Sam M’Pemba: Decision day is here for the priority 5-star target
DawgNation Staff
Want to attack every day with the latest Georgia football recruiting info? That’s the Intel. This rep previews the big decision for 5-star EDGE Sam M’Pemba later today. He ranks as the nation’s No. 4 EDGE and the No. 30 overall prospect for 2023 on the 247Sports Composite ratings.
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Georgia will wait on a big decision in about an hour today. That’s for the present-day Bulldogs and the college football playoff rankings.
He just had the innate athletic ability to play that position as well as dabble a little bit on defense in 2021.
The 5-star prospect decided to move over to be a full-time EDGE as a senior. That’s where he felt his long-term future on Saturdays and Sundays was going to be.
M’Pemba has also been ranked as the No. 1 remaining “Top Target” for DawgNation in the 2023 class ever since 4-star game-breaker WR Tyler Williams chose Georgia back on Sept. 27.
Rivals.com has the highest scouting opinion of M’Pemba at this time. That recruiting service has him as the nation’s No. 1 weak-side defensive end and the No. 5 overall recruit for the 2023 class. To round out the major services, we find that M’Pemba is seen as a 4-star and the nation’s No. 2 DE and No. 29 overall prospect for ESPN’s rankings.
The competition for the Bulldogs sets up here as Florida, Miami and Tennessee. Those are his other three finalists. But it is not known for sure if M’Pemba took an official visit to all four of those schools.
He did take an official visit to check out both UGA and Tennessee. M’Pemba actually got to see the Bulldogs play this year more than a decent percentage of season ticket holders might have. He was in town for G-Day back in April and the Samford game.
That was for his official visit. It was another first. We’d never seen a recruit do that before on their official visit photo shoot.
M’Pemba also saw the ‘Dawgs play when he took his Missouri official visit. The “Dawgs were the visiting team for that contest. If that wasn’t enough evaluation moments to check out the nation’s No. 1 team, he also made a return trip to Athens for another unofficial for the Auburn game.
If the decision does go Georgia’s way later this evening, he would be the second 5-star prospect in this current recruiting class for the ‘Dawgs. Georgia, which currently stands at 21 commitments, also has the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class for this cycle.
The Bulldogs trail Alabama. The Crimson Tide also currently holds three more commitments in this cycle.
M’Pemba could become the second highest-rated commitment in the class per the 247Sports Composite scale. A.J. Harris, the 5-star cornerback from Alabama, is currently ranked as the nation’s No. 29 overall prospect.
That would also give UGA commitments from four of the nation’s top 51 overall prospects in this class. It would further boost a program that is very well-positioned to field championship defenses for at least the next four seasons.
IMG Academy has also been very good to the ‘Dawgs in recent years. Since signing their first national recruit out of that national boarding school powerhouse (5-star TE Isaac Nauta, 2016), we’ve seen the Bulldogs sign several former Ascenders in 4-star DE Robert Beal (2017), 5-star OLB Nolan Smith (2019), 4-star DL Warren Brinson (2020), 5-star LB Xavian Sorey Jr. (2021), 4-star RB Lovasea Carroll (2021), 3-star DE Marlin Dean (2021); 4-star DT Bear Alexander (2022), 4-star OG Aliou Bah (2022) and 5-star CB Daylen Everette (2022).
The ‘Dawgs also already have another commitment from the 2023 class at IMG Academy right now in 4-star EDGE Gabe Harris. Harris has been very actively recruiting M’Pemba to join him in Athens since he transferred there for his senior season.
Check out M’Pemba’s most recent HUDL film from spring practice earlier this year.
Sam M’Pemba: How does he feel about the ‘Dawgs?
M’Pemba has spoken at length this fall with DawgNation about his feelings for UGA.
What is the biggest thing he likes about the chance to play for Georgia?
“Just the brotherhood,” he said earlier this season. “Do you know what I mean? I talk to them just about every day. Honestly. Just keeping up with them. Just the guys that they got with development. I feel like the biggest thing for them they have got is development. Definitely. For sure.”
He was asked if he could boil down his feelings about Georgia to just one word.
“Dang,” he said earlier this season. “That’s a good question.”
He quickly found a phrase to sum up his feelings.
“Just get better and better every day,” he said. “Especially after the national championship. Every single time I’ve been up there they have [moved on] past the national championship. They have just been on “let’s get better every single day and continue to improve.” I feel like that is definitely the one thing.”
The ‘Dawgs desperately need to upgrade the EDGE position led by assistant coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe in this class. They have that commitment from Harris and M’Pemba and 5-star EDGE Damon Wilson are the two remaining priority targets for that position in this class.
Georgia will see Nolan Smith move on to the NFL Draft after his fourth season in Athens. Robert Beal, another sixth-year Super Senior, will also be playing on Sundays next fall.
There’s a need in Athens for EDGE rushers in this 2023 class. MJ Sherman will be a senior in 2023. Chaz Chambliss will be a junior next year.
How would the ‘Dawgs plan to use M’Pemba?
“I’d [be] going to play there like how Nolan Smith is playing,” M’Pemba said back in September. “Outside linebacker. Get developed by Coach [Chidera] Uzo-Diribe and just being with him and talking with him every day.”
We’ll wait and see what happens last this evening with M’Pemba.
SENTELL’S INTEL
(check on the recent reads on DawgNation.com)
- While the ‘Dawgs keep chopping it is time to put some respect on this historic winning tear
- Demello Jones: 2024 “freak athlete” is already very high on the ‘Dawgs
- CJ Jackson: ‘Dawgs are now a major contender for fast-rising EDGE after Tech visit
- Mason Short: 5-star in-state sophomore OT already sees a tough decision up ahead
- Bo Hughley: Prized OT says his pledge to UGA remains strong
- CJ Jackson: ‘Dawgs extend a big in-state offer to dynamic under-the-radar EDGE prospect
- Jordon Davison: The nation’s No. 1 sophomore RB has now taken four trips to see UGA
- Demarcus Riddick: How the nation’s No. 2 LB grew up a ‘Dawg living in Alabama
- LOOK: Priority 5-star Georgia target Sam M’Pemba rocks Kirby Smart jersey on photo shoot
- Sentell’s Intel: The Mississippi State win reflects the strength of the 2020 recruiting class at UGA
- 5-star Peyton Woodyard compares his feelings on UGA now to a blockbuster Marvel movie
- LOOK: Georgia commit Peyton Woodring breaks Louisiana state record with a 60-yard field goal
- David Sanders Jr: Nation’s No. 1 sophomore prospect gushes about “amazing” first UGA trip
- Ellis Robinson IV: Nation’s No. 1 junior CB is not sure how his feelings can get stronger for UGA
- PHOTOS: Check out the historic day for recruits as Georgia whips Tennessee
- BREAKING: Nation’s No. 2 LB Demarcus Riddick commits to Georgia
- BREAKING: Georgia adds a cornerback with 4.38 speed to the class in Chris Peal
- INTEL BREAKDOWN: Georgia already has a gamebreaker WR on the way in 4-star Tyler Williams
- Eddrick Houston: The 5-star junior already feels like a must-get for the ‘Dawgs in 2024
- Electric 5-star junior ATH Mike Matthews shares what he likes best about Georgia
- Lawson Luckie: The real reason this remarkable young man committed to Georgia will touch your heart
Demello Jones: ‘Dawgs are now firmly in the mix for a real ‘freak …