Sam M’Pemba: What he thought of that Sanford Stadium lap with Kirby Smart and the next steps of his process

Want to attack every day with the latest Georgia football recruiting info? That’s the Intel. This rep has the latest with 5-star Sam M’Pemba. He ranks as the nation’s No. 2 EDGE and the No. 24 overall prospect for 2023 on the 247Sports Composite. He’s the No. 3 EDGE and the No. 23 recruit on the On3 Consensus rankings. He’s the No. 1 weak-side DE and the No. 5 player this cycle on Rivals.

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Samuel M’Pemba played Friday night in one of the most eagerly-anticipated games for Georgia prospects of the 2022 regular season. His IMG Academy team traveled to Alabama to take on Central-Phenix City for a national ESPNU audience.

M’Pemba is one of the Alpha targets left for Georgia in the 2023 cycle. He had a solid game. He looked athletic and played with great energy. Yet he was not dominant. That is to be expected for a young man who is now playing his first season at the EDGE position.

The 6-foot-3, 249-pound senior was a tight end and receiver last year, but she showed enough on Friday for the 5-star projections for his college ability to be on the mark.

He will help one lucky school. M’Pemba is now down to just Georgia, LSU, Miami and Tennessee.

That game was interesting from the Georgia perspective for many reasons. Georgia’s highest-ranking commitment for this class is A.J. Harris. Harris plays for Central-Phenix. The IMG team also has a recent transfer in Georgia EDGE commitment Gabe Harris.

Harris and M’Pemba are getting a lot of reps on an IMG defense filled with other Future Power 5 talents.

The ‘Dawgs are also heavily recruiting 5-star junior CB Ellis Robinson IV at IMG Academy. That game had enough juice for Georgia to send a pair of assistants to watch all those big targets in action. Even with a noon kick the next day.

Central-Phenix took early 12-0 and 19-6 leads but eventually fell to the depth of the national boarding school powerhouse by a 41-26 margin.

When the game was over, Harris met M’Pemba at midfield. Harris was spent. If the 5-star Georgia commit was an iPhone, he passed the low battery mark at the end of the third quarter. He wasn’t 100 percent for the game, but was healthy enough to lock in any way.

Harris found enough energy to meet M’Pemba and share a quick word. They laughed and seemed to be in great spirits after that conversation.

If it was anything like the question 5-star Adam Anderson had for 5-star Justin Fields after a big game five years ago, the world will have to wait and see about all that.

Harris and M’Pemba have grown close during this cycle. Harris thought enough of M’Pemba to drive two hours to Athens this summer to get to know him. That’s when the 5-star EDGE when was in town for an unofficial.

“Him even just doing that just meant a lot,” M’Pemba said on Friday night. “Do you know what I mean? Because you don’t know that many people just trying to drive up a couple of hours to see another guy. So I appreciate him for that. He was just telling me to come to be a part of the brotherhood. Come in and work. Just get better every day and be a part of the program.”

M’Pemba was asked to break down what Smart told him along that lap. Smart was actually playing the role of storyteller there.

“He was just talking about his story,” M’Pemba said. “His coaching experience. How he developed from a coach. How he got to Georgia. Then just walking around seeing the atmosphere of the program.”

That was what M’Pemba remembered first. Then Smart started pointing off in certain directions. What was the coach of the national champions wanting him to see?

“The stadium,” M’Pemba said. “He was just telling me to take it all in. See how I could help the community and help affect the program.”

DawgNation has been on the field at Sanford Stadium for every game of the Smart era in Athens. We’ve never seen Smart do anything like that before on gameday with a recruit.

M’Pemba has been a target for major programs since his freshman year. Does something like that make a dent on a 5-star that has heard every pitch in the book?

“For sure, man,” he said. “Especially you know with Coach Smart. He’s got a lot on his time in his day. He’s got a lot of stuff to do. So just him taking the time out and wanting to do that, it meant a lot to me.”

“I appreciate him for it. For sure.”

M’Pemba has a good heart. That’s pretty clear to see. When the reporters left a gap in their postgame interview grid, a few Central High fans found a crease.

They were Red Devils. But they had seen enough on the field to know they wanted their kids to get a picture with M’Pemba. He graciously agreed.

It did look like M’Pemba could affect his future college home in a positive manner. Wherever he decides to go.

That’s the best segue to our next topic.

5-star EDGE Sam M'Pemba plays for IMG Academy in Florida. He is a MAJOR target for Georgia in the 2023 class. (Jeff Sentell / DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

5-star EDGE Sam M'Pemba plays for IMG Academy in Florida. He is a MAJOR target for Georgia in the 2023 class. (Jeff Sentell / DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

5-star EDGE Sam M'Pemba plays for IMG Academy in Florida. He is a MAJOR target for Georgia in the 2023 class. (Jeff Sentell / DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

5-star EDGE Sam M'Pemba says he is down to four schools. Georiga, LSU, Miami and Tennessee. He's one of the top remaining targets for the 'Dawgs in the 2023 class. (Jeff Sentell / DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

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What are the next steps for Sam M’Pemba?

M’Pemba has four official visits in mind. Those will be to Georgia, LSU, Miami and Tennessee.

“I’m going to give officials to all four,” he said. “I’m just taking my time with it. Just keeping the process going a little bit. I’m starting to narrow things down for sure. I don’t really have a timeline too much yet.”

His dates for Georgia and LSU don’t sound locked in. He’s thinking about November for both of those schools.

He said he will take an official to Tennessee for the Alabama game on October 15. That’s his next big trip. It is going to be hard to find the time around IMG’s national schedule. The Ascenders play across the country and sometimes wind up playing on weekends.

His team has four home games remaining in the Sarasota area and a November road trip to Maryland. The 5-star also said he knows he will take an official visit to Miami for the FSU game on Nov. 5.

What does he need to see on those trips?

“Just a feel honestly,” he said. “I still have my family that has got to come to see the schools. I just want them to see how they feel about it and then go from there.”

There are potential UGA home games with Tennessee and Georgia Tech in December. LSU has home games with Alabama and UAB in November to consider as well.

He sees no need to rush things, but he also knows he will make his decision before the early signing period.

“Yeah, it might be before then obviously,” he said. “But it will probably be in November. I’m just taking my time and will wait and see.”

5-star EDGE Sam M'Pemba says he is down to four schools. Georiga, LSU, Miami and Tennessee. He's one of the top remaining targets for the 'Dawgs in the 2023 class. (Jeff Sentell / DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

5-star EDGE Sam M'Pemba says he is down to four schools. Georiga, LSU, Miami and Tennessee. He's one of the top remaining targets for the 'Dawgs in the 2023 class. (Jeff Sentell / DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

5-star EDGE Sam M'Pemba says he is down to four schools. Georiga, LSU, Miami and Tennessee. He's one of the top remaining targets for the 'Dawgs in the 2023 class. (Jeff Sentell / DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

Sam M’Pemba: What does he like the best about Georgia football?

M’Pemba is talking to UGA “just about” every day. He said he feels a real connection with the team.

What is the biggest thing he likes about the chance to play for Georgia right now?

“Just the brotherhood,” he said. “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 it down his feelings about Georgia to just one word.

“Dang,” he said. “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.”

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. “Outside linebacker. Get developed by Coach [Chidera] Uzo-Diribe and just being with him and talking with him every day.”

He did notice that Uzo-Diribe was at his game on Friday night.

“It was good, man,” M’MPemba said, “I just saw him a couple of weeks ago when I was up at Georgia. Just talking to him and having me come see me with Gabe and watch us play. It was good to see for sure.”

What did he learn about Georgia on his unofficial visit for the Samford game?

“Honestly probably just the campus and the gameday atmosphere,” he said. “I was able to talk to the guys. Talk to Kirby a little bit. Just seeing how they came in and the mentality they had in the program. So I could know that if I come in what I will be getting into in the games and stuff.”

M’Pemba wore the same brown Bass Pro Shops hat for his unofficials for G-Day and the Samford game. Will we see it again on his official? Maybe. Why does he rock that lid on gamedays in Athens?

“Like the fit,” he said, sounding like every teenage male that sees no need to switch out a comfortable lid.

Which school has made him feel like the biggest priority? He had a quick answer, but then added more depth to what he was thinking.

“Definitely Georgia for sure,” he said. “Just talking to them and everybody. Georgia and then LSU as well. Tennessee. Well, all of them really but I feel like for my relationships I’ve had the best relationships with Georgia. But I’ve been taking to LSU a lot lately, too.”

“Just talking to them every day. They have been real hard on me. I’ve been up there numerous times to see Georgia. Just talking to the staff and getting a connection with them.”

RELATED: Georgia commits CJ Allen, AJ Harris and Gabe Harris weigh in on why the ‘Dawgs need Sam M’Pemba in Athens

5-star EDGE Sam M'Pemba plays for IMG Academy in Florida. He is a MAJOR target for Georgia in the 2023 class. (Jeff Sentell / DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

5-star EDGE Sam M'Pemba poses with Georgia EDGE commit Gabe Harris after the Central-Phenix City game. (Jeff Sentell / DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

Georgia assistant coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe watches on as Central-Phenix City faces IMG Academy on September 23, 2022, in Phenix City, Alabama. (Jeff Sentell/ DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

Georgia assistant coaches Chidera Uzo-Diribe (left) and Fran Brown (right) watch on as Central-Phenix City faces IMG Academy on September 23, 2022, in Phenix City, Alabama. (Jeff Sentell/ DawgNation)

Jeff Sentell, Dawgnation

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