the 40.

Blackston agreed with that.

“That’s what I am thinking,” he said. “That is what I am thinking he is going to do and he is going to grow into.”

Oliver hails from a region not too far from Hartwell on the South Carolina-Georgia border.