It’s no longer a surprise when Tray Scott is able to land another coveted blue-chip defensive lineman. When you produce someone like Jalen Carter, it makes landing the theoretical next one all the easier.

Scott landed three promising defensive line prospects in the span of three days this past week, as James Johnson committed to Georgia on Saturday. PJ Dean and Preston Carey followed on Monday.

All three were contested recruitments. Florida and Miami badly wanted to keep Johnson in the state of Florida. Georgia fought until the 11th hour to keep Dean away from South Carolina. Florida and Auburn were also involved for Carey.

Johnson and Dean are both top-100 prospects in the 2026 recruiting cycle per the 247Sports Composite rankings. On3 ranks Johnson as the No. 1 defensive line prospect in the entire class.

While Johnson isn’t yet the same caliber of recruit that Carter was — he finished the 2020 recruiting cycle as the No. 14 overall recruit and as a five-star prospect — that hasn’t stopped Johnson from leaning into the comparison.

“Going to be a great Dawg,” Johnson told DawgNation’s Jeff Sentell. “Dominant. Better than Jalen Carter.”

Georgia and Scott would be over the moon if Johnson did indeed turn out to be that good, even if Kirby Smart likely loathes the idea of that comparison.

It has become en vogue to compare a Georgia defensive lineman to Carter. Some think Christen Miller could be that level of disruptive for Georgia this season. Current Green Bay Packer Warren Brinson said earlier this spring that freshman Elijah Griffin was going to be the next Carter as well.

Smart specifically pushed back on the idea that Griffin — who entered college with an even loftier ranking than Carter — would be the next version of Carter.

“I mean, like Elijah Griffin, he’s a great player. He’s a good player. Everybody’s like, oh, guys, the next Jalen Carter,” Smart said in an appearance on 680 The Fan. “And I’m like, ‘guys, Jalen Carter was one of one.’ He was probably the greatest defensive tackle athlete. He could go and play tight end. He could dunk. He could play point guard. He’s an athlete. Like, that’s different than most kids.”

Carter was a First Team All-American at Georgia and selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s already won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles and is viewed as one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL.

He’s not the only first-round defensive lineman that Scott has worked with, as the Bulldogs have had five defensive linemen taken in the first round of the previous four NFL drafts. But Carter’s name clearly resonates on a national scale in a way Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, Travon Walker and Mykel Williams do not.

That undoubtedly helps Scott with the next wave of elite prospects. Carter, to Smart’s point, was a rare prospect in terms of his capabilities. Walker and Williams were also ready to contribute from the moment they stepped on campus.

Davis and Wyatt were developmental wins for Scott, which are just as crucial when trying to fill out a defensive line. Georgia’s 2026 haul at the position currently holds four commitments, as four-star prospect Carter Luckie is in the fold.

Georgia isn’t done yet at the position, as Valdin Sone is one of the biggest remaining targets. The four-star defensive tackle has not yet announced a commitment date but it is one Scott and company are eagerly awaiting.

Most schools would be thrilled with the haul Georgia already has. It speaks to the work Scott has done to this point in the recruiting cycle.

But this is the program that produced Carter, along with a number of other standouts on the defensive line. So it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Scott continue to land and eventually develop another strong defensive line class.

Even if it doesn’t ultimately produce someone of Carter’s caliber.